Assessment of evidence for a protective role of vitamin D in multiple sclerosis

This paper looks at the environmental role of vitamin D and solar radiation as risk reduction factors in autoimmune disease. Five diseases are considered: multiple sclerosis, type 1 diabetes, rheumatoid arthritis, autoimmune disease of the thyroid, and inflammatory bowel disease. Clinical relevant studies and factors that may indicate evidence that autoimmune disease is a vitamin D-sensitive disease are presented. Studies that have resulted in prevention or amelioration of some autoimmune disease are discussed. An example of the utility of supplementing vitamin D in an unusual autoimmune disease, idiopathic thrombocytic purpura, is presented.

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The protective role of Langerhans’ cells and sunlight in multiple sclerosis

Medical Hypotheses ◽

10.1054/mehy.2000.1109 ◽

2000 ◽

Vol 55 (6) ◽

pp. 517-520 ◽

Cited By ~ 9

Author(s):

M. Dumas ◽

M.O. Jauberteau-Marchan

Keyword(s):

Multiple Sclerosis ◽

Langerhans Cells ◽

Protective Role

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Evaluating the Effects of Dietary Interventions on Disease Progression and Symptoms of Adults with Multiple Sclerosis: An Umbrella Review

Advances in Nutrition ◽

10.1093/advances/nmaa063 ◽

2020 ◽

Vol 11 (6) ◽

pp. 1603-1615

Author(s):

Abbey R Tredinnick ◽

Yasmine C Probst

Keyword(s):

Multiple Sclerosis ◽

Vitamin D ◽

Dietary Patterns ◽

Dietary Factors ◽

Cochrane Library ◽

Inverse Association ◽

Umbrella Review ◽

Dietary Interventions ◽

Review Articles

ABSTRACT Multiple sclerosis (MS) is a chronic inflammatory autoimmune disease of the central nervous system. The role of diet in the progression of MS and severity of symptoms remains unclear. Various systematic literature reviews (SRs) have reported the effects of single nutrients on MS progression or the role of dietary factors on specific symptoms of MS. Narrative reviews have examined the effects of various dietary patterns in MS populations. An umbrella review was undertaken to collate the findings from review articles and evaluate the strength of the scientific evidence of dietary interventions for people living with MS. Scientific databases including MEDLINE, PubMed, CINAHL, and The Cochrane Library were systematically searched up to April 2019. Review articles and meta-analyses were included if they examined the effect of any dietary intervention in adult populations with MS. Outcomes included MS progression indicated by relapses, disability, MRI activity and disease classification, and MS symptoms. Characteristics and findings from both review articles and their included primary studies were extracted and summarized. A total of 19 SRs and 43 narrative reviews were included. Vitamin D and PUFAs were the most commonly studied interventions. Across SR studies, vitamin D supplementation had no significant effect on relapses, MRI, or disability progression; however, an inverse association was found between vitamin D status and disability scores through observational studies. Effects of PUFA supplementation on major outcomes of MS progression were inconsistent across review articles. Other interventions less commonly studied included vitamin, mineral, and herbal supplementation and varying dietary patterns. Strong consistent evidence is lacking for dietary interventions in persons with MS. The body of evidence is primarily focused around the isolation of individual nutrients, many of which demonstrate no effect on major outcomes of MS progression. Stronger food-focused studies are required to strengthen the evidence.

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Multiple sclerosis and solar exposure before the age of 15 years: case—control study in Cuba, Martinique and Sicily

Multiple Sclerosis Journal ◽

10.1177/1352458510366856 ◽

2010 ◽

Vol 16 (8) ◽

pp. 899-908 ◽

Cited By ~ 21

Author(s):

