Vitamin D Can Ameliorate Chlorhexidine Gluconate-Induced Peritoneal Fibrosis and Functional Deterioration through the Inhibition of Epithelial-to-Mesenchymal Transition of Mesothelial Cells

Figure 1

Effect of vitamin D on serum and aortic calcium and phosphate content. Sprague-Dawley rats received intraperitoneal (IP) injection of chlorhexidine gluconate (CG) daily with or without administration of low (L, 500 ng/kg), middle (M, 750 ng/kg), or high (H, 1 μg/kg) dose 1α,25(OH)₂D₃ (vit. D). Rats also received daily intraperitoneal instillation of normal saline (NS) as a control. Blood samples and aorta tissue samples were taken 29 days after the first IP injection. (a) 1α,25(OH)₂D₃ induced mild hypercalcemia in the low and middle dose groups but induced severe hypercalcemia (>15 mg/dL) in the high dose group. (b) However, no significant difference was found in the serum phosphate content of the different groups. (c and d) High dose vitamin D also induced severe aortic calcium and phosphate deposition. (e) Further, we analyzed serum 25(OH)D levels, and the results indicated that endogenous 25(OH)D was significantly suppressed after 1α,25(OH)₂D₃ treatment. Data are represented as mean ± S.D. (; ; ).

(a)

(b)

(c)

(d)

(e)