Department of Medical Biotechnology, College of Biotechnology, Misr University for Science and Technology, P. O. Box 77, Giza, Egypt.
Department of Environmental Biotechnology, College of Biotechnology, Misr University for Science and Technology, P. O. Box 77, Giza, Egypt.
Inflammopharmacology. 2024 Dec;32(6):3631-3652. doi: 10.1007/s10787-024-01578-w. Epub 2024 Oct 16.
As of the 7 of July 2024, 775,754,322 confirmed cases of COVID-19, including 7,053,902 deaths worldwide, had been reported to the WHO (World Health Organization). Nevertheless, untill the 15 of July 2024, a total of 13,578,710,228 vaccine doses had been administered, with almost no country spared from COVID-19 attacks. The pathophysiology of this virus is complicated, and several symptoms require a deep understanding of the actual mechanisms. It is unclear why some patients develop severe symptoms while others do not, although literature suggests a role for vitamin D. Vitamin D plays a crucial role in the infection or in ameliorating the severity of symptoms. The mechanism of action of vitamin D and vitamin D deficiency (VDD) is well understood. VDD is associated with increased hospitalization of severely ill patients and increased levels of COVID-19-caused mortality. Recent studies suggest that vitamin D levels and genetic variations in the vitamin D receptor (VDR) gene significantly impact the severity and outcomes of COVID-19, especially in the infections caused by Delta and Omicron variants. Furthermore, VDD causes immune system dysregulation upon infection with SARS-CoV-2, indicating that vitamin D sufficiency is crucial in fighting against COVID-19 infection. The therapeutic effect of vitamin D raises interest in its potential role as a prophylactic and treatment adjunct. We evaluate the immunomodulatory effects of vitamin D and its ability to enhance the efficacy of new antiviral drugs like molnupiravir and paxlovid against SARS-CoV-2. This review discusses the role of vitamin D sufficiency and VDD in COVID-19 initiation and progression, emphasizing the molecular mechanisms by which vitamin D exerts its actions as a proactive step for the next pandemic. However, there is still no clear evidence of vitamin D's impact on prevention and treatment, leading to contradictory findings. Therefore, large-scale randomized trials are required to reach a definitive conclusion. A bibliometric analysis of publications related to vitamin D, immunity, and COVID-19 revealed a significant increase in research activity in this area, particularly in 2020-2024, underscoring the growing recognition of vitamin D's potential role in the context of the pandemic.
截至 2024 年 7 月 7 日，世界卫生组织（WHO）报告全球累计确诊 COVID-19 病例 775,754,322 例，死亡 7,053,902 例。然而，截至 2024 年 7 月 15 日，全球共接种疫苗 13,578,710,228 剂，几乎没有哪个国家能幸免于 COVID-19 的侵袭。该病毒的病理生理学较为复杂，其几种症状需要深入了解实际机制。目前尚不清楚为什么有些患者出现严重症状，而有些患者则没有，尽管文献表明维生素 D 可能起作用。维生素 D 在感染或改善症状严重程度方面起着至关重要的作用。维生素 D 及其缺乏（VDD）的作用机制已得到充分了解。VDD 与重症患者住院率增加和 COVID-19 死亡率升高有关。最近的研究表明，维生素 D 水平和维生素 D 受体（VDR）基因的遗传变异显著影响 COVID-19 的严重程度和结果，特别是在 Delta 和 Omicron 变体引起的感染中。此外，VDD 在感染 SARS-CoV-2 时会导致免疫系统失调，这表明维生素 D 充足对于对抗 COVID-19 感染至关重要。维生素 D 的治疗效果引起了人们对其作为预防和治疗辅助手段的潜在作用的兴趣。我们评估了维生素 D 的免疫调节作用及其增强莫努匹韦和帕罗韦德等新型抗病毒药物对 SARS-CoV-2 疗效的能力。本文讨论了维生素 D 充足和 VDD 在 COVID-19 发生和进展中的作用，强调了维生素 D 发挥作用的分子机制，这是为下一次大流行采取的主动措施。然而，目前仍没有维生素 D 对预防和治疗作用的明确证据，导致研究结果存在矛盾。因此，需要进行大规模的随机试验以得出明确的结论。对与维生素 D、免疫和 COVID-19 相关的出版物进行文献计量分析表明，该领域的研究活动显著增加，尤其是在 2020-2024 年期间，突显了人们对维生素 D 在大流行背景下潜在作用的认识不断提高。
