1. Vitamin D in the healthy and inflamed central nervous system: access and function.
- Author
-
Smolders J, Moen SM, Damoiseaux J, Huitinga I, and Holmøy T
- Subjects
- Animals, Central Nervous System Diseases immunology, Central Nervous System Diseases metabolism, Central Nervous System Diseases pathology, Demyelinating Autoimmune Diseases, CNS drug therapy, Demyelinating Autoimmune Diseases, CNS immunology, Demyelinating Autoimmune Diseases, CNS pathology, Humans, Multiple Sclerosis drug therapy, Vitamin D pharmacology, Vitamin D therapeutic use, Vitamin D Deficiency drug therapy, Multiple Sclerosis immunology, Multiple Sclerosis pathology, Vitamin D physiology, Vitamin D Deficiency immunology, Vitamin D Deficiency pathology
- 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., (Copyright © 2011 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.)
- Published
- 2011
- Full Text
- View/download PDF