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Review
. 2022 Apr 24;10(5):987.
doi: 10.3390/biomedicines10050987.

Effect of Vitamin D on Graft-versus-Host Disease

Alfonso Rodríguez-Gil  1 , Estrella Carrillo-Cruz  2 , Cristina Marrero-Cepeda  2 , Guillermo Rodríguez  2 , José A Pérez-Simón  1   2
Affiliations
Review

Effect of Vitamin D on Graft-versus-Host Disease

Alfonso Rodríguez-Gil et al. Biomedicines. .

Abstract

The different cell subsets of the immune system express the vitamin D receptor (VDR). Through the VDR, vitamin D exerts different functions that influence immune responses, as previously shown in different preclinical models. Based on this background, retrospective studies explored the impacts of vitamin D levels on the outcomes of patients undergoing allogeneic hematopoietic stem-cell transplantation, showing that vitamin D deficiency is related to an increased risk of complications, especially graft-versus-host disease. These results were confirmed in a prospective cohort trial, although further studies are required to confirm this data. In addition, the role of vitamin D on the treatment of hematologic malignancies was also explored. Considering this dual effect on both the immune systems and tumor cells of patients with hematologic malignancies, vitamin D might be useful in this setting to decrease both graft-versus-host disease and relapse rates.

Keywords: calcifediol; calcitriol; graft-versus-host disease; vitamin D; vitamin D receptor (VDR).

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Conflict of interest statement

J.A.P.-S. participated in educational sessions, research projects and/or advisory boards for AMGEN, JANSSEN, NOVARTIS, ALEXION, JAZZ, ABVVIE and BMS.

Figures

Figure 1
Figure 1
Metabolism of vitamin D.
Figure 2
Figure 2
Summary of vitamin D’s effects on immune cells.
See this image and copyright information in PMC

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