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Published on: July 14, 2017
Calcitriol, an Active Form of Vitamin D3, Mitigates Skin Barrier Dysfunction in Atopic Dermatitis NC/Nga Mice
Yoshie Umehara1, Juan Valentin Trujillo-Paez1, Hainan Yue1,2
1Atopy (Allergy) Research Center, Juntendo University Graduate School of Medicine, Tokyo 113-8421, Japan.
Abstract:
Atopic dermatitis and psoriasis are prevalent chronic inflammatory skin diseases that are characterized by dysfunctional skin barriers and substantially impact patients' quality of life. Vitamin D3 regulates immune responses and keratinocyte differentiation and improves psoriasis symptoms; however, its effects on atopic dermatitis remain unclear. Here, we investigated the effects of calcitriol, an active form of vitamin D3, on an NC/Nga mouse model of atopic dermatitis. We observed that the topical application of calcitriol decreased the dermatitis scores and epidermal thickness of NC/Nga mice with atopic dermatitis compared to untreated mice. In addition, both stratum corneum barrier function as assessed by the measurement of transepidermal water loss and tight junction barrier function as evaluated by biotin tracer permeability assay were improved following calcitriol treatment. Moreover, calcitriol treatment reversed the decrease in the expression of skin barrier-related proteins and decreased the expression of inflammatory cytokines such as interleukin (IL)-13 and IL-33 in mice with atopic dermatitis. These findings suggest that the topical application of calcitriol might improve the symptoms of atopic dermatitis by repairing the dysfunctional epidermal and tight junction barriers. Our results suggest that calcitriol might be a viable therapeutic agent for the treatment of atopic dermatitis in addition to psoriasis.
Insights
Topical calcitriol, an active vitamin D3 form, improved atopic dermatitis symptoms in mice by repairing skin barriers and reducing inflammation. This suggests potential for treating this chronic skin condition.
Area of Science:
- Dermatology
- Immunology
- Molecular Biology
Background:
- Atopic dermatitis and psoriasis are chronic inflammatory skin diseases impacting quality of life.
- Vitamin D3 influences immune responses and keratinocyte differentiation, benefiting psoriasis but with unclear effects on atopic dermatitis.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate the therapeutic effects of calcitriol (active vitamin D3) on a mouse model of atopic dermatitis.
Main Methods:
- Topical application of calcitriol on NC/Nga mice with atopic dermatitis.
- Assessment of dermatitis scores, epidermal thickness, skin barrier function (TEWL, biotin permeability), and protein/cytokine expression (IL-13, IL-33).
Main Results:
- Calcitriol treatment reduced dermatitis scores and epidermal thickness.
- Improved stratum corneum and tight junction barrier functions were observed.
- Restored expression of skin barrier proteins and decreased inflammatory cytokines (IL-13, IL-33) were noted.
Conclusions:
- Topical calcitriol may alleviate atopic dermatitis by enhancing skin barrier repair.
- Calcitriol shows potential as a therapeutic agent for atopic dermatitis, similar to its known benefits in psoriasis.
