Effects of Vitamin D Treatment on Skeletal Muscle Histology and Ultrastructural Changes in a Rodent Model

Vitamin D is well known for its role in maintaining calcium and phosphorus homeostasis and in promoting bone mineralization; however, more of its pleiotropic effects have been described recently. The aim of the present investigation was to study the effect of vitamin D treatment on skeletal muscles changes under different dietary conditions using an animal model. Four groups of C57BL/6J mice (n = 11 each) were maintained on either low fat diet (LFD) or high fat diet ‎‎(HFD) with and without 1α,25–dihydroxyvitamin D3 (calcitriol) for 16 weeks. Animal weigh was recorded at baseline and then regular intervals, and at the end of the study, skeletal muscle tissues were harvested for the evaluation of the histopathological and ultrastructural changes. When control C57BL/6J mice were fed high-fat diet for 12 weeks, body weight gain was significantly increased compared with mice fed a LFD. (30.2% vs. 8.4%, p < 0.01). There was a significant gradual decrease in the weight of HFD fed mice that were treated with ‎vitamin D as compared with a steady increase in the weights of controls (6.8% vs. 28.7%, p < 0.01). While the LFD group showed some ultrastructural changes, HDF fed on mice showed great muscle structural abnormalities. The whole sarcosome along with its membrane and cristae were severely damaged with scattered myocytes in HFD group. Furthermore, the mitochondria appeared weak and were on the verge of degenerations. The bands were diminished with loss of connections among myofibrils. These changes were attenuated in the HFD group treated with vitamin D with tissues have regained their normal structural appearance. ‎The current findings indicate an important effect of vitamin D on skeletal muscle histology under HFD conditions.