Effect of vitamin A deficiency on the immune response in obesity

• Published in: Proceedings of the Nutrition Society Vol. 71; no. 2; pp. 290 - 297
• Main Author: Garcia, Olga P
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Cambridge, UK Cambridge University Press 01.05.2012
• Subjects: Acids; adipogenesis; Adipogenesis - immunology; Adipokines - blood; Adipose Tissue - immunology; Adipose Tissue - metabolism; Animal models; Animals; Antibodies; Body fat; Conferences; Cytokines; Cytokines - metabolism; Dietary supplements; Genes; Helper cells; Humans; Immune response; Immune system; Immunity (cell-mediated); Immunity (humoral); Immunity - drug effects; Infections; Inflammation; Inflammation - blood; Inflammation - etiology; Inflammation - immunology; Inflammation Mediators - metabolism; Leptin; Lymphocytes T; Metabolism; Micronutrients; Micronutrients, immunology and inflammation; Nutrient deficiency; Obesity; Obesity - blood; Obesity - etiology; Obesity - immunology; Overweight; Proteins; Th1 Cells - physiology; Transcription factors; Vitamin A; Vitamin A - blood; Vitamin A - immunology; Vitamin A - pharmacology; Vitamin A Deficiency - blood; Vitamin A Deficiency - complications; Vitamin A Deficiency - immunology; Vitamin A; Obesity; Immunity
• ISSN: 0029-6651; 1475-2719
• DOI: 10.1017/S0029665112000079

Obesity has been associated with low-grade systemic inflammation and with micronutrient deficiencies. Obese individuals have been found to have lower vitamin A levels and lower vitamin A intake compared with normal-weight individuals. Vitamin A plays a major role in the immune function, including innate immunity, cell-mediated immunity and humoral antibody immunity. It has also been recognised recently that vitamin A has important regulatory functions. Vitamin A status has an important effect on the chronic inflammatory response. Vitamin A deficiency increases a T-helper type 1 (Th1) response, elevates levels of pro-inflammatory cytokines, increases the expression of leptin, resistin and uncoupling proteins (UCP) and promotes adipogenesis. The effect of vitamin A deficiency on obesity might be increasing the risk of fat deposition and also the risk of chronic inflammation associated with obesity. Supplementation with vitamin A in vitro and in animal models has been found to reduce concentrations of adipocytokines, such as leptin and resistin. In conclusion, vitamin A deficiency increases a Th1 response in the presence of obesity and thus, increases the inflammatory process involved in chronic inflammation and fat deposition. The metabolism of leptin and other adipocytokines may play a critical role in the effect of vitamin A deficiency in the inflammatory response observed in obesity.