cytokine, which is consistent with similar macro-
phage infiltration in Flox and LAKO mice. Like-
wise,LAKOmiceshowednodifferenceingrowth
factorPdgfaand receptorPdgfraexpression
or matrix remodeling genes tissue inhibitor
matrix metalloproteinase 1 (Timp1) and dis-
coidin domain receptor tyrosine kinase 2 (Ddr2)
(Fig. 1P).
We also fed mice with the Amylin (AMLN)
diet, which is used to mimic human NASH in
preclinical studies ( 2 , 17 ). AMLN also repressed
AMPK activation in C57BL/6J mice (fig. S2A).
Zhaoet al.,Science 367 , 652–660 (2020) 7 February 2020 2of9
A
D
I
O
B
E
J L
P
C
FGH
K
M N
ND CD-HFD
pAMPKαThr^172
AMPKα
Flox LAKO
0
5
10
15
20
25
30
Body weight (g)
Flox LAKO
0
100
200
300
400
ALT (U/L)
Flox LAKO
100
120
140
160
180
200
ALP (U/L)
Flox LAKO
0
1
2
3
Liver weight (g)
Flox LAKO
100
150
200
250
300
TG (mg/g liver)
Flox LAKO
0
100
200
300
400
500
AST (U/L)
H&E F4/80 Sirius Red
Flox
LAKO
Flox
LAKO
TUNEL DAPI Merge
Green pMLKL
Blue DAPI
Flox LAKO
0
500
1000
1500
Hydroxyproline
(ug/g liver)
Flox LAKO
0
5
10
15
Fibrosis (% area)
Flox LAKO
0
200
400
600
TUNEL
+ cell/field
Prkaa1 Prkaa2
0.0
0.5
1.0
1.5
mRNA (A.U.)
*
*
Flox
LAKO
Tnfa Ccl2 Ccr2 Il1b Adgre1
0.0
0.5
1.0
1.5
2.0
2.5
mRNA (A.U.)
Flox
LAKO
Casp3 Casp8Ripk1 Ripk3
0.0
0.5
1.0
1.5
2.0
mRNA (A.U.)
Flox
LAKO
Tgfb Timp1 Col1a1 Col3a1 Acta2 Pdgfa Pdgfb Pdgfra Ddr2
0
1
2
3
4
5
mRNA (A.U.)
Flox
LAKO
Fig. 1. Liver-specific AMPK knockout exaggerates liver damage in NASH.
(A) Expression ofPrkaa1andPrkaa2in liver;n= 8 to 9 mice. A.U., arbitrary
units. (B) Immunoblot of liver lysate from ND or CD-HFD–fed mice;n= 3 mice.
(CtoP) Flox and LAKO mice fed CD-HFD for 11 weeks. (C) Body weight. (D) liver
weight. (E) Liver TG. [(F) to (H)] Serum ALT (F), AST (G), ALP (H);n=8to
9 mice. (I) Liver sections stained TUNEL (red) and 4′,6-diamidino-2-phenylindole
(DAPI) (blue) or pMLKL (Green). Scale bar, 50mm. (J) Quantification of TUNEL-
positive nuclei per field in (I);n= 7 mice. (K) H&E, F4/80, and Sirius red staining
of liver sections. Scale bar, 100mm;n= 7 mice. (L) Quantification of fibrosis area
(percent of total area) shown in (K);n= 7 mice. (M) Liver hydroxyproline;n=8to
9 mice. (N) Expression ofTnfa,Ccl2,Ccr2,Il1b,andAdgre1in liver;n=8to
9 mice. (O) Expression ofCasp3,Casp8,Ripk1,andRipk3in liver;n=8to9mice.
(P) Expression ofTgfb,Timp1,Col1a1,Col3a1,Acta2,Pdgfa,Pdgfb,Pdgfra,and
Ddr2in liver;n= 8 to 9 mice. Mean ± SEM; *P< 0.05, Student’sunpairedttest.
RESEARCH | RESEARCH ARTICLE