The role of vitamin D in the immunopathogenesis of allergic skin diseases

Abstract

Vitamin D plays key roles in innate and adaptive immunity through the stimulation of Toll-like receptors, increasing pro-inflammatory cytokine production, and possibly enhancing T helper type 2 responses. These mechanisms may explain the growing body of evidence connecting vitamin D to allergic diseases, including asthma, food allergies, and allergic rhinitis. The data relating vitamin D to allergic skin diseases are equivocal with studies linking both high and low vitamin D levels to an increased risk of developing atopic dermatitis. In this paper, we describe the role of vitamin D in the immunopathogenesis of atopic dermatitis and other allergic skin diseases.