The Role of Vitamin D in Multiple Sclerosis: Biology and Biochemistry, Epidemiology and Potential Roles in Treatment

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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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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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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The role of vitamin D and P2X7R in multiple sclerosis

Journal of Neuroimmunology ◽

10.1016/j.jneuroim.2019.03.004 ◽

2019 ◽

Vol 330 ◽

pp. 159-169 ◽

Cited By ~ 3

Author(s):

Veronica Tsin Fong Voo ◽

Terence O’Brien ◽

Helmut Butzkueven ◽

Mastura Monif

Keyword(s):

Multiple Sclerosis ◽

Vitamin D

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Month of birth as a latitude-dependent risk factor for multiple sclerosis in Norway

Multiple Sclerosis Journal ◽

10.1177/1352458512471094 ◽

2012 ◽

Vol 19 (8) ◽

pp. 1028-1034 ◽

Cited By ~ 26

Author(s):

Nina Grytten ◽

Øivind Torkildsen ◽

Jan Harald Aarseth ◽

Espen Benjaminsen ◽

Elisabeth Gulowsen Celius ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Multiple Sclerosis ◽

Vitamin D ◽

Latitudinal Gradient ◽

Month Of Birth ◽

Northern Norway ◽

Prevalence Studies ◽

Exposure During Pregnancy ◽

Uv Dose ◽

Southern Norway

Objective: We aimed to determine if the risk of Multiple Sclerosis (MS) is associated with month of birth in Norway and to explore a possible latitudinal gradient. Methods: All patients with MS born between 1930 and 1979 registered in the Norwegian MS Registry or ascertained in Norwegian prevalence studies were included ( n = 6649). The latitude gradient was divided in Southern, Middle and Northern Norway, according to the estimated regional yearly mean vitamin D effective UV dose. Results: Risk of MS was 11% higher for those born in April ( p = 0.045), and 5% higher for those born in May ( p = 0.229), 5% lower for those born in November ( p = 0.302) and 12% lower for those born in February ( p = 0.053) compared with the corresponding population, unaffected mothers and siblings. In Southern Norway the odds ratio of MS births in April and May was 1.05 (0.98 – 1.24), in Middle Norway 1.11 (0.97 – 1.27) and in Northern Norway 1.28 (1.0 – 1.63) compared with the other months. Conclusions: This study confirms previous reports of increased MS births in spring and decreased MS births in the winter months. This could support the role of decreased sunlight exposure during pregnancy and vitamin D deficiency in prenatal life in MS.

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