Influence of vitamin D deficiency on T cell subsets and related indices during spinal tuberculosis

Abstract

The present study investigated the effects of vitamin D deficiency on T cell subsets in patients with spinal tuberculosis. In addition, the influence of vitamin D deficiency was investigated on the expression of cytokines IL-1β, IL-6 and TNF-α in intervertebral disc lesions of patients. One hundred and seventeen patients with spinal tuberculosis who received operative treatment in the Department of Orthopedics in Wuhan City Third Hospital from March 2012 to March 2015 were collected. The patients were divided depending upon vitamin D content into the control group (64 cases, vitamin D content <25 nmol/l) and experimental group (53 cases, vitamin D content >50 nmol/l). Immunofluorescence method was applied to determine the content of T cell subsets in both groups of patients. Intervertebral disc lesion tissues of two groups of patients were obtained during surgery then treated with HE staining and immunohistochemical staining. The values of average optical density obtained under light microscope were observed as the expression quantities of IL-1β, IL-6 and TNF-α, to explore the relationship between vitamin D and the expression of cytokines. When vitamin D is lacking, the expression of T lymphocyte subsets in patients with spinal tuberculosis significantly decreased. Compared with experimental group, the difference was statistically significant (P<0.05). Further, the expression of cytokines IL-1β, IL-6 and TNF-α in intervertebral disc lesion tissues of patients with spinal tuberculosis were significantly higher than those of patients with spinal tuberculosis whose vitamin D content was normal (P<0.05). In the control group, vitamin D content was negatively correlated with the expression of IL-1β, IL-6 and TNF-α. The expression of T lymphocyte subsets in patients with vitamin D deficiency was significantly reduced, and the immune function decreased. The expression of IL-1β, IL-6 and TNF-α in lesions were significantly higher than those of patients with normal vitamin D content. In addition, the lower the content of vitamin D was, the more active the expression of inflammatory factors were, which was not conducive to the recovery of tuberculosis lesions.

Vitamin D: Nutrient, Hormone, and Immunomodulator

“…In experimental models it down-regulates the immune responses mediated by T helper (Th) 1 cells, thus inhibiting the production of pro-inflammatory cytokines, such as Interferon-γ IFN-γ, IL-6, IL-2, and TNF-α [ 66 , 67 ]. Although experimental studies in vitro and in animals have yielded encouraging results on the immunomodulatory effect of 1,25(OH) 2 D 3 , the same cannot be said about human studies, and few studies have confirmed the suppressive effect of vitamin D on Th1 cells and inflammatory cytokine production in different diseases and spinal tuberculosis [ 68 ], uremia [ 69 ], and autoimmune thyroiditis [ 70 ]; whereas others in IBD [ 71 ], dialysis [ 72 ], and rheumatoid arthritis [ 73 ] do not confirm these results. These discrepancies may be due to the different diseases considered and also to the different type of treatment administered, mainly 1,25(OH) 2 D 3 in vitro and in animals and vitamin D 3 in vivo in humans.…”

Vitamin D Status and Bone Health in Postmenopausal Women Working in Greenhouses

“…Other studies in Malaysia and northern Iran reported higher levels of vitamin D in rural residents than in urban residents, as their exposure to the sun was greater [ 14 15 ]. In contrast, others reported lower levels of serum vitamin D in rural residents than in urban dwellers [ 16 17 ]. In our study, we were interested in women working in greenhouses as well as those who live in rural areas because greenhouses in Korea, which are covered with vinyl, not glass, restrict the exposure of these women to UV light, which is essential for vitamin D synthesis.…”

Vitamin D Deficiency and Diabetes Mellitus

“…However, despite strong experimental evidence, human studies are less convincing to prove a role for VD in the modulation of adaptive immune system of individuals affected by autoimmune diseases. In this respect, some trials have confirmed beneficial effect of VD on different inflammatory disease progression, inflammatory markers, and T cell subsets, whereas others have not shown any promising result [10,11].…”