Cross-generational effects of dietary sea buckthorn on non-alcoholic fatty liver disease in offspring of obese female mice

• Nonalcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) has a genetic effect. • Maternal sea buckthorn intake alleviates NAFLD in offspring. • Dietary sea buckthorn inhibits aerobic glycolysis to alleviate the occurrence of NAFLD. • NAFLD is associated with liver inflammation and oxidative damage. Maternal obesity is a potential cause of non-alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) in the offspring. There is growing evidence that sea buckthorn plays an important role in protecting the liver. In this study, we established three dietary models of maternal to study the effects of different diets of maternal mice on the occurrence of NAFLD in their offspring and explored the underlying potential mechanisms. Studies have found that feeding sea buckthorn to maternal mice can improve liver steatosis and lipid deposition in the offspring. In addition, the expression of inflammation-related factors was reduced, the IκB/NF-κB pathway was inhibited, and inflammatory response was reduced in the offspring of maternal mice fed sea buckthorn. Furthermore, offspring exhibited increased antioxidant enzyme activity. Further, the results revealed that sea buckthorn inhibited glycolysis regulates AMPK/PKM2 activity, thereby reducing the occurrence of NAFLD. This study provides a novel strategy for treating NAFLD at the maternal level.