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Why do T cells express the vitamin D receptor?
Author(s) -
Cantorna Margherita T.
Publication year - 2011
Publication title -
annals of the new york academy of sciences
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 1.712
H-Index - 248
eISSN - 1749-6632
pISSN - 0077-8923
DOI - 10.1111/j.1749-6632.2010.05823.x
Subject(s) - calcitriol receptor , natural killer t cell , autoimmunity , vitamin d and neurology , immune system , cd8 , biology , t cell , microbiology and biotechnology , immunology , cytotoxic t cell , effector , regulator , zap70 , endocrinology , in vitro , biochemistry , gene
Vitamin D is an important regulator of immune function. T cells express the vitamin D receptor (VDR) and have been shown to be direct and indirect vitamin D targets. Why should T cells be responsive to vitamin D? The data suggest that expression of the VDR is required for the development of two cell types, NKT cells and CD8αα T cells, which inhibit autoimmunity. In addition, effector T cell cytokine production is regulated by vitamin D. Available evidence suggests that NKT and CD8αα T cells express the VDR as part of the selection process to protect against the generation of autoimmunity, particularly in the gut.