Histological changes in the spleen of rats under the influence of prednisolone and its combination with vitamin D

The possibility of using vitamin D to normalize the histological structure of the spleen changed under the influence of prednisolone in rats was studied. The animals were subjected to the intragastric administration of saline and either prednisolone (5 mg/kg b. w.) or its combination with vitamin D (800 IU/kg) daily for 3 weeks. The results of morphometric analysis of spleen slices reveal that the administration of prednisolone leads to a significant decrease in spleen sizes, white pulp volume, and in sizes of germinal centers of lymphatic follicles within the white pulp, and to an increase in the number of megakaryocytes in the red pulp. Vitamin D alleviates histological changes due to the prednisolone treatment, in particular the substantial restoration in sizes of germinal centers in the spleen has been found. The data obtained suggest the benefits of further studies of possible mechanisms of vitamin D to normalize immunological and hematopoietic functions in subjects subjected to glucocorticoid treatment.