title: [Current Topics on Vitamin D. The effects of vitamin D on the immune system].
abstract: Various kinds of immune cells-including macrophages, dendritic cells, T cells and B cells- express the vitamin D receptor and 1α-hydroxylase (CYP27B1), the enzyme necessary for the conversion of circulating 25-hydroxyvitamin D into its active form, 1,25-dihydroxyvitamin D. It suggests that vitamin D has a regulatory role on innate and adaptive immune responses. Vitamin D has been recently shown to promote antimicrobial responses through the production of antibacterial peptides, and stimulation of the autophagic activity in macrophages. Recent epidemiological evidence indicates a significant association between vitamin D deficiency and an increased incidence of several infectious diseases. Here, we review the essential roles of vitamin D in modulating the immune system and discuss the protective effects of vitamin D supplementation in diverse infections.
authors.affiliation: Department of Immunology and Cell Biology, Graduate School of Medicine, Osaka University, Japan./Japan Science and Technology Agency, CREST.
authors.forename: Junichi
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Kikuta
authors.forename: Masaru
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Ishii
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D006801:Humans; D007107:Immune System / Q000276:immunology / Q000378:metabolism*; D018167:Receptors, Calcitriol / Q000378:metabolism*; D013601:T-Lymphocytes / Q000276:immunology / Q000378:metabolism*; D014807:Vitamin D / Q000031:analogs & derivatives* / Q000378:metabolism; D014808:Vitamin D Deficiency / Q000378:metabolism; D014815:Vitamins / Q000378:metabolism*
chemical_list: D018167:Receptors, Calcitriol; D014815:Vitamins; D014807:Vitamin D; C097949:1,25-dihydroxyvitamin D