Although the underlying mechanisms are not yet fully understood, vitamin D has been proven to be associated with the pathogenesis of inflammatory bowel disease, participating in immune response and regulating gut microbiota composition. In this study, we established a dextran sodium sulfate-induced colitis model and intervened with vitamin D. Subsequently, colonic histopathology, serum biochemistry, transcription of inflammatory cytokines, gut microbiota, and key signaling pathways were examined. Our research demonstrated that intervention with vitamin D reduced the disease activity index of DSS-induced colitis and improved histopathological changes, protecting tight junction protein ZO-1 and intestinal glands from damage induced by DSS. Analysis of gut microbiota revealed alterations in both α diversity and β diversity in DSS-induced colitis, whereas interventions with active vitamin D corrected the changes in certain bacterial abundance and improved the composition of gut microbiota. The transcription levels of inflammatory cytokines, including IL-23, IL-1β, IFN-γ, IL-6, IL-17, and STING, were elevated in the DSS-induced colitis model. However, intervention with active vitamin D effectively suppressed the transcription of these factors. Finally, immunohistochemistry and Western blotting revealed that the intervention with vitamin D suppressed the expression of proteins associated with the STING pathway, including GATA1, STING, IRF3, and IKBα, leading to inhibition of downstream IFN-β production. Vitamin D administration can ameliorate the severity of DSS-induced colitis by preserving intestinal barrier integrity, modulating gut microbiota composition through suppression of the STING pathway.
Keywords: 1,25(OH)2D3; DSS-induced colitis; STING pathway; gut microbiota; inflammatory bowel disease.