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The Complex Role of Vitamin D in Autoimmune Diseases
Author(s) -
Szodoray P.,
Nakken B.,
Gaal J.,
Jonsson R.,
Szegedi A.,
Zold E.,
Szegedi G.,
Brun J. G.,
Gesztelyi R.,
Zeher M.,
Bodolay E.
Publication year - 2008
Publication title -
scandinavian journal of immunology
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.934
H-Index - 88
eISSN - 1365-3083
pISSN - 0300-9475
DOI - 10.1111/j.1365-3083.2008.02127.x
Subject(s) - immune system , vitamin d and neurology , immunology , rheumatoid arthritis , autoimmune disease , vitamin d deficiency , autoimmunity , acquired immune system , immune tolerance , calcitriol receptor , medicine , biology , endocrinology , antibody
Vitamin D, besides having well‐known control functions of calcium and phosphorus metabolism, bone formation and mineralization, also has a role in the maintenance of immune‐homeostasis. The immune‐regulatory role of vitamin D affects both the innate and adaptive immune system contributing to the immune‐tolerance of self‐structures. Impaired vitamin D supply/regulation, amongst other factors, leads to the development of autoimmune processes in animal models of various autoimmune diseases. The administration of vitamin D in these animals leads to improvement of immune‐mediated symptoms. Moreover, in human autoimmune diseases, such as multiple sclerosis, or rheumatoid arthritis the pathogenic role of vitamin D has been described. The review aims at describing the complex immune‐regulatory role of vitamin D from the cellular level through autoimmune animal models and depicting the known contribution of vitamin D in the pathogenesis of human autoimmune diseases.