Vitamin D Proliferates Vaginal Epithelium through RhoA Expression in Postmenopausal Atrophic Vagina tissue

Abstract

Postmenopausal atrophic vagina (PAV) is the thinning of the walls of the vagina and decreased lugae of the vagina. PAV is caused by decreased estrogen levels in postmenopausal women. However, the harmful effects of hormone replacement therapy (HRT) have resulted in considerable caution in its use. Various estrogen agonist treatment options are available. Vitamin D is influences the regulation of differentiation and proliferation of various cells, especially tissues lining stratified squamous epithelium, such as the vaginal epithelium. In this study, we hypothesized that vitamin D could provide an alternative and a safe treatment option for PAV by promoting the proliferation and differentiation of the vaginal epithelium. Thirty six patients were enrolled in this case-control study. Vitamin D associated proteins in a vitamin D and sex hormone treated vaginal epithelial cell line as well as normal and PAV tissues were measured. To confirm of cell-to-cell junction protein expression, cell line and tissue studies included RT-PCR, immunohistochemistry staining, and immunoblot analyses. The expression of cell-to-cell junction proteins was higher in women with symptoms of atrophic vagina tissue compared to women without the symptoms. Vitamin D stimulated the proliferation of the vaginal epithelium by activating p-RhoA and Erzin through the vitamin D receptor (VDR). The results suggest that vitamin D positively regulates cell-to-cell junction by increasing the VDR/p-RhoA/p-Ezrin pathway. This is the first study to verify the relationship of the expression of RhoA and Ezrin proteins in vaginal tissue of PAV.

A systematic review of the role of vitamin D and calcium in premenstrual syndrome

“…Vitamin D plays a role in the differentiation and proliferation of various cells [ 13 ]. Some previous studies reported changes in serum 25-hydroxyvitamin D3 ([25(OH)D3] or [25(OH)D]) during the luteal phase [ 12 ].…”

Relationship between vitamin D status and the vaginal microbiome during pregnancy

“…First, it could promote the barrier integrity of the vaginal epithelium. Vitamin D was shown to upregulate genes encoding epithelial cell junction proteins and stimulated proliferation of the vaginal epithelium 35,36 . Furthermore, two studies found that postmenopausal women receiving vitamin D treatment had increased numbers of superficial vaginal epithelial cells compared to women not receiving treatment, and that this increase was accompanied by decreases in vaginal pH 37,38 .…”

Intravaginal Administration of Human Type III Collagen-Derived Biomaterial with High Cell-Adhesion Activity to Treat Vaginal Atrophy in Rats

“…The aging cells were induced by 10 mg/mL d -gal for 48 h . Then, the aging cells were incubated with 1 μM T16 collagen or estrogen (E2; Sigma-Aldrich Corp.) in different groups . To analyze their viabilities, the cells (5000/well) were seeded in a 96-well plate and their OD (optical density) values at 450 nm were measured at 0, 24, 48, 72, and 96 h using a cell counting kit (CCK-8, Boster, Wuhan, China) on a microplate reader.…”