Interference with RhoA-ROCK Signaling Mechanism in Autoreactive CD4+ T Cells Enhances the Bioavailability of 1,25-Dihydroxyvitamin D3 in Experimental Autoimmune Encephalomyelitis

Vitamin D deficiency is a major risk factor for central nervous system (CNS) demyelinating diseases including multiple sclerosis (MS) and its animal model, that of experimental autoimmune encephalomyelitis (EAE). Both vitamin D3 and 1, 25-dihydroxyviatmin-D3 (calcitriol) had beneficial effects in EAE/MS. However, the exact cause of vitamin D deficiency in EAE/MS is not clear. Previously, we documented that lovastatin (LOV) provides protection in EAE animals via inhibition of RhoA-ROCK signaling. Herein, we demonstrate that LOV prevents the lowering of circulating 25-hydroxyvitamin-D3 and 1,25-dihydroxyviatmin-D3 levels including 1,25-dihydroxyviatmin-D3 levels in the peripheral lymphoid organs and CNS of treated EAE animals. These effects of LOV were attributed to enhanced expression of vitamin D synthesizing enzyme (1α-hydroxylase) in kidney and the CNS, with corresponding reduction of vitamin D catabolizing enzyme (24-hydorxylase) expression in the CNS of EAE animals via inhibition of RhoA-ROCK signaling. Ex vivo and in vitro studies established that autoreactive Th1/Th17 cells had higher expression of 24-hydroxylase than Th2/T regulatory cells, that was reverted by LOV or ROCK inhibitor. Interestingly, LOV-mediated regulation of vitamin D metabolism had improved vitamin D3 efficacy to confer protection in EAE animals and that was ascribed to the LOV- and calcitriol-induced immunomodulatory synergy. Together, these data provide evidence that interfering with RhoA-ROCK signaling in autoreactive Th1/Th17 cells can improve vitamin D3 efficacy in clinical trials of MS and related neurodegenerative disorders.