It seems that vitamin D is good for just about everything. Recent scientific studies have linked deficiencies of this all-important vitamin to increased fractures, auto-immune disorders, neurological diseases, skin conditions and even an increased risk of death. New research conducted at UCLA brings to light the importance of vitamin D in pregnancy, and the key role it may play in the prevention of placental infections.
The active form of vitamin D 1,25-dihydroxyvitamin D is known to play an important role in immunity, and new evidence suggests that this relationship may be of key importance in the human placenta. Certain placental cells, called trophoblasts, have the unique ability to convert circulating inactive vitamin D into its active form, which researchers suggest is part of the innate immune response of the placenta. It was found that exposure of human trophoblastic cells to 1,25-dihyroxyvitamin D resulted in an increased production of the protein cathelicidin and an increased antibacterial response in the placental cells.
Cathelicidin is an important antibacterial protein that has been shown to inhibit pathogens including E. coli and Staphylococcus aureus. Expression of this protein by the placenta could help protect the placenta and uterus from a variety of infections. This innate response likely depends on circulating vitamin D levels in the mother, suggesting that supplementation with vitamin D by expecting mothers could enhance placental immunity. The results of this study reveal a new role for vitamin D, and highlight its importance in pregnancy.
Liu N, Kaplan AT, Low J, Nguyen L, Liu GY, Equils O and Hewison M. Vitamin D induces innate antibacterial responses in human trophoblasts via an intracrine pathway. Biology of Reproduction. Published online November 12, 2008.
For more information see Vitamin D3
|
