Terao M, Yang L, Matsumura S, Yutani M, Murota H, Katayama I. A vitamin D analog inhibits Th2 cytokine- and TGFβ -induced periostin production in fibroblasts: a potential role for vitamin D in skin sclerosis.
DERMATO-ENDOCRINOLOGY 2015;
7:e1010983. [PMID:
26413189 PMCID:
PMC4579972 DOI:
10.1080/19381980.2015.1010983]
[Citation(s) in RCA: 17] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/16/2014] [Revised: 01/09/2015] [Accepted: 01/19/2015] [Indexed: 02/05/2023]
Abstract
Scleroderma is an autoimmune disease characterized by extracellular matrix deposition and inflammation. Topical vitamin D analogs have been reported as effective treatments for scleroderma. We previously reported that a matricellular protein, periostin (POSTN), contributes to pathogenesis of scleroderma as POSTN knockout mice were resistant to bleomycin (BLM)-induced scleroderma. We investigated whether a vitamin D analog affects the expression of POSTN in dermal fibroblasts and in a BLM-induced scleroderma model. The vitamin D analog, maxacalcitol (22-oxacalcitriol [OCT]), was applied to dermal fibroblasts and POSTN expression was measured. The effect of OCT on Th2 cytokine- and TGFβ-induced POTSN and Collagen 1 α 1 (Col1A1) expression was also assessed. In vivo, OCT was administered to BLM-induced scleroderma model and outcomes were determined by dermal thickness, collagen density and POSTN expression. Treatment with OCT significantly decreased POSTN expression in dermal fibroblasts. Th2 cytokine- and TGFβ-induced expression of POSTN and Col1A1 was also suppressed by OCT. In vivo, OCT administration decreased the density of collagen bundles and POSTN expression in a BLM-induced scleroderma model. In addition to the previously reported immunosuppressive effect, the vitamin D analog OCT might be effective to treat scleroderma, in part through inhibition of Th2 cytokine- and TGFβ-induced POSTN expression.
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