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. 2024 Apr 15;54(5):1165-1174.
doi: 10.55730/1300-0144.5895. eCollection 2024.

Vitamin D3 alleviates intestinal injury in necrotizing enterocolitis and lipopolysaccharide-induced inflammatory response in dendritic cells in rats

Bo Ke  1   2 , Chaoyu Li  3   4 , Song Li  3   4 , Jingjing Yan  5 , Leke Sun  3   4
Affiliations

Vitamin D3 alleviates intestinal injury in necrotizing enterocolitis and lipopolysaccharide-induced inflammatory response in dendritic cells in rats

Bo Ke et al. Turk J Med Sci. .

Abstract

Background/aim: Necrotizing enterocolitis (NEC) is a serious condition that predominantly affects premature infants and involves an aberrant immune response and inflammatory cytokine release resulting in intestinal epithelial damage. The current study investigated the immunoregulatory effects of vitamin D3 on the maturation and activation of dendritic cells (DCs) and the antiinflammatory impact on the intestines in a neonatal rat model of NEC.Materials and methods: Inflammatory damage to intestinal tissue was assessed via morphological changes and apoptosis and DC expression of costimulatory molecules, inflammatory factors, and immunoregulatory factors by immunohistochemical staining, quantitative real-time PCR, and immunofluorescence. The fluorescein isothiocyanate-ovalbumin (FITC-OVA) uptake assay was used to analyze DC endocytosis.

Results: Vitamin D3 administration attenuated intestinal damage and apoptosis, inhibiting CD86 and increasing CD80 expression. Lipopolysaccharide (LPS)-challenged DC2.4 cells in vitro showed upregulated CD86, tumor necrosis factor-α (TNF-α), interleukin-1β (IL-1β), inducible nitric oxide synthase (iNOS), and indoleamine 2,3-dioxygenase 1 (IDO-1) expression, which were all reduced by vitamin D3, except for IDO-1. LPS inhibited CD80 expression, which was restored by vitamin D3 treatment, and endocytic capacity was improved. Vitamin D3 ameliorated intestinal damage in neonatal rats with NEC and exerted antiinflammatory and immunomodulatory effects on DCs.

Conclusion: Vitamin D3 has potential as a supplementary treatment for NEC patients.

Keywords: Necrotizing enterocolitis; dendritic cells; inflammatory response; vitamin D3.

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Conflict of interest statement

Conflict of interest: There are no conflicts of interest to disclose for all authors.

Figures

Figure 1
Figure 1
Effect of vitamin D3 on intestinal damage in a neonatal rat model of NEC.
Figure 2
Figure 2
Effect of vitamin D3 on expression of costimulatory molecules in immune cells.
Figure 3
Figure 3
Effect of vitamin D3 on the expression of inflammatory factors, costimulatory molecules, and immunoregulatory genes.
Figure 4
Figure 4
Effect of vitamin D3 on the maturation of LPS-treated DC2.4 cells and expression of cytokines.
See this image and copyright information in PMC

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