scholarly journals Key Vitamin D Target Genes with Functions in the Immune System

Nutrients ◽  
2020 ◽  
Vol 12 (4) ◽  
pp. 1140 ◽  
Author(s):  
Oona Koivisto ◽  
Andrea Hanel ◽  
Carsten Carlberg

The biologically active form of vitamin D3, 1α,25-dihydroxyvitamin D3 (1,25(OH)2D3), modulates innate and adaptive immunity via genes regulated by the transcription factor vitamin D receptor (VDR). In order to identify the key vitamin D target genes involved in these processes, transcriptome-wide datasets were compared, which were obtained from a human monocytic cell line (THP-1) and peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMCs) treated in vitro by 1,25(OH)2D3, filtered using different approaches, as well as from PBMCs of individuals supplemented with a vitamin D3 bolus. The led to the genes ACVRL1, CAMP, CD14, CD93, CEBPB, FN1, MAPK13, NINJ1, LILRB4, LRRC25, SEMA6B, SRGN, THBD, THEMIS2 and TREM1. Public epigenome- and transcriptome-wide data from THP-1 cells were used to characterize these genes based on the level of their VDR-driven enhancers as well as the level of the dynamics of their mRNA production. Both types of datasets allowed the categorization of the vitamin D target genes into three groups according to their role in (i) acute response to infection, (ii) infection in general and (iii) autoimmunity. In conclusion, 15 genes were identified as major mediators of the action of vitamin D in innate and adaptive immunity and their individual functions are explained based on different gene regulatory scenarios.

2021 ◽  
Vol 11 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Timothy Warwick ◽  
Marcel H. Schulz ◽  
Stefan Günther ◽  
Ralf Gilsbach ◽  
Antonio Neme ◽  
...  

AbstractThe transcription factor vitamin D receptor (VDR) is the high affinity nuclear target of the biologically active form of vitamin D3 (1,25(OH)2D3). In order to identify pure genomic transcriptional effects of 1,25(OH)2D3, we used VDR cistrome, transcriptome and open chromatin data, obtained from the human monocytic cell line THP-1, for a novel hierarchical analysis applying three bioinformatics approaches. We predicted 75.6% of all early 1,25(OH)2D3-responding (2.5 or 4 h) and 57.4% of the late differentially expressed genes (24 h) to be primary VDR target genes. VDR knockout led to a complete loss of 1,25(OH)2D3–induced genome-wide gene regulation. Thus, there was no indication of any VDR-independent non-genomic actions of 1,25(OH)2D3 modulating its transcriptional response. Among the predicted primary VDR target genes, 47 were coding for transcription factors and thus may mediate secondary 1,25(OH)2D3 responses. CEBPA and ETS1 ChIP-seq data and RNA-seq following CEBPA knockdown were used to validate the predicted regulation of secondary vitamin D target genes by both transcription factors. In conclusion, a directional network containing 47 partly novel primary VDR target transcription factors describes secondary responses in a highly complex vitamin D signaling cascade. The central transcription factor VDR is indispensable for all transcriptome-wide effects of the nuclear hormone.


2020 ◽  
Vol 10 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Andrea Hanel ◽  
Antonio Neme ◽  
Marjo Malinen ◽  
Emmi Hämäläinen ◽  
Henna-Riikka Malmberg ◽  
...  

AbstractVitamin D is essential for the function of the immune system. In this study, we treated peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMCs) of healthy adults with the biologically active form of vitamin D3, 1α,25-dihydroxyvitamin D3 (1,25(OH)2D3) using two different approaches: single repeats with PBMCs obtained from a cohort of 12 individuals and personalized analysis based on triplicates of five study participants. This identified 877 (cohort approach) and 3951 (personalized approach) genes that significantly (p < 0.05) changed their expression 24 h after 1,25(OH)2D3 stimulation. From these, 333 and 1232 were classified as supertargets, a third of which were identified as novel. Individuals differed largely in their vitamin D response not only by the magnitude of expression change but also by their personal selection of (super)target genes. Functional analysis of the target genes suggested the overarching role of vitamin D in the regulation of metabolism, proliferation and differentiation, but in particular in the control of functions mediated by the innate and adaptive immune system, such as responses to infectious diseases and chronic inflammatory disorders. In conclusion, immune cells are an important target of vitamin D and common genes may serve as biomarkers for personal responses to the micronutrient.


