Vitamin D receptor (VDR), a nuclear receptor that regulates calcium homeostasis, has been found to function as a receptor for secondary bile acids. Because the in vivo role of VDR in bile acid metabolism remains unknown, we investigated the effect of VDR activation in a mouse model of cholestasis. We treated mice with 1␣-hydroxyvitamin D 3 [1␣(OH)D 3 ] after bile duct ligation (BDL) and examined mRNA expression and cytokine levels. 1␣(OH)D 3 treatment altered the expression of genes involved in bile acid synthesis and transport in the liver, kidney, and intestine but did not decrease bile acid levels in the plasma and liver of BDL mice. 1␣(OH)D 3 treatment suppressed mRNA expression of proinflammatory cytokines in the liver and strongly decreased the plasma levels of proinflammatory cytokines in BDL mice. These findings indicate that 1␣(OH)D 3 regulates a network of bile acid metabolic genes and represses proinflammatory cytokine expression in BDL mice. VDR ligands have the potential to prevent the cholestasis-induced inflammatory response.

A weak, nonselective G protein-coupled receptor 120 (GPR120) agonist 10 was found by screening a series of carboxylic acids derived from the peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor gamma (PPARgamma) agonist 3. Modification based on the homology model of GPR120 led to the first GPR120-selective agonist 12. These results provide a basis for constructing new tools for probing the biology of GPR120 and for developing new candidate therapeutic agents.

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