Vitamin D constrains inflammation by modulating the expression of key genes on Chr17q12-21.1.

Vitamin D possesses immunomodulatory functions and vitamin D deficiency has been associated with the rise in chronic inflammatory diseases, including asthma (Litonjua and Weiss, 2007). Vitamin D supplementation studies do not provide insight into the molecular genetic mechanisms of vitamin D-mediated immunoregulation. Here, we provide evidence for vitamin D regulation of two human chromosomal loci, Chr17q12-21.1 and Chr17q21.2, reliably associated with autoimmune and chronic inflammatory diseases. We demonstrate increased vitamin D receptor (Vdr) expression in mouse lung CD4+ Th2 cells, differential expression of Chr17q12-21.1 and Chr17q21.2 genes in Th2 cells based on vitamin D status and identify the IL-2/Stat5 pathway as a target of vitamin D signaling. Vitamin D deficiency caused severe lung inflammation after allergen challenge in mice that was prevented by long-term prenatal vitamin D supplementation. Mechanistically, vitamin D induced the expression of the Ikzf3-encoded protein Aiolos to suppress IL-2 signaling and ameliorate cytokine production in Th2 cells. These translational findings demonstrate mechanisms for the immune protective effect of vitamin D in allergic lung inflammation with a strong molecular genetic link to the regulation of both Chr17q12-21.1 and Chr17q21.2 genes and suggest further functional studies and interventional strategies for long-term prevention of asthma and other autoimmune disorders.

Actividad física y síndrome metabólico: Citius-Altius-Fortius / Physical activity and metabolic syndrome: Citius-Altius-Fortius

El síndrome metabólico (SM), es un término empleado en los últimos años para designar un grupo de factores de riesgo que incluyen obesidad visceral, hipertensión arterial, hiperglucemia y dislipidemia aterogénica, los cuales predisponen al individuo a desarrollar enfermedad cardiovascular (ECV) y diabetes mellitus tipo 2 (DM2). La actividad física ha sido parte fundamental para entender el SM y su etiología, ya que el sedentarismo se asocia con ganancia de peso y aumento de grasa visceral, lo cual predispone al individuo a una adipocitopatía proinflamatoria con resistencia insulínica y aparición del fenotipo característico del SM. Los efectos beneficiosos que el ejercicio ejerce sobre el cuerpo humano justifican la evaluación, planificación y aplicación de programas de intervención que disminuyan el riesgo de DM2 y ECV. La siguiente revisión analiza los conceptos, bases moleculares y evidencia clínica del ejercicio como abordaje primordial en los trastornos endocrino-metabólicos

Metabolic syndrome (MS) is a term that has been used in the last decades to define a group of risk factors that include: visceral obesity, arterial hypertension, hyperglycemia and atherogenic dyslipidemia, which predispose the individual to cardiovascular disease (CVD) and type 2 diabetes mellitus (DM2). Physical activity has been a fundamental element to understand MS and its etiology, given the fact that sedentarism is associated with weight gain and increased abdominal fat, which then predisposes the individual to a pro-inflammatory adiposopathy with insulin resistance, and the manifestation of the MS phenotype. The beneficial effects of exercise on the human body are of sufficient merit to evaluate, plan and apply intervention programs that lower the risk for DM2 and CVD. The following review analyzes the concept, molecular basis, and clinical evidence for exercise as a primary tool in endocrine and metabolic disorders