2021 ◽  
Vol 12 ◽  
Author(s):  
Henna-Riikka Malmberg ◽  
Andrea Hanel ◽  
Mari Taipale ◽  
Sami Heikkinen ◽  
Carsten Carlberg

Microbe-associated molecular patterns, such as lipopolysaccharide (LPS) and β-glucan (BG), are surrogates of immune challenges like bacterial and fungal infections, respectively. The biologically active form of vitamin D, 1α,25-dihydroxyvitamin D3 (1,25(OH)2D3), supports the immune system in its fight against infections. This study investigated significant and prominent changes of the transcriptome of human peripheral blood mononuclear cells that immediately after isolation are exposed to 1,25(OH)2D3-modulated immune challenges over a time frame of 24-48 h. In this in vitro study design, most LPS and BG responsive genes are downregulated and their counts are drastically reduced when cells are treated 24 h after, 24 h before or in parallel with 1,25(OH)2D3. Interestingly, only a 1,25(OH)2D3 pre-treatment of the LPS challenge results in a majority of upregulated genes. Based on transcriptome-wide data both immune challenges display characteristic differences in responsive genes and their associated pathways, to which the actions of 1,25(OH)2D3 often oppose. The joined BG/1,25(OH)2D3 response is less sensitive to treatment sequence than that of LPS/1,25(OH)2D3. In conclusion, the functional consequences of immune challenges are significantly modulated by 1,25(OH)2D3 but largely depend on treatment sequence. This may suggest that a sufficient vitamin D status before an infection is more important than vitamin D supplementation afterwards.


2021 ◽  
Vol 5 (Supplement_1) ◽  
pp. A820-A820
Author(s):  
Andrzej Slominski ◽  
Tae-Kang Kim ◽  
Shariq Qayyum ◽  
Yuwei Song ◽  
Zorica Janjetovic ◽  
...  

Abstract New pathways of vitamin D3 (D3) activation initiated by CYP11A1 and involving other CYPs have been discovered. At least 15 hydroxyderivatives, including 20(OH)D3 as the major product, are generated by these pathways (1,2) with some being present in human serum, epidermis, and pig adrenals. CYP11A1 can also metabolize 7-dehydrocholesterol to produce 7-dehydropregnenolone, which can be further modified by steroidogenic enzymes generating Δ7-steroids (1,2). Lastly, CYP11A1 and CYP27A1 act on lumisterol (L3) producing at least 9 biologically active derivatives (1,2). Thus, new pathways generating a large number of biologically active secosteroids and lumisterol-derivatives have now been described. These compounds interact with the vitamin D receptor (VDR), retinoic acid receptors (RORs) α and γ, and the aryl hydrocarbon receptor (AhR)(1). These findings challenge dogmas that lumisterol is biologically inactive and that 1,25(OH)2D3 is the only active form of D3 exerting its effects exclusively through interaction with the VDR. In view of the above and since liver X receptors (LXRs) can be activated by oxysterols, we investigated the interactions of novel products of L3 and D3 metabolism with LXRs. Molecular docking, using crystal structures of the ligand binding domains (LBDs) of LXRα and β, revealed high docking scores for L3 and D3 hydroxymetabolites, like those of the natural ligands, predicting good receptor binding. RNA sequencing of murine dermal fibroblasts stimulated with D3-hydroxyderivatives revealed LXR as the second major nuclear receptor signaling pathway for several D3-hydroxyderivatives, including 1,25(OH)2D3. The involvement of LXRs was validated by the induction of several genes downstream of LXR. Furthermore, L3 and D3-hydroxyderivatives activated an LXR-response element (LXRE)-driven reporter in CHO cells and human keratinocytes. For keratinocytes, enhanced expression of LXR target genes was also observed supporting the involvement of LXR. Importantly, L3 and D3 derivatives showed high affinity binding to the LBD of the LXRα and β in LanthaScreen TR-FRET LXRα and β coactivator assays. The majority of metabolites functioned as LXRα/β agonists; however, 1,20,25(OH)3D3, 1,25(OH)2D3, 1,20(OH)2D3 and 25(OH)D3 acted as inverse agonists of LXRα, but as agonists of LXRβ. Molecular dynamics simulations performed for selected compounds, including 1,25(OH)2D3, 1,20(OH)2D3, 25(OH)D3, 20(OH)D3, 20(OH)L3 and 20,22(OH)2L3, showed overlapping and different interactions with LXRs. Identification of D3 and L3 derivatives as ligands for LXRs changes the accepted paradigms on their biological role and mechanism of action. 1. Cell Biochem Biophys. 2020;78(2):165-180. 2. J Steroid Biochem Mol Biol. 2019;186:4-21.


