Vitamin D3 Inhibits Phagocytic Activity of Rat Brain Astrocytes in Primary Culture

Vitamin D deficiency is considered as a risk factor for neurodegenerative diseases associated with the accumulation of apoptotic substrates. Astroglial cells endowed with phagocytic activity are primary sensors of apoptotic substrates in the mammalian brain. In this work, we explored the effect of vitamin D3 in the form of commercially available pharmaceutical trademarks VITAMIN D3 2000 IU and DETRIMED D3 on the phagocytic activity of primary rat brain astrocytes. We showed for the first time that vitamin D3 is a powerful natural inhibitor of the phagocytic activity of astrocytes. Pre-incubation of astrocytes with 10 mu m vitamin D3 led to a decrease in the phagocytic activity of astrocytes (by 1.9 and 3.5 times vs. control for DETRIMED D3 and VITAMIN D3 2000 IU, respectively). This effect was accompanied by a significant depletion of the astrocytic active degradative compartment that includes components of the endo-lysosomal system (by 31% compared vs. control). The data obtained may find use in clinical practice to develop vitamin D3-corrected treatment strategies for patients with neurodegenerative disorders associated with the accumulation of apoptotic substrates.

Automated summary

Vitamin D3 can inhibit the phagocytic activity of brain astrocytes, which is important in developing new treatment strategies for neurodegenerative diseases associated with the accumulation of apoptotic substrates.