title: Immunoregulatory mechanisms of vitamin D relevant to respiratory health and asthma.
abstract: Vitamin D deficiency is prevalent among people with various immune-mediated conditions, including autoimmune diseases and asthma. Serum 25(OH)D levels inversely correlate with asthma severity, glucocorticoid responsiveness/dosage, and markers of pathogenesis, such as airway remodeling, IgE, and eosinophilia. Trials involving supplementation with active vitamin D or a precursor are beginning to emerge with variable results that, in part, reflect differences in study design. This review looks at the mechanisms by which vitamin D may protect against asthma, including increasing glucocorticoid responsiveness, skewing immune cells towards a regulatory phenotype, reducing the incidence of infections, airway remodeling, eosinophilia, and lowering the levels of IgE. Also discussed is the therapeutic potential for vitamin D, which is likely to be applicable to immune-mediated conditions beyond simply asthma.
authors.affiliation: Medical Research Council (MRC) and Asthma U.K. Center for Allergic Mechanisms of Asthma, King's College London, London, United Kingdom.
authors.forename: Elizabeth H
authors.initials: EH
authors.lastname: Mann
authors.forename: Emma S
authors.initials: ES
authors.lastname: Chambers
authors.forename: Paul E
authors.initials: PE
authors.lastname: Pfeffer
authors.forename: Catherine M
authors.initials: CM
authors.lastname: Hawrylowicz
mesh_terms: D056151:Airway Remodeling; D000818:Animals; D001249:Asthma / Q000097:blood / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000276:immunology; D002986:Clinical Trials as Topic; D004357:Drug Synergism; D005938:Glucocorticoids / Q000627:therapeutic use; D006801:Humans; D007073:Immunoglobulin E / Q000097:blood; D007155:Immunologic Factors / Q000008:administration & dosage*; D014807:Vitamin D / Q000008:administration & dosage*
chemical_list: D005938:Glucocorticoids; D007155:Immunologic Factors; D014807:Vitamin D; D007073:Immunoglobulin E
keywords: asthma; immunoregulatory; therapeutic; vitamin D