To ascertain the influence of vitamin D3 and its metabolites on the function of the skin immune system and the induction of the contact hypersensitivity (CHS) response, a population of vitamin D3-deficient BALB/c mice was established, through dietary vitamin D3 restriction and limitation of exposure to UVB irradiation. Vitamin D3 normal female mice had higher CHS responses than their male counterparts, and dietary vitamin D3 deficiency significantly increased the CHS responses in male, but not in female, mice. This change in the vitamin D3-deficient male mice was not due to an alteration in skin dendritic cell function including antigen carriage, migration or costimulatory molecule expression. In addition, 18 h after sensitisation, the lymph node populations in the vitamin D3-deficient and normal male mice showed similar proliferation and IFN-c production. However, during the sensitisation phase of CHS, there was lower lymphocyte recruitment to the skin draining lymph nodes of the vitamin D3-deficient and normal male mice compared with their female counterparts which could account for the difference between the sexes in the extent of the CHS response. These results indicate the vitamin D system can influence cutaneous immune responses in male mice, but this did not occur through the modulation of the dendritic cell functions analysed.
History
Publication title
Cellular Immunology
Volume
255
Issue
1-2
Pagination
33-40
ISSN
0008-8749
Department/School
Menzies Institute for Medical Research
Publisher
Academic Press Inc Elsevier Science
Place of publication
525 B St, Ste 1900, San Diego, USA, Ca, 92101-4495