2016 ◽  
Vol 57 (1) ◽  
pp. 23-32
Author(s):  
Kumi Futawaka ◽  
Tetsuya Tagami ◽  
Yuki Fukuda ◽  
Rie Koyama ◽  
Ayaka Nushida ◽  
...  

The active form of vitamin D3 (1α,25(OH)2D3, also known as calcitriol) controls the expression of target genes via the vitamin D receptor (VDR). Vitamin D-dependent rickets type II (VDDRII) is a congenital disease caused by inactivating mutations in the VDR. The condition is treated with high doses of calcitriol, but the therapeutic effects of other synthetic VD3 analogs have not yet been investigated. In the present study, we analyzed the transcriptional activity of seven different VD3 analogs with VDRs carrying ligand-binding domain mutations identified in VDDRII patients. Wild-type VDR (WT-VDR) and seven mutant VDRs were expressed in TSA201 human embryonic kidney cells, HepG2 human liver cancer cells, and MC3T3-E1 mouse calvaria cells, and their transcriptional activation with VD3 analogs were analyzed by performing transient expression assays, western blotting, and quantitative real-time PCR. The results demonstrated that falecalcitriol stimulated significantly higher transcriptional activation of the WT-VDR and some mutant VDRs than did calcitriol. Calcitriol showed almost no transcriptional activation of the VDR with the I268T mutation identified in a severe case of VDDRII, whereas falecalcitriol caused a dose-dependent increase in the activation of this mutant VDR. Our findings demonstrate that falecalcitriol has a VDR activation profile distinct from that of calcitriol and may exhibit therapeutic effects even on difficult-to-treat VDDRII cases resistant to calcitriol. It is also possible that VDDRII patients responding to high doses of calcitriol could be appropriately treated with low doses of falecalcitriol.


2018 ◽  
Vol 2018 ◽  
pp. 1-9 ◽  
Author(s):  
R. A. G. Khammissa ◽  
J. Fourie ◽  
M. H. Motswaledi ◽  
R. Ballyram ◽  
J. Lemmer ◽  
...  

Vitamin D plays an important role in calcium homeostasis and bone metabolism, with the capacity to modulate innate and adaptive immune function, cardiovascular function, and proliferation and differentiation of both normal and malignant keratinocytes. 1,25(OH)2D, the biologically active form of vitamin D, exerts most of its functions through the almost universally distributed nuclear vitamin D receptor (VDR). Upon stimulation by 1,25(OH)2D, VDR forms a heterodimer with the retinoid X receptor (RXR). In turn, VDR/RXR binds to DNA sequences termed vitamin D response elements in target genes, regulating gene transcription. In order to exert its biological effects, VDR signalling interacts with other intracellular signalling pathways. In some cases 1,25(OH)2D exerts its biological effects without regulating either gene expression or protein synthesis. Although the regulatory role of vitamin D in many biological processes is well documented, there is not enough evidence to support the therapeutic use of vitamin D supplementation in the prevention or treatment of infectious, immunoinflammatory, or hyperproliferative disorders. In this review we highlight the effects of 1,25(OH)2D on bone and calcium homeostasis, on cancer, and refer to its effects on the cardiovascular and immune systems.


Nutrients ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 13 (12) ◽  
pp. 4227
Author(s):  
Simone Donati ◽  
Gaia Palmini ◽  
Cecilia Romagnoli ◽  
Cinzia Aurilia ◽  
Francesca Miglietta ◽  
...  

Several recent studies have demonstrated that the direct precursor of vitamin D3, the calcifediol [25(OH)D3], through the binding to the nuclear vitamin D receptor (VDR), is able to regulate the expression of many genes involved in several cellular processes. Considering that itself may function as a VDR ligand, although with a lower affinity, respect than the active form of vitamin D, we have assumed that 25(OH)D3 by binding the VDR could have a vitamin’s D3 activity such as activating non-genomic pathways, and in particular we selected mesenchymal stem cells derived from human adipose tissue (hADMSCs) for the in vitro assessment of the intracellular Ca2+ mobilization in response to 25(OH)D3. Our result reveals the ability of 25(OH)D3 to activate rapid, non-genomic pathways, such as an increase of intracellular Ca2+ levels, similar to what observed with the biologically active form of vitamin D3. hADMSCs loaded with Fluo-4 AM exhibited a rapid and sustained increase in intracellular Ca2+ concentration as a result of exposure to 10−5 M of 25(OH)D3. In this work, we show for the first time the in vitro ability of 25(OH)D3 to induce a rapid increase of intracellular Ca2+ levels in hADMSCs. These findings represent an important step to better understand the non-genomic effects of vitamin D3 and its role in endocrine system.


