The immunomodulatory effect of 1, 25-dihydroxyvitamin D3 (Vitamin D3) and the regulatory role of variant genotypes of vitamin D receptor (VDR) gene (Bsml and Taql polymorphism) on lymphocyte response to Mycobacterium tuberculosis culture filtrate antigen (CFA) was studied in patients with pulmonary tuberculosis and normal healthy subjects. Vitamin D3 (1×10−7 M) suppressed the lymphocyte response to CFA in normal subjects, suggesting a possible down regulation of cytokine and other factors needed for Iymphoproliferation. This decrease was not observed in pulmonary TB patients. This may probably be due to the refractory nature of the cells under disease condition. The suppression observed in normal healthy subjects with the BB, Bb, tt and Tt VDR genotypes reveals the regulatory role of VDR gene on the immunomodulatory effect of vitamin D3.
Vitamin D3, Vitamin D receptor, gene polymorph isms, pulmonary tuberculosis
