The potential of vitamin d3 to repaired mucosal injury in dextran sulfate sodium induced acute colitis in mice

BACKGROUND: Inflammatory Bowel Disease (IBD) has become an emerging disease worldwide. The treatment of IBD involves two basic principles: Inflammation control and mucosal repair. AIM: This study evaluates the potential effect of Vitamin D3 in mucosal repair through colon stem cell activation and proliferation. METHODS: Dextran sulfate sodium (DSS; 5%) was used to induce colitis in mice. Vitamin D₃ at various dosages was then administered as a treatment. The mice were divided into five groups: Control (C-); DSS only (C+); and DSS (5%) plus Vitamin D₃ at 0.2 μg (VD1), 0.4 μg (VD2), or 0.6 μg (VD3) per 25 g body weight as the treatment groups. Immunofluorescence analyses of Lgr5+ expression indicated stem cell activation, and Ki67 expression indicated stem cell proliferation. The disease activity index (DAI), colon length, and histopathological index scores were determined after treatment to assess the inflammation and severity of colitis. RESULTS: Immunofluorescence analyses showed a gradually increasing expression of Lgr5+ also Ki67 in proportion with high doses group of Vitamin D₃ (p < 0.05). The colon length, DAI scores, and histopathological index scores improved in all groups after Vitamin D₃ treatment (p = 0.05; p = 0.026; and p = 0.029, respectively). CONCLUSION: Vitamin D₃ has a potential beneficial effect on amplifying intestinal stem cells regulated by Wnt/B-catenin signaling. It is also reduced the inflammatory process proved by the evaluation severity of colitis. It might play an essential role in mucosal repair in IBD.