title: Vitamin effects on the immune system: vitamins A and D take centre stage.
abstract: Vitamins are essential constituents of our diet that have long been known to influence the immune system. Vitamins A and D have received particular attention in recent years as these vitamins have been shown to have an unexpected and crucial effect on the immune response. We present and discuss our current understanding of the essential roles of vitamins in modulating a broad range of immune processes, such as lymphocyte activation and proliferation, T-helper-cell differentiation, tissue-specific lymphocyte homing, the production of specific antibody isotypes and regulation of the immune response. Finally, we discuss the clinical potential of vitamin A and D metabolites for modulating tissue-specific immune responses and for preventing and/or treating inflammation and autoimmunity.
authors.affiliation: Gastrointestinal Unit, Massachusetts General Hospital, Harvard Medical School, Boston, Massachusetts 02114, USA. j_rodrigo_mora@harvard.hms.edu
authors.forename: J Rodrigo
authors.initials: JR
authors.lastname: Mora
authors.forename: Makoto
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Iwata
authors.forename: Ulrich H
authors.initials: UH
authors.lastname: von Andrian
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D006801:Humans; D007107:Immune System / Q000276:immunology* / Q000378:metabolism; D007167:Immunotherapy; D008214:Lymphocytes / Q000166:cytology / Q000276:immunology; D014801:Vitamin A / Q000276:immunology* / Q000378:metabolism; D014807:Vitamin D / Q000276:immunology* / Q000378:metabolism; D014815:Vitamins / Q000276:immunology* / Q000378:metabolism
chemical_list: D014815:Vitamins; D014801:Vitamin A; D014807:Vitamin D