Vitamin D/vitamin D receptor, autophagy and inflammation relevant diseases

Abstract

The biological effects mediated by vitamin D and vitamin D receptor (VDR) are involved in the regulation of multiple pathophysiologic processes, including calcium phosphorus metabolism, immune regulation, anti-inflammation, anti-infection and cancer prevention, etc. Autophagy is a eukaryotic cell lysosome-mediated catabolic pathway, which is classified into 3 different types: macroautophagy, microautophagy, and chaperone-mediated autophagy. Since autophagy is vital to maintain energy and metabolism in cells, autophagy dysfunction is closely associated with various pathological processes such as inflammation, infection and tumor. Studies have shown that vitamin D/VDR can affect the different stages of autophagy and regulate inflammation in autophagy. Moreover, vitamin D/VDR and autophagy play an important role in autoimmune disease, diabetes, cardiovascular disease, cancer and other inflammatory diseases.