Background: Diet can cause changes in the pancreas' structure, which have been linked to a variety of metabolic dysfunctions. Many of the metabolic issues associated with high-fat diets (HFD).
Objectives: The study was designed to investigate the effect of HFD on the pancreas and possible impact of Vitamin D (Vit D).
Materials and methods: Four groups of albino rats were included in this study. Negative control group (Group I) received standard chow (SC, 10% fat). Positive control group (Group II) received Vit D3 at a daily oral dose of 10 µg/kg. HFD-treated group (Group III) received high-fat chow. The HFD+ Vit D treated group (Group Ⅳ) received high-fat chow and Vitamin D3. The rats were sacrificed, and the pancreas was removed and prepared for light, ultrastructural, and immunohistochemical examination.
Results: HFD causes an increase in the mean body and pancreas weights, many vacuolations in the islet of Langerhans and pancreatic acini, dilated congested blood vessels, inflammatory cellular infiltration, fatty infiltration, acidophilic exudate, damaged acinar cells and ß cells of islets of Langerhans as well as strong immuno-expression of caspase-3 and TNF-α. Vit D can partially attenuate these findings.
Conclusion: HFD results in significant histopathological changes in the pancreas although Vit D could attenuate these toxic effects through modulation of pancreatic caspase-3 and TNF- α immuno-expression.