Vitamin D3 acts on the gut-liver-adipose tissue axis to modulate obesity and associated metabolic and inflammatory changes in diet-induced obese mice

Background: Obesity and associated metabolic complications are increasing problems in industrialized countries. Serum 25-OH Vitamin D3 (VD3) levels negatively correlate with body mass index, insulin resistance and non-alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) in humans. The causal relation between VD3 status and NAFLD as well as the potential underlying mechanisms are, however, not fully understood. Methods: To explore the relevance of VD3 for obesity and NAFLD, C57BL/6 mice were fed high-fat diets (HFD) with different levels of VD3. Liver histology and hepatic fat content were analyzed. The expression of metabolic…