Immunomodulatory Effects of Vitamin D in Thyroid Diseases
Chiara Mele, Marina Caputo, Alessandro Bisceglia, Maria Teresa Samà, Marco Zavattaro, Gianluca Aimaretti, Loredana Pagano, Flavia Prodam, Paolo Marzullo
Abstract
Vitamin D is a secosteroid with a pleiotropic role in multiple physiological processes. Besides the well-known activity on bone homeostasis, recent studies suggested a peculiar role of vitamin D in different non-skeletal pathways, including a key role in the modulation of immune responses. Recent evidences demonstrated that vitamin D acts on innate and adaptative immunity and seems to exert an immunomodulating action on autoimmune diseases and cancers. Several studies demonstrated a relationship between vitamin D deficiency, autoimmune thyroid disorders, and thyroid cancer. This review aims to summarize the evidences on the immunomodulatory effect of vitamin D on thyroid diseases.