Background
Vitamin D deficiency has been associated with dry eye development during Sjögren's syndrome (SS). Here, we investigated whether repeated oral vitamin D3 supplementation could prevent the corneal epithelium damage in an SS mouse model.
Conclusions
Oral vitamin D3 supplementation appeared to counteract the negative effect of TACE on corneal epithelium in a mouse model of SS-associated dry eye.
Methods
30 female mouse knock-out for the thrombospondin 1 gene were randomized (six per group) in untreated mice euthanized at 6 weeks as negative control (C-) or at 12 weeks as the positive control for dry eye (C+). Other mice were sacrificed after 6 weeks of oral vitamin D3 supplementation in the drinking water (1000, 8000, and 20,000 IU/kg/week, respectively).
Results
The C+ mice showed alterations in their corneal epithelial morphologies and thicknesses (p < 0.01 vs. C-), while the mice receiving 8000 (M) and 20,000 (H) IU/kg/week of vitamin D3 showed preservation of the corneal epithelium morphology and thickness (p < 0.01 vs. C+). Moreover, while the C+ mice exhibited high levels and activity of corneal tumor necrosis factor alpha converting enzyme (TACE), neovascularization and fibrosis markers; these were all reduced in the M and H mice. Conclusions: Oral vitamin D3 supplementation appeared to counteract the negative effect of TACE on corneal epithelium in a mouse model of SS-associated dry eye.