New research shows that vitamin D dramatically affects our immune system, and could make people less susceptible to autoimmune diseases such as multiple sclerosis.
Scientists at the University of Edinburgh looked at the way vitamin D affects the ability of dendritic cells to activate T cells.
T cells are crucial in fighting infections, but in autoimmune diseases, they can attack the body’s own tissues.
The researchers looked at cells from both mice and humans, and found that vitamin D reduces the activation of T cells by limiting production of a molecule called CD31.
Vitamin D is produced by the body in response to sunlight, and a deficiency in vitamin D levels has been linked to a variety of autoimmune conditions. This study suggests one mechanism behind the link.
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