{"status":"ok","message-type":"work","message-version":"1.0.0","message":{"indexed":{"date-parts":[[2026,8,18]],"date-time":"2026-08-18T04:49:26Z","timestamp":1787028566258,"version":"build-2736575974"},"reference-count":75,"publisher":"MDPI AG","issue":"14","license":[{"start":{"date-parts":[[2025,7,21]],"date-time":"2025-07-21T00:00:00Z","timestamp":1753056000000},"content-version":"vor","delay-in-days":0,"URL":"https:\/\/creativecommons.org\/licenses\/by\/4.0\/"}],"funder":[{"DOI":"10.13039\/501100002428","name":"Austrian Science Fund FWF","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","award":["P34642"],"award-info":[{"award-number":["P34642"]}],"id":[{"id":"10.13039\/501100002428","id-type":"DOI","asserted-by":"publisher"}]},{"DOI":"10.13039\/501100002428","name":"Austrian Science Fund FWF","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","award":["PAT4147223"],"award-info":[{"award-number":["PAT4147223"]}],"id":[{"id":"10.13039\/501100002428","id-type":"DOI","asserted-by":"publisher"}]}],"content-domain":{"domain":[],"crossmark-restriction":false},"short-container-title":["IJMS"],"abstract":"<jats:p>The oral epithelium is essential for maintaining oral health and plays a key role in the onset and progression of periodontitis. It serves as both a mechanical and immunological barrier and possesses antimicrobial activity. Vitamin D3, a hormone with known immunomodulatory functions, may influence oral epithelial responses. This study investigated the effects of two vitamin D3 metabolites on key immunological and antimicrobial functions of oral epithelial cells, both under basal conditions and during bacterial challenge. Ca9-22 oral epithelial cells were treated with 1,25(OH)2D3 or 25(OH)D3 in the presence or absence of Tannerella forsythia, Fusobacterium nucleatum, or Porphyromonas gingivalis. Inflammatory responses were assessed by measuring gene and protein expression of IL-1\u03b2 and IL-8. Antimicrobial activity was evaluated via expression of LL-37, hBD-2, and hBD-3, as well as direct bacterial killing assays. Expression of epithelial integrity markers E-cadherin and ICAM-1 was also analyzed. Vitamin D3 metabolites reduced IL-8 expression and significantly increased LL-37 expression and production in Ca9-22 cells. Both forms enhanced antimicrobial activity against all tested pathogens and modulated epithelial integrity markers. Vitamin D3 positively regulates antimicrobial and barrier functions in oral epithelial cells, suggesting a potential role in supporting oral health and preventing periodontitis progression.<\/jats:p>","DOI":"10.3390\/ijms26147001","type":"journal-article","created":{"date-parts":[[2025,7,21]],"date-time":"2025-07-21T11:44:05Z","timestamp":1753098245000},"page":"7001","update-policy":"https:\/\/doi.org\/10.3390\/mdpi_crossmark_policy","source":"Crossref","is-referenced-by-count":8,"title":["Vitamin D3 Modulates Inflammatory and Antimicrobial Responses in Oral Epithelial Cells Exposed to Periodontitis-Associated Bacteria"],"prefix":"10.3390","volume":"26","author":[{"ORCID":"https:\/\/orcid.org\/0000-0001-5975-952X","authenticated-orcid":false,"given":"Fadime","family":"Karaca","sequence":"first","affiliation":[{"name":"Competence Center for Periodontal Research, University Clinic of Dentistry, Medical University of Vienna, 1090 Vienna, Austria"}],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"given":"Susanne","family":"Bloch","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Competence Center for Periodontal Research, University Clinic of Dentistry, Medical University of Vienna, 1090 Vienna, Austria"},{"name":"<i>NanoGlycobiology<\/i> Research Group, Institute of Biochemistry, Department of Natural Sciences and Sustainable Resources, University of Natural Resources and Life Sciences, 1190 Vienna, Austria"}],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"given":"Fabian L.","family":"Kendlbacher","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"<i>NanoGlycobiology<\/i> Research Group, Institute of Biochemistry, Department of Natural Sciences and Sustainable Resources, University of Natural Resources and Life Sciences, 1190 Vienna, Austria"}],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"ORCID":"https:\/\/orcid.org\/0000-0002-3065-3200","authenticated-orcid":false,"given":"Christian","family":"Behm","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Competence Center for Periodontal Research, University Clinic of Dentistry, Medical University of Vienna, 1090 Vienna, Austria"}],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"ORCID":"https:\/\/orcid.org\/0000-0003-1613-7258","authenticated-orcid":false,"given":"Christina","family":"Sch\u00e4ffer","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"<i>NanoGlycobiology<\/i> Research Group, Institute of Biochemistry, Department of Natural Sciences and Sustainable Resources, University of Natural Resources and Life Sciences, 1190 Vienna, Austria"}],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"ORCID":"https:\/\/orcid.org\/0000-0002-0485-2142","authenticated-orcid":false,"given":"Oleh","family":"Andrukhov","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Competence Center for Periodontal Research, University Clinic of Dentistry, Medical University of Vienna, 1090 Vienna, Austria"}],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]}],"member":"1968","published-online":{"date-parts":[[2025,7,21]]},"reference":[{"key":"ref_1","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"122","DOI":"10.4103\/jomfp.JOMFP_304_18","article-title":"Oral microbiome: Unveiling the fundamentals","volume":"23","author":"Deo","year":"2019","journal-title":"J. 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