Year: 2010
Type: article
Abstract: Vitamin D and the vitamin D receptor (VDR) have been shown to be important regulators of the immune system. In particular, vitamin D and VDR deficiency exacerbates experimental autoimmune diseases such as inflammatory bowel disease (IBD). IBD develops due to an immune-mediated attack by pathogenic T-cells that overproduce IL-17 and IFN-gamma and a few regulatory cells. VDR knockout mice have twice as many T-cells making IL-17 and IFN-gamma than wild-type mice. In addition, vitamin D and the VDR are required for normal numbers of regulatory T-cells (iNKT and CD8alphaalpha) that have been shown to suppress experimental IBD. In the absence of vitamin D and the VDR, autoimmunity occurs in the gastrointestinal tract due to increased numbers of IL-17 and IFN-gamma secreting T-cells and a concomitant reduction in regulatory T-cells.
Author: Margherita T. Cantorna
Institution: Pennsylvania State University
Language: English
Topic: Vitamin D Research Studies
Subfield: Endocrinology, Diabetes and Metabolism
Field: Medicine
Domain: Health Sciences
Open Access status: bronze
Funders: Office of Dietary Supplements, National Institutes of Health, National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases, National Center for Complementary and Alternative Medicine, National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke, National Center for Complementary and Integrative Health
OpenAlex ID: W2133378877