Transcriptomics identifies blunted immunomodulatory effects of vitamin D in people with multiple sclerosis

Journal article

Vitamin D deficiency is a risk factor for developing multiple sclerosis (MS). However, the immune effects of vitamin D in people with MS are not well understood. We analyzed transcriptomic datasets generated by RNA sequencing of immune cell subsets (CD4+, CD8+ T cells, B cells, monocytes) from 33 healthy controls and 33 untreated MS cases. We utilized a traditional bioinformatic pipeline and weighted gene co-expression network analysis (WGCNA) to determine genes and pathways correlated with endogenous vitamin D. In controls, CD4+ and CD8+ T cells had 1079 and 1188 genes, respectively, whose expressions were correlated with plasma 25-hydroxyvitamin D level (P + T cells of controls, vitamin D level was associated with expression levels of several genes proximal to multiple sclerosis risk loci (P = 0.01). Genes differentially associated with endogenous vitamin D by case–control status were enriched in TNF-alpha signaling via NF-κB. WGCNA suggested a blunted response to vitamin D in cases relative to controls. Collectively, our findings provide further evidence for the immune effects of vitamin D, and demonstrate a differential immune response to vitamin D in cases relative to controls, highlighting a possible mechanism contributing to MS pathophysiology.

Authors: Yeh, WZ; Lea, R; Stankovich, J; Sampangi, S; Laverick, L

• Publication status: Published
• Peer review status: Peer reviewed
• Publisher: Nature Research
• Journal: Scientific Reports
• Volume: 14
• Issue: 1
• Pages: 1436-1436
• Publication date: 2024-01-16
• DOI: 10.1038/s41598-024-51779-0
• EISSN: 2045-2322
• ISSN: 2045-2322
• Language: English
• Keywords: Internal medicine; Multiple sclerosis; Tumor necrosis factor alpha; Gene expression; Immunology; Gene; T cell; Medicine; Endocrinology; Calcitriol receptor; Immune system; Vitamin D and neurology; CD8; Transcriptome; Genetics; Biology