The modulating effects of vitamin D on the activity of β-catenin in the endometrium of women with endometriosis: a randomized exploratory trial
A small prospective randomized trial involving women with stage III and IV endometriosis was carried out to investigate the effects of vitamin D on the protein β-catenin, and the Wnt/β-catenin pathway, which is over-activated in the endometrium of women with endometriosis.
A total of 34 women meeting the inclusion criteria had two endometrial tissue and blood samples collected, during the mid-secretory phase and on cycle day 21, pre and post trial. In the intervention group, 17 women took 50,000 IU of vitamin D orally for 12 to 14 weeks. Baseline characteristics of both groups (intervention and control) showed no significant difference in mean BMI (27.1 ± 1), age or serum concentration of vitamin D.
Initial analysis post treatment, showed that serum levels of vitamin D was significantly elevated in the intervention group (35.19 ±3.35) compared to the control group (13.26 ±1.49). Interestingly mRNA expression of β-catenin was not significantly altered post treatment in the intervention group and differ between the 2 groups.
Further analysis identified that levels of active β-catenin was significantly lowered in the intervention groups tissue samples post treatment. This finding remained true when analysed as a ratio of active β-catenin/total β-catenin, between both groups, before and after treatment.
SUMMARY: CAN VITAMIN D TREAT ENDOMETRIOSIS
In this study, vitamin D treatment in women with endometriosis, showed that supplementation decreased the overactivated Wnt/β-catenin pathway, in the tissue samples of women with endometriosis, confirming a complementary role of vitamin D in the treatment of endometriosis.
Limitations
- Non-blinded placebo control trial
Similar studies
Pazhohan A, et al. (2018). Expression and shedding of CD44 in the endometrium of women with endometriosis and modulating effects of vitamin D: a randomized exploratory trial. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jsbmb.2017.12.001
Pazhohan A, et al. (2018). The Wnt/β-catenin signaling in endometriosis, the expression of total and active forms of β-catenin, total and inactive forms of glycogen synthase kinase-3β, WNT7a and DICKKOPF-1. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ejogrb.2017.10.025
Harris H R, et al. (2013). Dairy-food, calcium, magnesium, and vitamin D intake and endometriosis: a prospective cohort study. https://doi.org/10.1093/aje/kws247
Agic A, et al. (2007). Relative expression of 1,25-dihydroxyvitamin D3 receptor, vitamin D 1 alpha-hydroxylase, vitamin D 24-hydroxylase, and vitamin D 25-hydroxylase in endometriosis and gynecologic cancers. https://doi.org/10.1177/1933719107304565
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