Vitamin D3 alleviates inflammation in ulcerative colitis by activating the VDR-NLRP6 signaling pathway

Inflammation is a key factor in the development of ulcerative colitis (UC). 1,25-dihydroxyvitamin D3 (1,25(OH)2D3, VD3), as the major active ingredient of vitamin D and an anti-inflammatory activator, is closely related to the initiation and development of UC, but its regulatory mechanism remains un...

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Main Authors: Hongliang Gao, He Zhou, Zhiqiang Zhang, Jianshu Gao, Jian Li, Xinxia Li
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: Frontiers Media S.A. 2023-02-01
Series:Frontiers in Immunology
Subjects:
Online Access:https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fimmu.2023.1135930/full
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author Hongliang Gao
Hongliang Gao
He Zhou
Zhiqiang Zhang
Jianshu Gao
Jian Li
Xinxia Li
author_facet Hongliang Gao
Hongliang Gao
He Zhou
Zhiqiang Zhang
Jianshu Gao
Jian Li
Xinxia Li
author_sort Hongliang Gao
collection DOAJ
description Inflammation is a key factor in the development of ulcerative colitis (UC). 1,25-dihydroxyvitamin D3 (1,25(OH)2D3, VD3), as the major active ingredient of vitamin D and an anti-inflammatory activator, is closely related to the initiation and development of UC, but its regulatory mechanism remains unclear. In this study, we carried out histological and physiological analyses in UC patients and UC mice. RNA sequencing (RNA-seq), assays for transposase-accessible chromatin with high-throughput sequencing (ATAC-seq), chromatin immunoprecipitation (ChIP) assays and protein and mRNA expression were performed to analyze and identify the potential molecular mechanism in UC mice and lipopolysaccharide (LPS)-induced mouse intestinal epithelial cells (MIECs). Moreover, we established nucleotide-binding oligomerization domain (NOD)-like receptor protein nlrp6-/- mice and siRNA-NLRP6 MIECs to further characterize the role of NLRP6 in anti-inflammation of VD3. Our study revealed that VD3 abolished NOD-like receptor protein 6 (NLRP6) inflammasome activation, suppressing NLRP6, apoptosis-associated speck-like protein (ASC) and Caspase-1 levels via the vitamin D receptor (VDR). ChIP and ATAC-seq showed that VDR transcriptionally repressed NLRP6 by binding to vitamin D response elements (VDREs) in the promoter of NLRP6, impairing UC development. Importantly, VD3 had both preventive and therapeutic effects on the UC mouse model via inhibition of NLRP6 inflammasome activation. Our results demonstrated that VD3 substantially represses inflammation and the development of UC in vivo. These findings reveal a new mechanism by which VD3 affects inflammation in UC by regulating the expression of NLRP6 and show the potential clinical use of VD3 in autoimmune syndromes or other NLRP6 inflammasome-driven inflammatory diseases.
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spelling doaj.art-303a5aafe5a24f81b9fab528809425a32023-02-08T06:01:26ZengFrontiers Media S.A.Frontiers in Immunology1664-32242023-02-011410.3389/fimmu.2023.11359301135930Vitamin D3 alleviates inflammation in ulcerative colitis by activating the VDR-NLRP6 signaling pathwayHongliang Gao0Hongliang Gao1He Zhou2Zhiqiang Zhang3Jianshu Gao4Jian Li5Xinxia Li6Pathology Center, Xinjiang Medical University Affiliated Tumor Hospital, Urumqi, Xinjiang, ChinaThe Second Department of Gastroenterology, the First Affiliated Hospital of Xinjiang Medical University, Urumqi, Xinjiang, ChinaState Key Laboratory of Cancer Biology, National Clinical Research Center for Digestive Diseases and Xijing Hospital of Digestive Diseases, Fourth Military Medical University, Xi’an, Shaanxi, ChinaThe Second Department of Gastroenterology, the First Affiliated Hospital of Xinjiang Medical University, Urumqi, Xinjiang, ChinaThe Second Department of Gastroenterology, the First Affiliated Hospital of Xinjiang Medical University, Urumqi, Xinjiang, ChinaThe Second Department of Gastroenterology, the First Affiliated Hospital of Xinjiang Medical University, Urumqi, Xinjiang, ChinaPathology Center, Xinjiang Medical University Affiliated Tumor Hospital, Urumqi, Xinjiang, ChinaInflammation is a key factor in the development of ulcerative colitis (UC). 1,25-dihydroxyvitamin D3 (1,25(OH)2D3, VD3), as the major active ingredient of vitamin D and an anti-inflammatory activator, is closely related to the initiation and development of UC, but its regulatory mechanism remains unclear. In this study, we carried out histological and physiological analyses in UC patients and UC mice. RNA sequencing (RNA-seq), assays for transposase-accessible chromatin with high-throughput sequencing (ATAC-seq), chromatin immunoprecipitation (ChIP) assays and protein and mRNA expression were performed to analyze and identify the potential molecular mechanism in UC mice and lipopolysaccharide (LPS)-induced mouse intestinal epithelial cells (MIECs). Moreover, we established nucleotide-binding oligomerization domain (NOD)-like receptor protein nlrp6-/- mice and siRNA-NLRP6 MIECs to further characterize the role of NLRP6 in anti-inflammation of VD3. Our study revealed that VD3 abolished NOD-like receptor protein 6 (NLRP6) inflammasome activation, suppressing NLRP6, apoptosis-associated speck-like protein (ASC) and Caspase-1 levels via the vitamin D receptor (VDR). ChIP and ATAC-seq showed that VDR transcriptionally repressed NLRP6 by binding to vitamin D response elements (VDREs) in the promoter of NLRP6, impairing UC development. Importantly, VD3 had both preventive and therapeutic effects on the UC mouse model via inhibition of NLRP6 inflammasome activation. Our results demonstrated that VD3 substantially represses inflammation and the development of UC in vivo. These findings reveal a new mechanism by which VD3 affects inflammation in UC by regulating the expression of NLRP6 and show the potential clinical use of VD3 in autoimmune syndromes or other NLRP6 inflammasome-driven inflammatory diseases.https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fimmu.2023.1135930/fullVDRNLRP6 inflammasomeulcerative colitisVD3ATAC-seq
spellingShingle Hongliang Gao
Hongliang Gao
He Zhou
Zhiqiang Zhang
Jianshu Gao
Jian Li
Xinxia Li
Vitamin D3 alleviates inflammation in ulcerative colitis by activating the VDR-NLRP6 signaling pathway
Frontiers in Immunology
VDR
NLRP6 inflammasome
ulcerative colitis
VD3
ATAC-seq
title Vitamin D3 alleviates inflammation in ulcerative colitis by activating the VDR-NLRP6 signaling pathway
title_full Vitamin D3 alleviates inflammation in ulcerative colitis by activating the VDR-NLRP6 signaling pathway
title_fullStr Vitamin D3 alleviates inflammation in ulcerative colitis by activating the VDR-NLRP6 signaling pathway
title_full_unstemmed Vitamin D3 alleviates inflammation in ulcerative colitis by activating the VDR-NLRP6 signaling pathway
title_short Vitamin D3 alleviates inflammation in ulcerative colitis by activating the VDR-NLRP6 signaling pathway
title_sort vitamin d3 alleviates inflammation in ulcerative colitis by activating the vdr nlrp6 signaling pathway
topic VDR
NLRP6 inflammasome
ulcerative colitis
VD3
ATAC-seq
url https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fimmu.2023.1135930/full
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