Vitamin Effects on the Immune System: Vitamins A and D Take Centre Stage

Overview

Journal Nat Rev Immunol

Specialty Allergy & Immunology

Date 2009 Jan 28

PMID 19172691

Citations 647

Authors

J Rodrigo Mora

Makoto Iwata

Ulrich H von Andrian

Affiliations

Soon will be listed here.

Abstract

Vitamins are essential constituents of our diet that have long been known to influence the immune system. Vitamins A and D have received particular attention in recent years as these vitamins have been shown to have an unexpected and crucial effect on the immune response. We present and discuss our current understanding of the essential roles of vitamins in modulating a broad range of immune processes, such as lymphocyte activation and proliferation, T-helper-cell differentiation, tissue-specific lymphocyte homing, the production of specific antibody isotypes and regulation of the immune response. Finally, we discuss the clinical potential of vitamin A and D metabolites for modulating tissue-specific immune responses and for preventing and/or treating inflammation and autoimmunity.

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