Role of Vitamin A in the Immune System

Abstract

Vitamin A (VitA) is a micronutrient that is crucial for maintaining vision, promoting growth and development, and protecting epithelium and mucus integrity in the body. VitA is known as an anti-inflammation vitamin because of its critical role in enhancing immune function. VitA is involved in the development of the immune system and plays regulatory roles in cellular immune responses and humoral immune processes. VitA has demonstrated a therapeutic effect in the treatment of various infectious diseases. To better understand the relationship between nutrition and the immune system, the authors review recent literature about VitA in immunity research and briefly introduce the clinical application of VitA in the treatment of several infectious diseases.

Keywords: immunology; infectious disease; vitamin A.

Figure 1

Transformation of retinol into bioactive retinoic acid involves a two-step oxidative reaction. To do this, a group of enzymes, divided in three families, will act together to form the final compound retinoic acid (RA). Retinol transforms into retinal under the catalytic action of the alcohol dehydrogenase (ADH) family; this step can also be regulated by the short-chain dehydrogenase/reductase family, which shows a wide affinity for alcohols and aldehydes. The aldehyde dehydrogenase (RALDH) family then catalyzes retinal to form retinoic acid. Both of the oxidation reactions transmit electrons through the electron acceptor NAD or NADP.