Review for 10.1186/s12876-017-0688-4 (2017)

Reviewer ’s report  
Title: Attenuating the Rate of Total Body Fat Accumulation and Alleviating Liver Damage by  
Oral Administration of Vitamin D -enriched Edible Mushrooms in a Diet -induced Obesity 
Murine  Model is med iated by an Anti -inflammatory Paradigm Shift  
 
Version: 0 Date: 12 Apr 2017  
 
Reviewer: Kamilla Malinowska -Ozdowy  
 
Reviewer's report:  
The main message of the presented paper is a beneficial effect of LE -mushrooms in NASH 
caused by the synergistic effects of Vita min D and LE -extracts. Therefore, the authors 
supplemented  mice that were kept on high fat diet with vitamin D, LE -mushrooms, or vitamin 
D-enriched LE mushrooms to determine the effects of the treatment on fatty liver disease. The 
effects of treatments on  metabolic parameters, liver damage, and immune system were analysed. 
The authors demonstrated that the combined treatment of LE -mushroom enriched with vitamin D 
had the strongest synergistic effect only on body lipid accumulation. The effects on all other  
parameters were similar to those obtained with vitamin D or LE -extract alone that is in my 
opinion the main weakness of the paper. The authors may wish to rephrase the conclusions that 
they match better the results. Since the strongest effect of combined treatment was observed only 
on body fat accumulation, the additional experiments revealing the molecular mechanisms 
responsible for these effects could be performed.  
 
The structure and style of the paper need improvement. The introduction does not contain a  clear 
and logical link between NASH, vitamin D and immune system. Results chapter is described in a 
format of figure legend. The main findings are not pointed, scientific questions and aims of 
experiments are not written. The first part of results describ ing the UV -B exposure of 
mushrooms is rather a part of methods informing how the extracts were prepared than studies of 
effects of LE -extracts on NASH and immune system. Authors could move it to methods part or 
supplemental part.  
Minor: reference numbers i n the text are missing.  
Are the methods appropriate and well described?  
If not, please specify what is required in your comments to the authors.  
Yes 
Does the work include the necessary controls?  
If not, please specify which controls are required in your comments to the authors.  
Yes 
Are the conclusions drawn adequa tely supported by the data shown?  
If not, please explain in your comments to the authors.  
No 
Are you able to assess any statistics in the manuscript or would you recommend an  
additional statistical review?  
If an additional statistical review is recommende d, please specify what aspects require further  
assessment in your comments  to the editors.  
I am able to assess the statistics  
Quality of written English  
Please indicate the quality of language in the manuscript:  
Needs some language corrections before being published  
Declaration of competing interest s 
Please complete a declaration of competing interests, considering the following questions:  
1. Have you in the past five years received reimbursements, fees, funding, or salary from an  
organisation that may in any way gain or lose financially from the pub lication of this  
manuscript, either now or in the future?  
2. Do you hold any stocks or shares in an organisation that may in any way gain or lose  
financially from the publication of this manuscript, either now or in the future?  
3. Do you hold or are you cu rrently applying for any patents relating to the content of the  
manuscript?  
4. Have you received reimbursements, fees, funding, or salary from an organization that 
holds  or has applied for patents relating to the content of the manuscript?  
5. Do you have any other financial competing interests?  
6. Do you have any non -financial competing interests in relation to this paper?  
If you can answer no to all of the above, write 'I declare that I have no competing intere sts' 
below. If your reply is yes to any, please give details below.  
 
I declare that I have no competing interests.  
 
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