Cellular Senescence and Vitamin D Deficiency Play a Role in the Pathogenesis of Obesity-Associated Subclinical Atherosclerosis: Study of the Potential Protective Role of Vitamin D Supplementation

• Published in: Cells (Basel, Switzerland) Vol. 10; no. 4; p. 920
• Main Authors: Bima, Abdulhadi I, Mahdi, Abdullah S, Al Fayez, Fayza F, Khawaja, Taghreed M, Abo El-Khair, Salwa M, Elsamanoudy, Ayman Z
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Switzerland MDPI AG 16.04.2021; MDPI
• Subjects: Animals; Aorta; Arteriosclerosis; Atherosclerosis; Atherosclerosis - complications; Atherosclerosis - drug therapy; Atherosclerosis - pathology; Body mass index; Carbohydrates; Cardiovascular disease; Cellular Senescence; Cholesterol; Coronary vessels; Diabetes; Diet; Dietary Supplements; endothelial dysfunction; Enzymes; Experiments; Fasting; Gene expression; Glucose; Heart; High density lipoprotein; Hypertension; Insulin resistance; Low density lipoprotein; Male; Nitric Oxide Synthase Type III - metabolism; Nitrogen; Obesity; Obesity - pathology; p53 Protein; Pathogenesis; Rats; Rats, Sprague-Dawley; Senescence; Serum levels; Supplements; Triglycerides; Tumor Suppressor Protein p53 - metabolism; Vitamin D; Vitamin D - pharmacology; Vitamin D - therapeutic use; Vitamin D Deficiency - complications; Vitamin D Deficiency - drug therapy; Vitamin D Deficiency - pathology; Vitamin D3; Vitamin deficiency; United States > US; Switzerland; atherosclerosis; senescence; endothelial dysfunction; vitamin D; obesity
• ISSN: 2073-4409; 2073-4409
• DOI: 10.3390/cells10040920

The exact link between obesity, vitamin D deficiency, and their relation to cellular senescence in the pathogenesis of subclinical atherosclerosis is still under debate. Therefore, the current study aims to verify the possible role of vitamin D deficiency and cellular senescence in the pathogenesis of obesity-related subclinical atherosclerosis. Moreover, it aims to investigate the possible protective role of vitamin D supplementation. Fifty-seven male albino rats were enrolled in the study and classified into four groups: negative (10) and positive control groups (10), an obese model group (24), and a vitamin-D-supplemented obese group (13). Aortic tissue samples and fasting blood samples were collected. The following biochemical investigations were performed: serum cholesterol, triglycerides, HDL-C, LDL-C, ALT, AST, CPK, CK-MB, and hs-cTnt. HOMA-IR was calculated. Moreover, serum SMP-30, 25 (OH)Vitamin D , and eNOS were determined by the ELISA technique. Aortic gene expression of eNOS, SMP-30, and P53 was estimated by real-time qRT-PCR. Serum 25(OH) D and SMP-30 were lower in the obese group. In addition, the obese group showed higher serum lipid profile, HOMA-IR, eNOS, ALT, AST, CPK, CK-MB, and hs-cTnt than the control groups, while decreased levels were found in the vitamin-D-treated obese group. Gene expression of eNOS and SMP-30 were in accordance with their serum levels. A positive correlation was found between vitamin D level and SMP-30. In conclusion, obesity is associated with vitamin D deficiency and enhanced cellular senescence. They could play a role in the pathogenesis of obesity-associated subclinical atherosclerosis and endothelial dysfunction. Vitamin D supplements could play a protective role against such obesity-related comorbidity.