Vitamin D : Autoimmunity and Gender

Title:Vitamin D : Autoimmunity and Gender

Volume: 24 Issue: 24

Author(s): Clara Crescioli*Salvatore Minisola

Affiliation:

• Department of Movement, Human and Health Sciences, Section of Health Sciences, Unit of Endocrinology, University of Rome “Foro Italico”, 00135 Rome,Italy

Keywords: Vitamin D, autoimmunity, sex hormones, gender, therapy, personalized medicine.

Abstract: Background: Vitamin D deficiency is considered a risk factor for autoimmune diseases. Vitamin D and its analogues have been proposed as therapeutic tools in autoimmunity considering their exquisite immunoregulatory effect against over-reactivity towards tolerance. Autoimmune diseases, nowadays recognized as emerging non communicable diseases, are characterized by a significant female bias. This sexual dimorphism seems related to sex hormones, which differently affect male and female immune systems. Males show higher immunosuppression, maybe due to androgens; the greater female immunoreactivity and competence, likely related to estrogens, lead to a greater resilience to infections but also to a higher risk for autoimmunity. Higher interest could be given to vitamin D-based supplementation or therapy for autoimmune diseases in relation to gender as well.

Objective: This review aims to discuss the role of vitamin D in autoimmune diseases with a view inside gender-related differences, in light of the interplay between vitamin D and sex hormones, especially estrogens.

Results: Some beneficial effects against autoimmune processes seem to be allowed by vitamin D acting in synergy with estrogens. This observation suggests that possible differences of vitamin D effects depend on the context in which this hormone is active.

Conclusion: Rather sex-related differences of “absolute” vitamin D levels, the role of gender- dependent factors affecting vitamin D action seems to be critical. Gender and sexual hormones could be included as variables when evaluating the potential power of vitamin D receptor agonists as novel pharmacological tools to approach autoimmune diseases.

Cite this article as:

Crescioli Clara*, Minisola Salvatore, Vitamin D : Autoimmunity and Gender, Current Medicinal Chemistry 2017; 24 (24) . https://dx.doi.org/10.2174/0929867323666161220105821

DOI https://dx.doi.org/10.2174/0929867323666161220105821	Print ISSN 0929-8673
Publisher Name Bentham Science Publisher	Online ISSN 1875-533X