title: Environmental factors and their regulation of immunity in multiple sclerosis.
abstract: Epidemiological and clinical studies have shown that environmental factors such as infections, smoking and vitamin D are associated with the risk of developing multiple sclerosis (MS). Some of these factors also play a role in the MS disease course. We are currently beginning to understand how environmental factors may impact immune function in MS on a cellular and molecular level. Here we review epidemiological, clinical and basic immunological studies on the environmental factors, viral and parasitic infections, smoking, and vitamin D and relate epidemiological findings with their likely pathophysiology in MS.
authors.affiliation: Hotchkiss Brain Institute and the, Department of Clinical Neurosciences, University of Calgary, Canada. mwkoch@ucalgary.ca
authors.forename: Marcus W
authors.initials: MW
authors.lastname: Koch
authors.forename: Luanne M
authors.initials: LM
authors.lastname: Metz
authors.forename: Smriti M
authors.initials: SM
authors.lastname: Agrawal
authors.forename: V Wee
authors.initials: VW
authors.lastname: Yong
mesh_terms: D004777:Environment; D006801:Humans; D009103:Multiple Sclerosis / Q000209:etiology / Q000276:immunology* / Q000503:physiopathology; D009752:Nutritional Status; D010272:Parasitic Diseases / Q000150:complications / Q000276:immunology; D012907:Smoking / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000276:immunology; D013472:Sunlight; D014777:Virus Diseases / Q000150:complications / Q000276:immunology; D014807:Vitamin D / Q000378:metabolism
chemical_list: D014807:Vitamin D