title: Vitamin D₃ regulation of body fat, cytokines, and calpain gene expression.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  We conducted an in vivo experiment to determine whether vitamin D₃ acts as a fat synthesizer and/or meat tenderizer in mice. At 6 weeks of age, 20 male C57BL/6 wild-type mice were randomly divided into two groups (10 mice per group) and fed a modified AIN93G diet with (vitamin D₃ diet) or without (basal diet) 10 IU 25-OH-cholecalciferol kg⁻³ for 3 weeks.
  
  
  RESULTS
  When vitamin D₃ was fed to mice for 3 weeks, body fat was significantly increased compared to mice fed a basal diet. There was, however, no difference in body weight between the two groups. Vitamin D₃ increased the gene expressions of pro-inflammatory cytokines and peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor gamma, but decreased interleukin-15 in adipose tissue through nuclear vitamin D receptor and uncoupling protein-2 signals. The muscle inducible nitrate oxide synthase content of mice fed vitamin D₃ was higher than those fed a basal diet, while muscle arginase l showed a reverse phenomenon. longissimuss dorsi muscle of vitamin D₃-fed mice showed more severe fat deposition than those fed a basal diet. Vitamin D₃ amplified muscle u- and m-calpain protein content and suppressed muscle calpastatin protein content.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  These findings suggest that vitamin D3 can be used as a fat synthesizer and meat tenderizer in meat-producing animals.
authors.forename: Hyuck
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Choi
authors.forename: Kyuho
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Myung
mesh_terms: D050154:Adiposity; D000818:Animals; D001119:Arginase / Q000037:antagonists & inhibitors / Q000378:metabolism; D002112:Calcifediol / Q000172:deficiency / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000627:therapeutic use; D002135:Calcium-Binding Proteins / Q000037:antagonists & inhibitors / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism; D002154:Calpain / Q000737:chemistry / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism*; D016207:Cytokines / Q000097:blood / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism*; D019587:Dietary Supplements; D005786:Gene Expression Regulation; D007473:Ion Channels / Q000819:agonists / Q000378:metabolism; D050356:Lipid Metabolism; D008297:Male; D008810:Mice, Inbred C57BL; D024101:Mitochondrial Proteins / Q000819:agonists / Q000378:metabolism; D018482:Muscle, Skeletal / Q000201:enzymology / Q000276:immunology / Q000378:metabolism*; D052247:Nitric Oxide Synthase Type II / Q000737:chemistry / Q000378:metabolism; D047495:PPAR gamma / Q000819:agonists / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism; D011897:Random Allocation; D018167:Receptors, Calcitriol / Q000819:agonists / Q000378:metabolism; D015398:Signal Transduction; D000071246:Uncoupling Protein 2
chemical_list: D002135:Calcium-Binding Proteins; D016207:Cytokines; D007473:Ion Channels; D024101:Mitochondrial Proteins; D047495:PPAR gamma; D018167:Receptors, Calcitriol; C000604390:Ucp2 protein, mouse; D000071246:Uncoupling Protein 2; C033668:calpastatin; D052247:Nitric Oxide Synthase Type II; C496317:Nos2 protein, mouse; D002154:Calpain; C112682:Capn1 protein, mouse; C570925:Capn2 protein, mouse; C544448:Arg1 protein, mouse; D001119:Arginase; D002112:Calcifediol