Effects of vitamin D3 in obstructive lung diseases (review)

Abstract

The role of vitamin D3 in chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) and bronchial asthma (BA) is the matter of this review. The newly discovered functions of vitamin D3, the molecular and cellular mechanisms of its action and available data on the relationship between COPD/BA and vitamin D3 status are summarized. So, in the last years, it has been recognized that vitamin D3 impacts on the function of inflammatory and structural cells as well as can modulate a variety of processes and regulatory systems, including host defensive (anti-inflammatory action), inflammation (decreases in infections), immunity, protection against airway remodeling, skeletal muscle function and response to glucocorticoid therapy. Vitamin D3 deficiency is frequent among COPD and BA patients, its contributory role in these diseases is debated. Exact mechanisms of vitamin D3 action are poorly understood. COPD/BA (having inflammatory nature, imbalance in innate and adaptive immunity) may be related to activities of vitamin D3. So, deficiency of vitamin D3 both accelerated and aggravated the development of characteristic features (such as impaired pulmonary function) of COPD/BA. In these patients severe vitamin D3 deficiency was related to more frequent disease exacerbations and hospitalizations. Supplementation of vitamin D3 may have mild additional benefits to standard treatment of some patients with COPD/BA and improve the outcomes of these diseases treatment.