Blood ◽  
1989 ◽  
Vol 74 (1) ◽  
pp. 82-93 ◽  
Author(s):  
JY Zhou ◽  
AW Norman ◽  
M Lubbert ◽  
ED Collins ◽  
MR Uskokovic ◽  
...  

Abstract Induction of terminal differentiation of leukemic and preleukemic cells is a therapeutic approach to leukemia and preleukemia. The 1 alpha, 25- dihydroxyvitamin D3 [1,25(OH)2D3], the hormonally active form of vitamin D3, can induce differentiation and inhibit proliferation of leukemia cells, but concentrations required to achieve these effects cause life-threatening hypercalcemia. Seven new analogs of 1,25(OH)2D3 were discovered to be either equivalent or more potent than 1,25(OH)2D3 as assessed by: (a) inhibition of clonal proliferation of HL-60, EM-2, U937, and patients' myeloid leukemic cells: and (b) induction of differentiation of HL-60 promyelocytes. Furthermore, these analogs stimulated clonal growth of normal human myeloid stem cells. The most potent analog, 1,25-dihydroxy-16ene-23yne-vitamin D3, was about fourfold more potent than 1,25(OH)2D3. This analog decreased clonal growth and expression of c-myc oncogene in HL-60 cells by 50% within ten hours of exposure. Effects on calcium metabolism of these novel analogs in vivo was assessed by intestinal calcium absorption (ICA) and bone calcium mobilization (BCM). Each of the analogs mediated markedly less (10 to 200-fold) ICA and BCM as compared with 1,25(OH)2D3. To gain insight into the possible mechanism of action of these new analogs, receptor binding studies were done with 1,25(OH)2–16ene-23yne-D3 and showed that it competed only about 60% as effectively as 1,25(OH)2D3 for 1,25(OH)2D3 receptors present in HL-60 cells and 98% as effective as 1,25(OH)2D3 for receptors present in chick intestinal cells. In summary, we have discovered seven novel vitamin D analogs that are more potent than the physiologic 1,25(OH)2D3 as measured by a variety of hematopoietic assays. In contrast, these compounds appear to have the potential to be markedly less toxic (induction of hypercalcemia). These novel vitamin D compounds may be superior to 1,25(OH)2D3 in a number of clinical situations including leukemia/preleukemia; they will provide a tool to dissect the mechanism of action of vitamin D seco-steroids in promoting cellular differentiation.


2019 ◽  
Vol 6 (6) ◽  
pp. e622 ◽  
Author(s):  
Xuan Feng ◽  
Zhe Wang ◽  
Quentin Howlett-Prieto ◽  
Nathan Einhorn ◽  
Suad Causevic ◽  
...  

ObjectiveTo determine the effect of vitamin D3 on interferon-β (IFN-β) response and immune regulation in MS mononuclear cells (MNCs).MethodsMNCs from 126 subjects, including therapy-naive patients with different forms of MS, plus patients with MS receiving IFN-β or glatiramer treatment, plus healthy controls were incubated in vitro with IFN-β-1b ± vitamin D3 (calcitriol). Activation of the IFN-β–induced transcription factor, p-Y-STAT1, and antiviral myxovirus A (MxA) protein was measured with flow cytometry and Western blots; serum proteins were measured with a customized 31-protein multiplex assay.ResultsVitamin D enhanced in vitro IFN responses, as measured by induction of p-Y-STAT1 and MxA in MNCs, T cells, and monocytes. Vitamin D augmentation of IFN responses was seen in untreated and in IFN-β-1b–treated MS. The combination of vitamin D plus IFN-β reduced Th1 and Th17 cytokines, and increased Th2 responses, reversing the effect of IFN-β alone. Exacerbations and progression in untreated patients reduced the vitamin D enhancement of IFN responses. Vitamin D had less effect on IFN response in clinically stable glatiramer-treated than in IFN-β–treated patients.ConclusionVitamin D enhances IFN-β induction of multiple proteins and also reverses the Th1/Th2 bias in MS seen with IFN-β alone. The combination of vitamin D and IFN-β has potential benefit in ameliorating MS.


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