"Let there be light": the role of vitamin D in the immune response to vaccines. (2nd November 2015)

• Record Type: Journal Article
• Authors: Sadarangani, Sapna P; Whitaker, Jennifer A; Poland, Gregory A
• Is Part Of: Expert review of vaccines. Volume 14:Number 11(2015)
• Page Start: 1427
• Page End: 1440
• Publication Date: 2015-11-02
• Subjects: adaptive immunity -- cellular immunity -- immunization -- innate immunity -- vaccines -- vitamin D; Vaccines -- Periodicals; Vaccination -- Periodicals; 615.37205
• DOI: 10.1586/14760584.2015.1082426
• Languages: English
• ISSNs: 1476-0584

Abstract

Abstract : Vitamin D's non-skeletal actions, including immunomodulatory role, have been increasingly recognized. Of significance, many immune cells are able to synthesize a biologically active form of vitamin D from circulating 25-hydroxyvitamin D with subsequent intracrine actions, and the vitamin D receptor is broadly distributed. In this review, we discuss vitamin D's potent role in innate and adaptive immune responses and published studies evaluating the impact of serum vitamin D, vitamin D gene pathway polymorphisms or empiric vitamin D supplementation on vaccine immunogenicity. We highlight existing knowledge gaps and propose the steps needed to advance the science and answer the question of whether vitamin D may prove valuable as a vaccine adjuvant for certain vaccines against infectious diseases.