Ergocalciferol significantly inhibits profibrogenic and proinflammatory gene expression by hepatic stellate cells: Ergocalciferol a potential supplement in the therapy of liver fi…

Aims: Patients with Fibrosis exhibit Vitamin-D (VD) deficiency. HSC store VD, express the VD-Receptor1 (VDR1) and play a key role in hepatic fibrogenesis. Thus we studied the effect of VD and its derivatives on HSC. Methods: LX2 cells were treated with VD2 (10–6 M), 25-hydroxyvitamin D3 (25VD; 10–7 M), or 1,25-dihydroxyvitamin D3 (1,25VD; 10–8 M) for 24 or 48h. Expression of α-SMA, COL1A, TGF-β, MCP1, PDGFR, VDR and IL-6 were determined in qRT-PCR and Western Blot (TGF-β). Metabolization of VD2 into 25VD was measured in culture supernatants (25VD EIA-Kit). 20 low or high fibrosis patients (LF, HF; identified by…