The beneficial effects of 1,25-dihydroxyvitamin D3 (1,25(OH)2D3) on nonalcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) have been well documented; however, the underlying mechanism was not known. In a new study, 1,25(OH)2D3 is shown to protect against hepatic steatosis by inducing autophagy — a protective pathway that maintains intracellular homeostasis in response to different stressors. Feeding mice a high-fat diet (HFD) for 4 weeks induced hepatic steatosis; however, liver damage was attenuated in HFD-fed mice injected with 1,25(OH)2D3. Autophagic flux and expression of markers of autophagy were increased in HFD-fed mice treated with 1,25(OH)2D3; moreover, inhibition of autophagy by 3-methyladenine abrogated the protective effects of 1,25(OH)2D3 against HFD-induced hepatic steatosis. 1,25(OH)2D3 also reduced inflammation and regulated lipid metabolism in HFD-induced fatty livers. The findings highlight the potential of using 1,25(OH)2D3 and of inducing autophagy to treat NAFLD.
References
Li, R. et al. 1,25(OH)2D3 attenuates hepatic steatosis by inducing autophagy in mice. Obesity http://dx.doi.org/10.1002/oby.21757 (2017)
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Holmes, D. Vitamin D-induced autophagy prevents steatosis. Nat Rev Endocrinol 13, 190 (2017). https://doi.org/10.1038/nrendo.2017.21
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1038/nrendo.2017.21