Inhibitory effects of Vitamin D on inflammation and IL-6 release. A further support for COVID-19 management?

Eur Rev Med Pharmacol Sci. 2020 Aug;24(15):8187-8193. doi: 10.26355/eurrev_202008_22507.

Abstract

The ongoing worldwide pandemic of Coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19), raised the urgency to address knowledge gaps and to establish evidence for improving management and control of this viral infection. Throughout a keen analysis of the World Health Organization (WHO) most updated data, a gender-specific difference in the occurrence of infection was determined, which seems to correlate with patient's vitamin D status. Therefore, our purpose is to provide insights into the nutritional importance of vitamin D for its immunomodulatory effect, in order to help counteracting the COVID-19 pandemic. Novel interesting findings suggest that vitamin D, by inducing progesterone-induced blocking factor (PIBF), might regulate the immune response and also modulate cytokine IL-6, which appears to be increased in COVID-19 infections. Therefore, in addition to the standard recommendations to prevent the infection, supplementation of vitamin D might be considered an approach to help counteracting this global epidemic.

MeSH terms

  • Betacoronavirus
  • COVID-19
  • COVID-19 Drug Treatment
  • Coronavirus Infections / drug therapy
  • Coronavirus Infections / epidemiology
  • Coronavirus Infections / immunology*
  • Coronavirus Infections / prevention & control
  • Geography
  • Humans
  • Inflammation
  • Interleukin-6 / immunology*
  • Italy / epidemiology
  • Pandemics / prevention & control
  • Pneumonia, Viral / epidemiology
  • Pneumonia, Viral / immunology*
  • Pneumonia, Viral / prevention & control
  • Pregnancy Proteins / immunology*
  • SARS-CoV-2
  • Suppressor Factors, Immunologic / immunology*
  • Ultraviolet Rays
  • Vitamin D / immunology*
  • Vitamin D / therapeutic use*
  • Vitamin D Deficiency / drug therapy*
  • Vitamin D Deficiency / immunology
  • Vitamins / therapeutic use*

Substances

  • Interleukin-6
  • PIBF1 protein, human
  • Pregnancy Proteins
  • Suppressor Factors, Immunologic
  • Vitamins
  • Vitamin D