Title:The Roles of Vitamin D and Its Analogs in Inflammatory Diseases
Volume: 16
Issue: 11
Author(s): Zongtao Lin and Wei Li
Affiliation:
Keywords:
Analogs, Autoimmune diseases, Immune systems, Inflammatory diseases, Vitamin D, VDR.
Abstract: The discovery of nonclassical actions, other than mineral homeostasis, of 1α,25-
dihydroxyvitamin D3 (1,25D3) has expanded its applications. Among these, its anti-inflammation activity
has drawn more and more attention of researchers to investigate its role in regulating the progression
of inflammatory diseases. The expression of many inflammation-related genes is regulated by
1,25D3 through vitamin D receptor (VDR) in a large variety of cells including immune cells such as,
but not limited to, macrophages, dendritic cells, T helper cells, and B cells. Studies of 1,25D3 in these
immune cells have shown both direct and indirect immunomodulatory activities affecting innate and
adaptive immune responses. Moreover, 1,25D3 can also exert its anti-inflammation effects through regulating the biosynthesis
of pro-inflammatory molecules in the prostaglandin pathway or through nuclear factor kappa light-chain-enhancer
of activated B cells (NFκB) by affecting cytokine production and inflammatory responses. These actions of 1,25D3 may
explain the associations between vitamin D levels and inflammatory diseases such as rheumatoid arthritis, inflammatory
bowel disease, multiple sclerosis, asthma, type 1 diabetes, and systemic lupus erythematosus. Although several analogs of
1,25D3 have shown potent immunomodulatory or anti-inflammatory activity on immune cell cultures or in animal models,
no vitamin D analog has been used in clinical research to treat inflammatory diseases. Here, we review the relationship
between vitamin D analogs and inflammation based on observations of immune cells, prostaglandin and NFκB pathways,
as well as common inflammatory diseases.
