Section on Endocrinology, Diabetes, Nutrition & Weight Management, Department of Medicine, School of Medicine, Boston University, Boston, MA 02118, USA.
Instituto de Bioquímica y Biotecnología, Facultad de Ciencias Médicas, Universidad Nacional de Cuyo, Mendoza 5500, Argentina.
Nutrients. 2023 Feb 2;15(3):767. doi: 10.3390/nu15030767.
Vitamin D (vit D) is widely known for its role in calcium metabolism and its importance for the bone system. However, various studies have revealed a myriad of extra-skeletal functions, including cell differentiation and proliferation, antibacterial, antioxidant, immunomodulatory, and anti-inflammatory properties in various cells and tissues. Vit D mediates its function via regulation of gene expression by binding to its receptor (VDR) which is expressed in almost all cells within the body. This review summarizes the pleiotropic effects of vit D, emphasizing its anti-inflammatory effect on different organ systems. It also provides a comprehensive overview of the genetic and epigenetic effects of vit D and VDR on the expression of genes pertaining to immunity and anti-inflammation. We speculate that in the context of inflammation, vit D and its receptor VDR might fulfill their roles as gene regulators through not only direct gene regulation but also through epigenetic mechanisms.
维生素 D(vit D)广泛地被认为在钙代谢中起着重要作用,并且对骨骼系统很重要。然而,许多研究揭示了其在各种细胞和组织中的许多骨骼外功能,包括细胞分化和增殖、抗菌、抗氧化、免疫调节和抗炎特性。维生素 D 通过与其受体(VDR)结合来调节基因表达来发挥其功能,而 VDR 在体内几乎所有细胞中都有表达。这篇综述总结了维生素 D 的多效性作用,强调了其对不同器官系统的抗炎作用。它还全面概述了维生素 D 和 VDR 的遗传和表观遗传效应对与免疫和抗炎相关的基因表达的影响。我们推测,在炎症的背景下,维生素 D 和其受体 VDR 可能通过直接基因调控和表观遗传机制来发挥基因调节剂的作用。