Vitamin D may suppress infections which lead to development of Multiple Sclerosis
Steven R Brenner, None (16 August 2007)
J Neurol Neurosurg Psychiatry 2008
I read the article with reference to the inverse relationship between multiple sclerosis clinical activity and deficiency of vitamin D by Soilu-Hannienen (1) with interest, and was considering what mechanism could be in play to cause such a relationship.
25-hydroxylated metabolites of vitamin D act as intracellular regulators of the synthesis and action of defensin (2) molecules against bacterial antigens, defensin being an endogenously synthesized antimicrobial substance (2).
Human cathelicidin antimicrobial peptide gene is a target of vitamin D receptor and is strongly up-regulated by 1,25-dihydroxyvitamin D3, indicating vitamin D receptor and the 1,25-dihydroxyvitaminD3 regulate primate innate immunity (3)
Li H, Stampfer MJ, Hollis JBW, Mucci LA, Gaziano JM, et al. (2007)
A Prospective Study of Plasma Vitamin D Metabolites, Vitamin D Receptor Polymorphisms, and Prostate Cancer.
PLoS Med 4(3): e103
doi:10.1371/journal.pmed.0040103