Maternal vitamin D intake during pregnancy increases gene expression of ILT3 and ILT4 in cord blood

Abstract

Vitamin D supplementation during pregnancy may increase the mRNA levels of ILT3 and ILT4 in CB. This finding may point towards an early induction of tolerogenic immune responses by maternal vitamin D intake.

Neonatal antigen-presenting cells are functionally more quiescent in children born under traditional compared with modern environmental conditions

“…Of interest, tolerogenic APCs are known to exist in a range of maturation states, 33 with ILT3 and ILT4 expression subject to modulation by infections 34 and, in neonates, by certain prenatal exposures. 35 Furthermore, APCs from PNG compared with Australian newborns overexpressed CD80 relative to CD86, which has been associated with promotion of T H 1 rather than T H 2 responses. 36,37 Additionally, differential roles and expression of these costimulatory molecules have been observed in states of infection/inflammation 38,39 and in the development of allergic responses.…”

Potential mechanisms for the hypothesized link between sunshine, vitamin D, and food allergy in children

“…10,36,38 Gene expression profiles of dendritic cells have identified many 1,25(OH) 2 D-regulated transcripts central to dendritic cell function. 37 The observation that 1,25(OH) 2 D-treated human dendritic cells have the capacity to convert CD4 T cells into IL-10-secreting Treg cells and suppress the proliferation of T cells 41 is particularly provocative in light of 43 Rochat et al 44 have recently linked vitamin D status during pregnancy with mechanisms of tolerance by observing that maternal intake of vitamin D was associated with expression of tolerogenic genes in cord blood.…”

Study of vitamin D deficiency and supplementation in pre-eclamptic toxemia and its feto-maternal outcome

“…Rochat MK et al found that mother supplemented with Vitamin D showed 25 (OH) D value in cord blood higher than mother who was not supplemented with vitamin D. 5 Our study showed that women who received vitamin D supplementation had a significant improvement in birth weight of newborns, as only 7.14% women in study Group A had newborns with birth weight <2.5 kg in comparison to 26.67% among study Group B (control). These findings were also statistically significant (P=0.0013).…”