title: A potential role for vitamin D on HIV infection?
abstract: Despite advances in the knowledge of vitamin D's potent immunomodulatory activity, its role on HIV disease progression is unknown. Decreased concentrations of 1alpha,25-hydroxyvitamin D3, or 1,25(OH)2D, the active form of vitamin D, have been reported among HIV-infected people and attributed to defects in renal hydroxylation and increased utilization. A few studies also described low levels of 25-hydroxyvitamin D3, 25(OH)D, the vitamin obtained from solar synthesis and diet. An inverse association between 1,25(OH)2D concentrations and mortality has been reported from a small cohort of HIV-infected adults, and some cross-sectional studies have indicated positive correlations between 1,25(OH)2D and CD4+ cell counts. Additional observational studies are needed to confirm the associations between vitamin D status and HIV disease progression. These investigations would provide useful insights on the potential role of vitamin D supplementation to HIV-infected persons and the planning of intervention trials.
authors.affiliation: Department of Nutrition, Harvard School of Public Health, Boston, Massachusetts, USA. evillamo@hsph.harvard.edu
authors.forename: Eduardo
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Villamor
mesh_terms: D018791:CD4 Lymphocyte Count; D002117:Calcitriol / Q000378:metabolism / Q000502:physiology; D018450:Disease Progression; D015658:HIV Infections / Q000097:blood / Q000276:immunology / Q000503:physiopathology; D006304:Health Status; D006801:Humans; D009751:Nutritional Requirements; D014807:Vitamin D / Q000378:metabolism / Q000502:physiology*; D014808:Vitamin D Deficiency / Q000276:immunology* / Q000401:mortality; D014815:Vitamins / Q000502:physiology*
chemical_list: D014815:Vitamins; D014807:Vitamin D; D002117:Calcitriol