title: Vitamin D deficiency, autoimmunity, and graft-versus-host-disease risk: Implication for preventive therapy.
abstract: The majority of patients after allogeneic stem cell transplantation (HSCT) are expected to have vitamin D deficiency early post HSCT due to poor nutritional status and limited sun exposure. The importance of vitamin D in the immune system has been well defined during the past several years, as vitamin D has demonstrated modulatory effects on the immune system through B and T-lymphocyte, macrophage, monocyte, and dendritic cell regulations, which are the effector cells involved in graft-versus-host-disease (GVHD) pathophysiology after HSCT. High-dose early replacement of vitamin D might attenuate autoimmune reactions and decrease severity of GVHD. In this article, we discuss the hypothetical link between early vitamin D deficiency and GVHD and its potential therapeutic role in GVHD and long-term bone loss after HSCT.
authors.affiliation: Department of Pharmaceutical Services, Vanderbilt University Medical Center, Nashville, TN 37232-5505, USA.
authors.forename: Mona
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Benrashid
authors.forename: Kim
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Moyers
authors.forename: Mohamad
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Mohty
authors.forename: Bipin N
authors.initials: BN
authors.lastname: Savani
mesh_terms: D017951:Antigen Presentation / Q000187:drug effects; D015551:Autoimmunity / Q000502:physiology*; D003713:Dendritic Cells / Q000187:drug effects / Q000276:immunology; D006086:Graft vs Host Disease / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000209:etiology* / Q000276:immunology / Q000517:prevention & control; D006760:Hospitalization; D006801:Humans; D007155:Immunologic Factors / Q000627:therapeutic use; D007165:Immunosuppression Therapy; D016131:Lymphocyte Subsets / Q000187:drug effects / Q000276:immunology; D044342:Malnutrition / Q000209:etiology; D018448:Models, Immunological; D033581:Stem Cell Transplantation; D014184:Transplantation, Homologous / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000276:immunology; D014807:Vitamin D / Q000627:therapeutic use; D014808:Vitamin D Deficiency / Q000150:complications* / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000276:immunology
chemical_list: D007155:Immunologic Factors; D014807:Vitamin D