A vitamin for autophagy.
Recent discoveries have revealed the importance of the vitamin D-dependent generation of antimicrobial peptides in human host defense against Mycobacterium tuberculosis. Now, Yuk et al. (2009) show how vitamin D induces autophagy and mediates colocalization of Mycobacterium tuberculosis and antimicrobial peptides within an autophagolysosome, leading to killing of the bacterium.
Fabri
Mario
M
Division of Dermatology, Department of Medicine, David Geffen School of Medicine, University of California, Los Angeles, Los Angeles, CA 90095-3075, USA.
Modlin
Robert L
RL
D001343:Autophagy / Q000187:drug effects*; D002762:Cholecalciferol / Q000494:pharmacology*; D006801:Humans; D009169:Mycobacterium tuberculosis / Q000502:physiology; D014376:Tuberculosis / Q000276:immunology / Q000382:microbiology / Q000503:physiopathology*
D002762:Cholecalciferol