Hepatic lipogenesis, inflammation, fibrosis, omega-3 and vitamin D
Research type
Research Study
Full title
The effect of vitamin D and omega-3 on ex vivo hepatic lipogenic, inflammatory and fibrotic markers.
IRAS ID
158262
Contact name
James Hobkirk
Contact email
Sponsor organisation
Hull and east Yorkshire NHS Trust
Research summary
Liver disease is increasingly common in the UK, causing suffering to many thousands of people. Most of this increase is due to a rise in the number of people with non-alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) – a condition where excessive fat deposited inside the liver causes inflammation and scarring (fibrosis) to the liver tissue itself. If NAFLD is left untreated, this process can eventually lead to permanent damage (cirrhosis) which can be fatal. At the moment, the options we have to treat NAFLD focus on weight loss, dietary changes, exercise, and abstaining from alcohol. We have very few medicines that we can use, and many researchers across the world are looking for new ways to help treat NAFLD before it causes permanent damage.
There is already some evidence that vitamin D and omega-3 fatty acids (commonly referred to as fish oil) can be effective at lowering the amount of fat in the liver, as well as reducing the levels of some laboratory markers of liver inflammation and fibrosis. We don’t yet know how this process works, or how much vitamin D or omega-3 is needed for this to occur. We have designed a research study to try to answer these questions by analysing the effect of these nutrients on human liver tissue samples which will be obtained during routine and planned NHS hepato-billiary surgery. These findings may help us to offer vitamin D and/or omega 3 as a potential new treatment for NAFLD in the future.REC name
London - Bromley Research Ethics Committee
REC reference
14/LO/1333
Date of REC Opinion
14 Jul 2014
REC opinion
Favourable Opinion