Unprecedented effect of vitamin D3 on T-cell receptor beta subunit and alpha7 nicotinic acetylcholine receptor expression in a 3-nitropropionic acid induced mouse model of Huntington's disease

Introduction: 3-NP induction in rodent models has been shown to induce selective neurodegeneration in the striatum followed by the cortex (Brouillet, 2014). However, it remains unclear whether, under such a neurotoxic condition, characterized by neuroinflammation and oxidative stress, the gene expression of the immune resident protein, T-cell receptor beta subunit (TCR-ss), alpha 7 nicotinic acetylcholine receptor (alpha 7 nAChRs), the nuclear factor kappa B (NF-kappa B), inflammatory cytokines (TNF-alpha and IL-6), and antioxidants (Cat and GpX4) get modulated on Vitamin D3 (VD) supplementation in the central nervous system. Methods: In the present study, real-time polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) was performed to study the expression of respective genes. Male C57BL/6 mice (8-12 weeks) were divided into four groups namely, Group I: Control (saline); Group II: 3-NP induction via i.p (HD); Group III: Vitamin D3 (VD) and Group IV: (HD + VD) (Manjari et al., 2022). Results: On administration of 500IU/kg/day of VD, HD mice showed a significant reduction in the gene expression of the immune receptor, TCR-ss subunit, nuclear factor kappa B (NF-kappa B), inflammatory cytokines, and key antioxidants, followed by a decrease in the acetylcholinesterase activity. Conclusion: A novel neuroprotective effect of VD in HD is demonstrated by combating the immune receptor, TCR ss gene expression, antioxidant markers, and inflammatory cytokines. In addition, HD mice on VD administration for 0-15 days showed an enhancement in cholinergic signaling with restoration in alpha 7 nAChRs mRNA and protein expression in the striatum and cortex.