title: Vitamin D in the healthy and inflamed central nervous system: access and function.
abstract: High exposure to vitamin D may protect against development and progression of multiple sclerosis (MS), possibly through the immunomodulatory properties of its biologically active metabolite 1,25-dihydroxyvitamin D. So far, most studies on the possible mechanisms for vitamin D involvement in MS have focused on immune modulation outside the central nervous system (CNS). However, vitamin D may also interfere with the pathophysiology of MS within the CNS. In this review, the potential presence and functions of vitamin D in the inflamed and healthy CNS are explored. We discuss that vitamin D, vitamin D binding protein (DBP), the vitamin D receptor (VDR) and enzymes needed for metabolism (CYP27B1) are present in the CNS. Both VDR and CYP27B1 are expressed on a variety of cells, including neurons, glial cells, and invading lymphocytes. Additionally, vitamin D has been postulated to play a modulating role in several key-processes in MS pathophysiology, including inflammation, demyelination, axonal damage, and remyelination. We conclude that a local role of vitamin D in the inflamed CNS is likely and potentially relevant to MS. Future studies should further characterize the impact of vitamin D on the local disease process of MS in the CNS.
authors.affiliation: Department of Internal Medicine, Division of Clinical and Experimental Immunology, and School for Mental Health and Neuroscience, Maastricht University Medical Center, Maastricht, The Netherlands.
authors.forename: Joost
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Smolders
authors.forename: Stine Marit
authors.initials: SM
authors.lastname: Moen
authors.forename: Jan
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Damoiseaux
authors.forename: Inge
authors.initials: I
authors.lastname: Huitinga
authors.forename: Trygve
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Holmøy
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D002493:Central Nervous System Diseases / Q000276:immunology / Q000378:metabolism / Q000473:pathology; D020278:Demyelinating Autoimmune Diseases, CNS / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000276:immunology / Q000473:pathology; D006801:Humans; D009103:Multiple Sclerosis / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000276:immunology* / Q000473:pathology*; D014807:Vitamin D / Q000494:pharmacology / Q000502:physiology* / Q000627:therapeutic use; D014808:Vitamin D Deficiency / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000276:immunology* / Q000473:pathology*
chemical_list: D014807:Vitamin D