Vitamin D Modulates the Response of Bronchial Epithelial Cells Exposed to Cigarette Smoke Extract

• Published in: Nutrients Vol. 11; no. 9; p. 2138
• Main Authors: Mathyssen, Carolien, Serré, Jef, Sacreas, Annelore, Everaerts, Stephanie, Maes, Karen, Verleden, Stijn, Verlinden, Lieve, Verstuyf, Annemieke, Pilette, Charles, Gayan-Ramirez, Ghislaine, Vanaudenaerde, Bart, Janssens, Wim
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Switzerland MDPI AG 06.09.2019; MDPI
• Subjects: Aged; Alveoli; Antimicrobial agents; Antimicrobial Cationic Peptides - genetics; Antimicrobial Cationic Peptides - metabolism; Bronchi - drug effects; Bronchi - metabolism; Bronchi - pathology; Calciferol; Case-Control Studies; Cell culture; Cell Line; Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease; Cigarette smoke; Cigarettes; COPD; CSE; Epithelial cells; Epithelial Cells - drug effects; Epithelial Cells - metabolism; Epithelial Cells - pathology; Experiments; Exposure; Female; Gene expression; Humans; Inflammation; Interleukin-8 - metabolism; Lipopolysaccharides; Lungs; Macrophages; Male; Metabolism; mRNA; Pathogens; PBEC; Penicillin; Peptides; Pulmonary Disease, Chronic Obstructive - genetics; Pulmonary Disease, Chronic Obstructive - metabolism; Pulmonary Disease, Chronic Obstructive - pathology; R&D; Receptors, Calcitriol - agonists; Receptors, Calcitriol - genetics; Receptors, Calcitriol - metabolism; Research & development; Respiratory syncytial virus; Smoke; Smoke - adverse effects; Tobacco Products - adverse effects; Trachea; Viruses; Vitamin D; Vitamin D - analogs & derivatives; Vitamin D - metabolism; Vitamin D - pharmacology; Vitamin D receptors; Vitamin D3 24-Hydroxylase - genetics; Vitamin D3 24-Hydroxylase - metabolism; Wound healing; Belgium; United States > US; CSE; PBEC; vitamin D; COPD
• ISSN: 2072-6643; 2072-6643
• DOI: 10.3390/nu11092138

In chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD), the bronchial epithelium is the first immune barrier that is triggered by cigarette smoke. Although vitamin D (vitD) has proven anti-inflammatory and antimicrobial effects in alveolar macrophages, little is known about the direct role of vitD on cigarette smoke-exposed bronchial epithelial cells. We examined the effects of vitD on a human bronchial epithelial cell line (16HBE) and on air-liquid culture of primary bronchial epithelial cells (PBEC) of COPD patients and controls exposed for 24 h to cigarette smoke extract (CSE). VitD decreased CSE-induced IL-8 secretion by 16HBE cells, but not by PBEC. VitD significantly increased the expression of the antimicrobial peptide cathelicidin in 16HBE and PBEC of both COPD subjects and controls. VitD did not affect epithelial to mesenchymal transition or epithelial MMP-9 expression and was not able to restore impaired wound healing by CSE in 16HBE cells. VitD increased the expression of its own catabolic enzyme CYP24A1 thereby maintaining its negative feedback. In conclusion, vitD supplementation may potentially reduce infectious exacerbations in COPD by the upregulation of cathelicidin in the bronchial epithelium.