Vitamin D is often confined to its role in calcium homeostasis and bone metabolism. An exponential literature discusses its non-skeletal effects, especially its central role in the physiology of the immune system, where it acts at several levels to maintain self-tolerance. Here, the authors review the experimental, epidemiological and clinical studies, illustrating the potential role of vitamin D in the development and perpetuation of autoimmune diseases such as systemic lupus erythematosus, type 1 diabetes mellitus, multiple sclerosis, inflammatory bowel diseases or rheumatoid arthritis.
Copyright © 2011 Société nationale française de médecine interne (SNFMI). Published by Elsevier SAS. All rights reserved.