Objective:To investigate the correlation of serum adiponectin and hepatic adiponectin receptor(adipoR)expression with pathological changes of the liver in the rats with non-alcoholic fatty liver diseases(NAFLD).Methods: The NAFLD model was induced by an oral administration of high fat diet.The rats were sacrificed at 2,4,8,and 12 weeks.ELISA was used to measure the serum adiponectin and other biochemical parameters.The liver index was also examined.AdipoR mRNA expression in the liver were measured by RT-PCR.Liver slices were observed with Sudan Ⅲ staining,H-E staining and Masson staining for pathological changes.Results: The serum adiponectin in the model group were gradually decreased during the 2nd,4th,8th,and 12th week,and were all significantly lower than those in the control group at corresponding time points(P＜0.01).Serum adiponectin level was found negatively correlated with the liver index(r=-0.383,P=0.015),hepatic inflammation scale(r=-0.475,P=0.002),and hepatic fibrosis scale(r=-0.353,P=0.025).The hepatic adipoR1 mRNA expression in the model group was gradually increased (P＜0.01 from the 4th week) and adipoR2 mRNA expression was gradually decreased compared with the control group (P＜0.01 from the 2nd week). AdipoR2 mRNA expression was negative correlated with liver index(r=-0.431,P=0.006) and hepatic fibrosis scale(r=-0.353,P=0.025).Conclusion: The hepatic adipoR mRNA expression is abnormal in rats with NAFLD; the serum adiponectin level is decreased and negatively correlated with liver inflammation and fibrosis scale,indicating that the decreased serum adiponectin level,pathological hepatic adipoR expression,especially the decreased AdipoR2 expression in the liver may be related to the pathogenesis of NAFLD.