Abstract:Objective To investigate the mechanism of Liraglutide regulating hepatic steatosis in rats with type 2 diabetes mellitus (DM). Methods A high-fat diet plus a low-dose streptozotocin was implemented to create a type 2 diabetic rat model. The rats were randomly divided into a DM group and a Liraglutide group, and healthy rats were as normal control group (NC group), each group had 10 rats. Liver fatty changes were evaluated with oil red O staining. Fasting plasma adiponectin concentration was measured by ELISA. Protein expression levels of AMPactivated protein kinase (AMPK), phosphorylated AMPK on threonine 172 (Thr172p-AMPK), and sterol regulatory element-binding protein 1c (SREBP-1c) in 1iver homogenate were detected by Western blot. ANOVA or LSD test was used for data analysis. Results Compared with the NC group, the presence of cytoplasmic lipid deposits in the DM group was confirmed by oil red O staining (P < 0.05). Lipids deposition in hepatocytes was significanly alleviated in the Liraglutide group as compared to the DM group (P < 0.05). Compared to the NC group, plasma adiponectin level was significantly increased (P < 0.05), Thr172p-AMPK/AMPK in the rat liver was significantly reduced (P < 0.05), and SREBP-1c expression was increased in the DM group (P < 0.05). After Liraglutide therapy Thr172p-AMPK/AMPK was significantly increased, SREBP-1c expression was significantly declined (P < 0.05). Conclusions Liraglutide ameliorates hepatic steatosis probably by inhibiting lipogenesis in rats.