Crosstalk between vitamin D axis, inflammation and host immunity mechanisms: A prospective study

Exp Ther Med. 2021 Jun;21(6):608. doi: 10.3892/etm.2021.10040. Epub 2021 Apr 14.ABSTRACTTuberculosis (TB) remains a public health burden, after many years at attempts for its eradication. Vitamin D (VD) status has been suggested to be related to TB susceptibility because it has the ability to regulate multiple axes of the innate and adaptive host immune response. VD mediates cathelicidin (LL-37) synthesis, a cationic bactericidal peptide, through the expression of vitamin D receptor (VDR). Host innate defense mechanisms include autophagy and apoptosis of alveolar macrophages. The present study aimed to assess the relationship between VD status, inflammation and host defense mechanisms before and after two months of first-line anti-TB pharmacotherapy. The study included newly diagnosed individuals with pulmonary TB without co-morbidities (HIV infection, diabetes, cancer) and without VD supplementation or other therapies interfering with VD serum levels. We measured serum levels of 25-hydroxyvitamin D (25-(OH)-D), the major circulating form of vitamin D, VDR, LL-37, beclin-1 (an autophagy marker) and M30 (an apoptosis biomarker) before and after two months of anti-TB treatment. Individuals presented lower levels of 25-(OH)-D before receiving first-line anti-TB treatment (T0) in comparison with its plasmatic levels after two-months of therapy (T2). At T2, patients were divided in two subgroups according the results of sputum-culture conversion. After two-months of therapy, decre...
Source: Experimental and Therapeutic Medicine - Category: General Medicine Authors: Source Type: research