Vitamin D and the immune system

Abstract

The authors draw attention to the contemporary broad concept of the vitamin D endocrine system comprising in addition to the gut, bones and kidneys, some other tissues and cells incl. cells of the immune system. They give an account of findings on receptors for the active hormonal metabolite of vitamin D, 1,25-dihydroxycalciferol [1,25(OH)2D], in the cells of the immune system and summarized contemporary ideas on the mechanism of action of 1,25(OH)2D in these cells. They discuss the role of 1,25(OH)2D in non-specific and specific immune processes, and based on data from the literature and results of their own experimental work, they evaluate the possibility to apply the immunoregulating action of vitamin D in clinical practice.