Vitamin D promotes the folate transport and metabolism in zebrafish ( < em > Danio rerio < /em > )

Am J Physiol Endocrinol Metab. 2024 Feb 7. doi: 10.1152/ajpendo.00380.2023. Online ahead of print.ABSTRACTVitamin D(VD) is a fat-soluble sterol that possesses a wide range of physiological functions. The present study aimed to evaluate the effects of VD on folate metabolism in zebrafish and further investigate the underlying mechanism. Wild-type (WT) zebrafish were fed with the diet containing 0 IU/kg VD3 or 800 IU/kg VD3 for 3 weeks. Meanwhile, cyp2r1 mutant zebrafish with impaired VD metabolism served as another model of VD deficiency. Our results showed that VD deficiency in zebrafish suppressed the gene expression of folate transporters, including reduced folate carrier (RFC) and proton-coupled folate transporter (PCFT) in the intestine. Moreover, VD influenced the gene expression of several enzymes related to cellular folate metabolism in the intestine and liver of zebrafish. Importantly, VD-deficient zebrafish contained a remarkably lower level of folate content in the liver. Notably, VD was incapable to alter folate metabolism in zebrafish when gut microbiota was depleted by antibiotic treatment. Further studies proved that gut commensals from VD-deficient fish displayed a lower capacity to produce folate than those from WT fish. Our study revealed the potential correlation between VD and folate metabolism in zebrafish, and gut microbiota played a key role in VD-regulated folate metabolism in zebrafish.PMID:38324257 | DOI:10.1152/ajpendo.00380.2023
Source: American Journal of Physiology. Endocrinology and Metabolism - Category: Physiology Authors: Source Type: research