Vitamin D and the Immune System. (1st August 2011)

• Record Type: Journal Article
• Authors: Aranow, Cynthia
• Is Part Of: Journal of investigative medicine. Volume 59:Number 6(2011)
• Page Start: 881
• Page End: 886
• Publication Date: 2011-08-01
• Subjects: vitamin D -- autoimmunity -- innate immunity -- adaptive immunity; Clinical medicine -- Periodicals; Medicine -- Research -- Periodicals; Medicine; Research -- United States; Clinical medicine; Medicine -- Research; Periodicals; 616.075
• DOI: 10.2310/JIM.0b013e31821b8755
• Languages: English
• ISSNs: 1081-5589

Abstract

Abstract : It is now clear that vitamin D has important roles in addition to its classic effects on calcium and bone homeostasis. As the vitamin D receptor is expressed on immune cells (B cells, T cells, and antigen-presenting cells), and these immunologic cells are all capable of synthesizing the active vitamin D metabolite, vitamin D has the capability of acting in an autocrine manner in a local immunologic milieu. Vitamin D can modulate the innate and adaptive immune responses. Deficiency in vitamin D is associated with increased autoimmunity and an increased susceptibility to infection. As immune cells in autoimmune diseases are responsive to the ameliorative effects of vitamin D, the beneficial effects of supplementing vitamin D-deficient individuals with autoimmune disease may extend beyond the effects on bone and calcium homeostasis.