The role of vitamin D on circulating memory T cells in children: The Generation R study
Background Previous studies have demonstrated that vitamin D affects T‐cell function and maturation via the vitamin D receptor. However, no studies in children have been performed on this topic. Because most of the T‐cell memory is formed in the first 5 years of life, we aimed to determine the assoc...
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Published in | Pediatric allergy and immunology Vol. 28; no. 6; pp. 579 - 587 |
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Main Authors | , , , , , , , |
Format | Journal Article |
Language | English |
Published |
England
Wiley Subscription Services, Inc
01.09.2017
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Subjects | |
Online Access | Get full text |
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Summary: | Background
Previous studies have demonstrated that vitamin D affects T‐cell function and maturation via the vitamin D receptor. However, no studies in children have been performed on this topic. Because most of the T‐cell memory is formed in the first 5 years of life, we aimed to determine the association between serum 25‐hydroxyvitamin D (25(OH)D) levels and numbers of circulatory naive, central memory (Tcm), and effector memory (Tem) T lymphocytes in a large population of healthy children.
Methods
Among 3189 children participating in a population‐based prospective cohort, we measured 25(OH)D levels and performed detailed immunophenotyping of naive and memory T lymphocytes at a median age of 6.0 years (95% range 5.7‐7.9). Detailed lymphocyte subsets were available in 986 children. Multivariable linear regression analyses were performed to determine the association between 25(OH)D and the maturation of T lymphocytes in children adjusted for cord blood 25(OH)D levels, herpes seropositivity, sociodemographic and lifestyle confounders. Furthermore, multivariable logistic regression analyses were performed to determine associations between 25(OH)D and childhood infections.
Results
Higher 25(OH)D levels were associated with higher numbers of Tem lymphocytes. Every 10 nmol/L higher 25(OH)D was associated with 2.20% (95% CI 0.54‐3.89; P=.009) higher CD4TemRA, 1.50% (95% CI 0.38‐2.62; P=.008) higher CD4TemRO, and 1.82% (95% CI 0.11‐3.56; P=.037) higher CD8TemRA cell numbers. Generally, stronger associations were observed among boys. 25(OH)D levels were not significantly associated with naive, Tcm cell numbers, herpes seropositivity, or URTIs.
Conclusions
Our results suggest that vitamin D enhances cellular immunity in young children. |
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Bibliography: | Funding information The general design of the Generation R Study was made possible by financial support from the Erasmus Medical Center, Rotterdam; the Erasmus University, Rotterdam; the Dutch Ministry of Health, Welfare and Sport; and the Netherlands Organization for Health Research and Development (ZonMw). The authors Voortman and Franco work in ErasmusAGE, a center for healthy aging research across the life course funded by Nestlé Nutrition (Nestec Ltd.) Metagenics Inc. and AXA ObjectType-Article-2 SourceType-Scholarly Journals-1 ObjectType-Undefined-1 ObjectType-Feature-3 content type line 23 |
ISSN: | 0905-6157 1399-3038 |
DOI: | 10.1111/pai.12754 |