F. Dalmay ◽

D. Bhalla ◽

A. Nicoletti ◽

JA Cabrera-Gomez ◽

P. Cabre ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Multiple Sclerosis ◽

Case Control Study ◽

Sun Exposure ◽

Protective Role ◽

Case Control ◽

Solar Exposure ◽

History Of ◽

Water Sports ◽

Control Study

Few studies report a protective role of childhood solar exposure to multiple sclerosis. Our objective was to confirm the protective role of childhood solar exposure in multiple sclerosis in Cuba, Martinique and Sicily. This was a matched case— control study, and cases met Poser criteria for clinically, laboratory (definite, probable) multiple sclerosis. Controls were resident population, without neurological disorder, living close to cases (within 100 km), matched for sex, age (±5 years), residence before age 15. We recruited 551 subjects during a 1-year period (193 cases, Cuba n = 95, Sicily n = 50, Martinique n = 48; 358 controls). Some (89%) met definite clinical multiple sclerosis criteria (relapsing remitting form (with and without sequel) (74%), secondary progressive (21%), primary progressive (5%)). Odds ratios in a uni-variate analysis were: family history of multiple sclerosis (5.1) and autoimmune disorder (4.0); wearing shirt (3.5), hat (2.7), pants (2.4); sun exposure causing sunburn (1.8); sun exposure duration (1 h more/day; weekends 0.91, weekdays 0.86); bare-chested (0.6); water sports (0.2). Independent factors in the multivariate analysis were family history of multiple sclerosis (4.8 (1.50—15.10)), wearing pants under sunlight (1.9 (1.10—3.20)), sun exposure duration (1 h more/ day, weekdays 0.90 (0.85—0.98), weekends 0.93 (0.87—0.99)), water sports (0.23 (0.13—0.40)). We conclude that outdoor leisure activities in addition to sun exposure reports are associated with a reduced multiple sclerosis risk, with evidence of dose response.

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Changes in bone mineral density in men starting androgen deprivation therapy and the protective role of vitamin D

Osteoporosis International ◽

10.1007/s00198-013-2343-4 ◽

2013 ◽

Vol 24 (10) ◽

pp. 2571-2579 ◽

Cited By ~ 27

Author(s):

S. M. H. Alibhai ◽

H. Z. Mohamedali ◽

H. Gulamhusein ◽

A. H. Panju ◽

H. Breunis ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Bone Mineral Density ◽

Vitamin D ◽

Androgen Deprivation Therapy ◽

Bone Mineral ◽

Protective Role ◽

Androgen Deprivation ◽

Mineral Density

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Predisposing role of vitamin D receptor (VDR) polymorphisms in the development of multiple sclerosis: A case-control study

Journal of the Neurological Sciences ◽

10.1016/j.jns.2016.05.053 ◽

2016 ◽

Vol 367 ◽

pp. 148-151 ◽

Cited By ~ 16

Author(s):

Rasoul Abdollahzadeh ◽

Mahsa Sobhani Fard ◽

Farideh Rahmani ◽

Kaveh Moloudi ◽

Behrooz Sadeghi kalani ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Multiple Sclerosis ◽

Vitamin D ◽

Vitamin D Receptor ◽

Case Control Study ◽

Case Control ◽

Control Study ◽

Vdr Polymorphisms

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Molecular network of chromatin immunoprecipitation followed by deep sequencing-based vitamin D receptor target genes

Multiple Sclerosis Journal ◽

10.1177/1352458512471873 ◽

2013 ◽

Vol 19 (8) ◽

pp. 1035-1045 ◽

Cited By ~ 19

Author(s):

Jun-ichi Satoh ◽

Hiroko Tabunoki

Keyword(s):

Multiple Sclerosis ◽

Vitamin D ◽

Vitamin D Receptor ◽

Deep Sequencing ◽

Immune Cells ◽

Chromatin Immunoprecipitation ◽

Target Genes ◽

Molecular Network ◽

Genome Wide

Background: Vitamin D is a liposoluble vitamin essential for calcium metabolism. The ligand-bound vitamin D receptor (VDR), heterodimerized with retinoid X receptor, interacts with vitamin D response elements (VDREs) to regulate gene expression. Vitamin D deficiency due to insufficient sunlight exposure confers an increased risk for multiple sclerosis (MS). Objective: To study a protective role of vitamin D in multiple sclerosis (MS), it is important to characterize the global molecular network of VDR target genes (VDRTGs) in immune cells. Methods: We identified genome-wide VDRTGs collectively from two distinct chromatin immunoprecipitation followed by deep sequencing (ChIP-Seq) datasets of VDR-binding sites derived from calcitriol-treated human cells of B cell and monocyte origins. We mapped short reads of next generation sequencing (NGS) data on hg19 with Bowtie, detected the peaks with Model-based Analysis of ChIP-Seq (MACS), and identified genomic locations by GenomeJack, a novel genome viewer for NGS platforms. Results: We found 2997 stringent peaks distributed on protein-coding genes, chiefly located in the promoter and the intron on VDRE DR3 sequences. However, the corresponding transcriptome data verified calcitriol-induced upregulation of only a small set of VDRTGs. The molecular network of 1541 calcitriol-responsive VDRTGs showed a significant relationship with leukocyte transendothelial migration, Fcγ receptor-mediated phagocytosis, and transcriptional regulation by VDR, suggesting a pivotal role of genome-wide VDRTGs in immune regulation. Conclusion: These results suggest the working hypothesis that persistent deficiency of vitamin D might perturb the complex network of VDRTGs in immune cells, being responsible for induction of an autoimmune response causative for MS.

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