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Evidence of in vivo Immune Modulation with Vitamin D3 and Calcium Supplementation in Multiple Sclerosis
Author(s) -
Kimball Samantha M,
Vieth Reinhold,
BarOr Amit,
Gagne Donald,
Dosch Hans Michael,
Cheung Roy,
O'Connor Paul G,
Burton Jodie
Publication year - 2010
Publication title -
the faseb journal
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 1.709
H-Index - 277
eISSN - 1530-6860
pISSN - 0892-6638
DOI - 10.1096/fasebj.24.1_supplement.537.23
Subject(s) - medicine , vitamin d and neurology , peripheral blood mononuclear cell , vitamin , immune system , multiple sclerosis , stimulation , randomization , calcium , cholecalciferol , gastroenterology , in vivo , clinical trial , endocrinology , immunology , in vitro , biology , biochemistry , microbiology and biotechnology
We have recently established that high‐dose oral vitamin D3 is safe in MS with apparent clinical benefit. Our objective was to characterize the immunological profile in patients receiving pharmacological doses of vitamin D3 with calcium. A prospective controlled 52‐week trial matched MS patients for demographic and disease characteristics, with randomization to treatment and control groups. Treatment patients received escalating doses of vitamin D3 (4,000–40,000 IU/d) with calcium (1,200mg/d) for one year, and control patients none. PBMC proliferation in response to antigenic stimulation was measured and T cell stimulation (TCS) scores calculated. PBMC proliferation was markedly reduced in treatment patients after one year (WSRT p<0.002) and unchanged in controls. TCS dropped significantly in treatment patients (p=0.0023), but not in controls. The proportion of patients with a TCS below the pre‐determined positive threshold was greater in treatment patients (p=0.0318). There were no differences detected between groups for other inflammatory markers. Patients with MS receiving high dose vitamin D3 with calcium supplementation had significantly reduced PBMC proliferative responses to self‐antigen. Such effects may explain clinical improvement seen in treatment patients. Funding was provided by Direct MS and the Multiple Sclerosis Society of Canada.