AUTHOR=Lazzara Francesca , Longo Anna Maria , Giurdanella Giovanni , Lupo Gabriella , Platania Chiara Bianca Maria , Rossi Settimio , Drago Filippo , Anfuso Carmelina Daniela , Bucolo Claudio 

TITLE=Vitamin D3 preserves blood retinal barrier integrity in an in vitro model of diabetic retinopathy

JOURNAL=Frontiers in Pharmacology

VOLUME=13

YEAR=2022

URL=https://www.frontiersin.org/journals/pharmacology/articles/10.3389/fphar.2022.971164

DOI=10.3389/fphar.2022.971164

ISSN=1663-9812

ABSTRACT=<p>The impairment of the blood retinal barrier (BRB) represents one of the main features of diabetic retinopathy, a secondary microvascular complication of diabetes. Hyperglycemia is a triggering factor of vascular cells damage in diabetic retinopathy. The aim of this study was to assess the effects of vitamin D<sub>3</sub> on BRB protection, and to investigate its regulatory role on inflammatory pathways. We challenged human retinal endothelial cells with high glucose (HG) levels. We found that vitamin D<sub>3</sub> attenuates cell damage elicited by HG, maintaining cell viability and reducing the expression of inflammatory cytokines such as IL-1β and ICAM-1. Furthermore, we showed that vitamin D<sub>3</sub> preserved the BRB integrity as demonstrated by trans-endothelial electrical resistance, permeability assay, and cell junction morphology and quantification (ZO-1 and VE-cadherin). In conclusion this <italic>in vitro</italic> study provided new insights on the retinal protective role of vitamin D<sub>3</sub>, particularly as regard as the early phase of diabetic retinopathy, characterized by BRB breakdown and inflammation.</p>