Delineating the relationship of Vitamin D binding protein (VDBP) genetic variants in exon 11 with serum Vitamin D levels in Atopic Dermatitis

Abstract

BackgroundAtopic Dermatitis (AD) is a multifactorial cutaneous disorder with a profound impact on the quality of life of patients. In terms of AD etiology, vitamin D deficiency is gaining relevance owing to its role in skin barrier function and the keratinocyte proliferation process. This study seeks to ascertain the role of Vitamin D Binding Protein (VDBP) genetic variants (rs7041 and rs4588) in determining serum Vitamin D levels in AD patients as well as to investigate their role in AD susceptibility and severity. MethodsAn aggregate of 210 subjects including 100 AD cases and 110 matched controls were genotyped for VDBP SNPs by PCR-RFLP. The severity of AD was evaluated using the SCORAD index. Total IgE and Vitamin D levels were estimated by ELISA and chemiluminescence, respectively. ResultsThe CC genotype of rs4588 was linked to higher Vitamin D levels whereas the AA genotype was linked to lower levels of Vitamin D (p = 0.02). Besides, mean serum Vitamin D levels were less in females (p = 0.02), older patients (p = 0.01), and with a severe form of the disease (p = 0.01). Overall, the genotypic and allelic frequency of both SNPs showed no significant difference among cases and controls. ConclusionThis study reveals that VDBP SNP rs4588 could be a possible modulator of serum Vitamin D levels and hence bears important clinical implications in AD.