Intake of ergosterol increases the vitamin D concentrations in serum and liver of mice.

Factors that can modify the bioavailability of orally administered vitamin D are not yet widely known. Ergosterol is a common fungal sterol found in food which has a chemical structure comparable to that of vitamin D. This study aimed to investigate the effect of ergosterol on vitamin D metabolism. Therefore, 36 male wild type-mice were randomly subdivided into three groups (n = 12) and received a diet containing 25 μg vitamin D3 and either 0 mg (control), 2 mg or 7 mg ergosterol per kg diet for 6 weeks. To elucidate the impact of ergosterol on hepatic hydroxylation of vitamin D, human hepatoma cells (HepG2) were treated with different concentrations of ergosterol. Concentrations of vitamin D3 and 25-hydroxyvitamin D3 (25(OH)D3) in cells, livers and kidneys of mice and additionally 24,25-dihydroxyvitamin D3 (24,25(OH)2D3) in serum were quantified by LC-MS/MS. The concentration of 1,25-dihydroxyvitamin D3 (1,25(OH)2D3) in serum was analyzed by commercially-available enzyme immuno assay. The concentrations of cholesterol and triglycerides were analyzed in livers of mice by photometric assays. Analyses revealed that mice receiving 7 mg/kg ergosterol with their diet had 1.3-, 1.7- and 1.5-times higher concentrations of vitamin D3 in serum, liver and kidney, respectively, than control mice (P < 0.05), whereas no significant effects were observed in mice fed 2 mg/kg ergosterol. The hydroxylation of vitamin D remained unaffected by dietary ergosterol, since the concentration of 25-hydroxyvitamin D3 in serum and tissues and the concentrations of 1,25(OH)2D3 and 24,25(OH)2D3 in serum were not different between the three groups of mice. The lipid concentrations in liver were also not affected by dietary ergosterol. Data from the cell culture studies showed that ergosterol did not influence the conversion of vitamin D3 to 25(OH)D3. To conclude, ergosterol appears to be a modulator of vitamin D3 concentrations in the body of mice, without modulating the hydroxylation of vitamin D3 in liver.