title: Calcium and vitamin D3combinations improve fatty liver disease through AMPK-independent mechanisms.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  Some research findings suggest that calcium plus vitamin D (VitD) might have a preventive effect on nonalcoholic fatty liver disease development. Moreover, contradictory evidence also exists regarding calcium and VitD deficient diets. This study aimed to evaluate the effect of four different dietary calcium and VitD3(cholecalciferol) levels on the development of high-fat, high-fructose (HFHFr) diet-induced nonalcoholic fatty liver disease and AMP-activated protein kinase (AMPK) phosphorylation.
  
  
  METHODS
  Thirty male Wistar rats were fed with normal or HFHFr diet containing low calcium (0.2%) and VitD3(250 IU/kg) (LCD), normal calcium (0.5%) and VtD3(1000 IU/kg) (CN), high calcium (1.2%) and VitD3(4000 IU/kg) (HCD) or very high amount of calcium (2.4%) and VitD3(10,000 IU/kg) (VHCD). After 60 days, anthropometric, metabolic and hepatic parameters were evaluated. The effect of the experimental diets on liver AMPK phosphorylation was also investigated.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Rats fed on high calcium plus VitD3diets, especially VHCD, demonstrated lower adiposity, serum liver enzymes, hepatic lipid accumulation and steatosis. The LCD diet also decreased hepatic lipid content and fatty changes. No evidence indicating the involvement of AMPK in the observed associations was found (P value = 0.51).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The results showed high calcium plus VitD3intakes considerably prevent biochemical and hepatic changes induced by HFHFr diet, probably via an insulin and AMPK-independent pathway. A low intake of these two nutrients was also linked with a significant decrease in HFHFr diet-induced hepatic steatosis.
authors.affiliation: Student Research Committee, Department of Nutrition, Faculty of Medicine, Urmia University of Medical Sciences, Urmia, Iran.
authors.forename: Sara
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Shojaei Zarghani
authors.affiliation: Cellular and Molecular Research Center, Department of Pharmacology, Faculty of Pharmacy, Urmia University of Medical Sciences, Urmia, Iran.
authors.forename: Hamid
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Soraya
authors.affiliation: Department of Nutrition, Food and Beverages Safety Research Center, Faculty of Medicine, Urmia University of Medical Sciences, PO Box: 5756115111, Urmia, Iran. alizade85@yahoo.com.
authors.forename: Mohammad
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Alizadeh
mesh_terms: D055372:AMP-Activated Protein Kinases / Q000378:metabolism; D050154:Adiposity; D000818:Animals; D015415:Biomarkers / Q000097:blood / Q000378:metabolism; D001786:Blood Glucose / Q000032:analysis; D002136:Calcium, Dietary / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D002762:Cholecalciferol / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D066273:Diet, Western / Q000009:adverse effects; D019587:Dietary Supplements; D007328:Insulin / Q000097:blood; D050356:Lipid Metabolism; D015227:Lipid Peroxidation; D008099:Liver / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000473:pathology / Q000503:physiopathology; D008297:Male; D065626:Non-alcoholic Fatty Liver Disease / Q000378:metabolism / Q000473:pathology / Q000503:physiopathology / Q000517:prevention & control*; D009929:Organ Size; D010766:Phosphorylation; D011499:Protein Processing, Post-Translational; D011897:Random Allocation; D017208:Rats, Wistar
chemical_list: D015415:Biomarkers; D001786:Blood Glucose; D002136:Calcium, Dietary; D007328:Insulin; D002762:Cholecalciferol; D055372:AMP-Activated Protein Kinases
keywords: AMP-activated protein kinase; Calcium; Nonalcoholic fatty liver disease; Vitamin D3