High glucose-induced injury in human umbilical vein endothelial cells is alleviated by vitamin D supplementation through downregulation of TIPE1

Diabetes mellitus (DM) and its associated vascular complications have become a worldwide health concern. The effects and mechanism of vitamin D supplementation on endothelial function under high glucose condition remain elusive.

Human umbilical vein endothelial cells (HUVECs) were treated with 35 mM glucose, then 100 nM vitamin D were added. Transwell migration assay, CCK-8, immunofluorescence, flow cytometry, autophagy flux and transmission electric microscope were performed.

Vitamin D reduced apoptosis, promoted migration and enhanced viability of HUVECs, decreased TIPE1 (Tumor necrosis factor-α-induced protein 8-like 1) under high glucose conditions. Overexpression of TIPE1 reverses the effects of vitamin D by increasing ROS production, inflammation, cell apoptosis, and suppressing autophagy, cell migration and viability. And vitamin D negatively correlated with TIPE1 mRNA level in DM patients.

Vitamin D reverses the harmful effects of high glucose on HUVECs by reducing TIPE1 expression. And vitamin D supplementation could help to alleviate high glucose-induced injury in type 2 diabetes mellitus patients with microvascular complications.