Vitamin D3 Insufficiency Increases MS Susceptibility in a Gene and Sex-dependent Manner

Vitamin D3 insufficiency increases multiple sclerosis (MS) susceptibility in a gene and sex-dependent manner, a mouse study suggests.

The study with that finding, “Sex-Specific Gene-by-Vitamin D Interactions Regulate Susceptibility to Central Nervous System Autoimmunity,” by researchers at the University of Vermont, was published in the journal Frontiers in Immunology.

MS is a progressive, neurodegenerative, autoimmune disease. Previous studies have estimated that genetic factors account for a significant portion of MS risk, ranging from 20 to 30 percent, while the remaining risk factors are either environmental or a combination of gene-environment interactions.

There are several environmental risk factors thought to be associated with MS susceptibility, including Epstein-Barr virus (EBV) infection, low sunlight/ultraviolet (UV) radiation exposure, vitamin D3 deficiency, and smoking.

Vitamin D3 (VitD) insufficiency is one of the most-studied environmental MS risk factors. Interestingly, while previous studies reported a strong correlation between low VitD levels and higher MS risk in caucasian populations, this was not the case for blacks and hispanics, suggesting the involvement of a genetic component.

Indeed, several MS susceptibility genes are thought to be regulated by VitD, but the underlying mechanisms involved in the process are still unknown.

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