Vitamin D ameliorates age-induced nonalcoholic fatty liver disease by increasing the mitochondrial contact site and cristae organizing system (MICOS) 60 level

Nonalcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) is the most common liver disease. Despite intensive research, considerable information on NAFLD development remains elusive. In this study, we examined the effects of vitamin D on age-induced NAFLD, especially in connection with mitochondrial abnormalities. We observed the prevention of NAFLD in 22-month-old C57BL/6 mice fed a vitamin D 3 -supplemented (20,000 IU/kg) diet compared with mice fed a control (1000 IU/kg) diet. We evaluated whether vitamin D 3 supplementation enhanced mitochondrial functions. We found that the level of mitochondrial contact site and cristae organizing system (MICOS) 60 (Mic60) level was reduced in aged mice, and this reduction was specifically restored by vitamin D 3 . In addition, depletion of Immt , the human gene encoding the Mic60 protein, induced changes in gene expression patterns that led to fat accumulation in both HepG2 and primary hepatocytes, and these alterations were effectively prevented by vitamin D 3. In addition, silencing of the vitamin D receptor (VDR) decreased the Mic60 levels, which were recovered by vitamin D treatment. To assess whether VDR directly regulates Mic60 levels, we performed chromatin immunoprecipitation and reporter gene analysis. We discovered that VDR directly binds to the Immt 5’ promoter region spanning positions −3157 to −2323 and thereby upregulates Mic60. Our study provides the first demonstration that a reduction in Mic60 levels due to aging may be one of the mechanisms underlying the development of aging-associated NAFLD. In addition, vitamin D 3 could positively regulate Mic60 expression, and this may be one of the important mechanisms by which vitamin D could ameliorate age-induced NAFLD. Vitamin D: A New Hope in Combating Age-Induced Fatty Liver Disease Nonalcoholic fatty liver disease (a condition in which fat builds up in the liver) (NAFLD) is increasingly affecting health, especially among the older population. The causes behind this disease are still unclear, but a fresh study by Lim and colleagues adds to our knowledge. They discovered that a reduction in a protein named Mic60 in the liver mitochondria of old mice leads to fat buildup, a major sign of NAFLD. However, when the mice consumed a diet enriched with vitamin D3, the Mic60 protein levels returned to normal, thus avoiding fat buildup. The study also showed that vitamin D3 directly controls Mic60 levels, implying that having enough vitamin D could help prevent NAFLD onset, parti