summary: Based on the evidence that vitamin D seems to have a protective effect in MS, the authors of this work aimed to investigate the role of vitamin D as an immune modulator. For this purpose, they compared the levels of vitamin D between a group of people with MS and a group of controls. They also looked at the direct effects of vitamin D on laboratory T cells. The authors found that not only were vitamin D levels lower in people with MS than in controls, but also that vitamin D levels were lower in people with relapse-remitting MS, especially if they were experiencing a relapse. From the laboratory point of view, vitamin D seems to promote the development of regulatory T cells. All these findings suggest that vitamin D has an important role in the pathogenesis of MS, and that it could be used as a treatment in future.

authors: Correale J, Ysrraelit MC, Gaitán MI

source: Brain. 2009 Mar 24

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category: Immunology

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