%0 Journal Article
%T Vitamin D and Immune Function
%A Barbara Prietl
%A Gerlies Treiber
%A Thomas R. Pieber
%A Karin Amrein
%J Nutrients
%D 2013
%I MDPI AG
%R 10.3390/nu5072502
%X Vitamin D metabolizing enzymes and vitamin D receptors are present in many cell types including various immune cells such as antigen-presenting-cells, T cells, B cells and monocytes. In vitro data show that, in addition to modulating innate immune cells, vitamin D also promotes a more tolerogenic immunological status. In vivo data from animals and from human vitamin D supplementation studies have shown beneficial effects of vitamin D on immune function, in particular in the context of autoimmunity. In this review, currently available data are summarized to give an overview of the effects of vitamin D on the immune system in general and on the regulation of inflammatory responses, as well as regulatory mechanisms connected to autoimmune diseases particularly in type 1 diabetes mellitus.
%K vitamin D
%K autoimmunity
%K immune cells
%K adaptive immunity
%K innate immunity
%K cholecalciferol
%K calcitriol
%K 25(OH)D
%U http://www.mdpi.com/2072-6643/5/7/2502