Histologic, Metabolic, and Inflammatory Changes in the Liver of Highfat Dietinduced Obese Rats before and after Vitamin D Administration

The current study aimed to investigate the effects of vitamin D administration on the markers of inflammation and metabolic damages in the liver of highfat dietinduced obese rats. Forty male Wistar rats were divided into two groups of control receiving a normal diet (ND) and intervention receiving a highfat diet (HFD). After 16 weeks, each group was divided into two groups including ND, ND + vitamin D, HFD, and HFD + vitamin D. Vitamin D was administered by oral gavage for five weeks at the dose of 500 IU/kg. Hepatic MCP1, TGF #x3B2;, and NF #x3BA;B levels, serum liver enzymes, and serum lipids, and histological and structural changes in the liver were determined. Vitamin D administration significantly reduced the monocyte chemoattractant protein (MCP)1 concentrations in the HFD + vitamin D group compared with the HFD group and reduced liver Transforming growth factor beta (TGF #x3B2;) levels in both vitamin Dtreated groups (p lt;0.05). Moreover, a significant reduction in the serum levels of aspartate amino transferase (AST) and alanine amino transferase (ALT) in vitamin D treated groups was identified (p lt;0.05). A significant improvement in lipids and a pronounced improvement in the markers of liver histology damage including fat accumulation, aggregation of inflammatory cells, preapoptotic changes, hepatic sinusoidal dilatation, and necrotic pyknosis in the Kupffer cells were also identified. Our results demonstrated that vitamin D has potential effects in ameliorating the inflammatory, metabolic, and histologic changes in the liver of these animals.