Vitamin D and lactoferrin attenuate stress-induced colitis in Wistar rats via enhancing AMPK expression with inhibiting mTOR-STAT3 signaling and modulating autophagy.

Irritable bowel syndrome (IBS) is a global gastrointestinal disorder closely related to psychological stress exposure and local colonic inflammation. Herein, we investigated the effect of wrap-restraint stress (WRS) on rat behavior, on adenosine monophosphate-activated protein kinase-mammalian/mechanistic target of rapamycin-signal transducer and activator of transcription 3 (AMPK-mTOR-STAT3) signaling, and autophagy in colonic mucosa. The impact of chronic administration of vitamin D and lactoferrin was compared.