title: [Effect of 1,25-(OH)2D3 supplementation during gestation and lactation on TGF-β1 and Smad3 expression in lungs of rat offspring with asthma].
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To study the effect of 1,25-(OH)2D3 supplementation during gestation and lactation on TGF-β1 and Smad3 expression in lungs of rat offspring with asthma.
  
  
  METHODS
  Thirty-two female Wistar rats were randomly divided into four groups: low-, medium- and high-dose 1,25-(OH)2D3 supplementation and control groups (n=8 each). From the 7th day of gestation, the three 1,25-(OH)2D3 supplementation groups were administered with 2,10 and 20 μg/mL of 1,25-(OH)2D3 respectively every other day until weaning (rat offspring: 21 days old). The control group received normal saline instead. Then, bronchial asthma was induced in rat offspring from the 4 groups. The protein and mRNA expression of TGF-β1 and Smad3 in the lung tissue was measured by immunochemistry and RT-PCR.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Eosinophil cell infiltration and airway inflammation decreased in rat offspring from the low- and medium-dose 1,25-(OH)2D3 groups, but increased in rat offspring of the high-dose 1,25-(OH)2D3 group compared with the control group. Immunohistochemistry of lung tissues showed that the expression of TGF-β1 protein and pSmad3 decreased in rat offspring from the low- and medium-dose 1,25-(OH)2D3 groups (P<0.05), but increased significantly in rat offspring from the high-dose 1,25-(OH)2D3 group compared with the control group (P<0.05). PCR showed that the expression of TGF-β1 and Smad3 mRNA in the lung tissue decreased in rat offspring from the low- and medium-dose 1,25-(OH)2D3 groups (P<0.05), but increased significantly in rat offspring from the high-dose 1,25-(OH)2D3 group compared with the control group (P<0.05).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  1,25-(OH)2D3 supplementation plays a role in regulating the immune system in asthmatic rats. Its mechanism may be associated with regulation of the expression of TGF-β/Smad signal pathway-related proteins through the vitamin D receptor signal pathway.
authors.affiliation: Department of Pediatrics, Shanghai Jiaotong University, Shanghai, China.
authors.forename: Ling-Yan
authors.initials: LY
authors.lastname: Chen
authors.forename: Xiao-Jian
authors.initials: XJ
authors.lastname: Zhou
authors.forename: Xia
authors.initials: X
authors.lastname: Li
authors.forename: Zhen
authors.initials: Z
authors.lastname: Li
authors.forename: Jian-Guo
authors.initials: JG
authors.lastname: Hong
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D001249:Asthma / Q000378:metabolism*; D002762:Cholecalciferol / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000031:analogs & derivatives*; D019587:Dietary Supplements; D005260:Female; D007774:Lactation / Q000378:metabolism*; D008168:Lung / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000473:pathology; D008297:Male; D011247:Pregnancy; D012333:RNA, Messenger / Q000032:analysis; D051381:Rats; D017208:Rats, Wistar; D015398:Signal Transduction; D051900:Smad3 Protein / Q000235:genetics* / Q000502:physiology; D053773:Transforming Growth Factor beta1 / Q000235:genetics* / Q000502:physiology
chemical_list: C116777:1,25-dihydroxy-16,23-diene vitamin D3; D012333:RNA, Messenger; D051900:Smad3 Protein; C497787:Smad3 protein, rat; D053773:Transforming Growth Factor beta1; D002762:Cholecalciferol