Vitamin D regulation of OX40 ligand in immune responses to Aspergillus fumigatus

Infect Immun. 2013 May;81(5):1510-9. doi: 10.1128/IAI.01345-12. Epub 2013 Feb 25.

Abstract

OX40 ligand (OX40L) is a costimulatory molecule involved in Th2 allergic responses. It has been shown that vitamin D deficiency is associated with increased OX40L expression in peripheral CD11c(+) cells and controls Th2 responses to Aspergillus fumigatus in vitro in cystic fibrosis (CF) patients with allergic bronchopulmonary aspergillosis (ABPA). To investigate if vitamin D deficiency regulated OX40L and Th2 responses in vivo, we examined the effect of nutritional vitamin D deficiency on costimulatory molecules in CD11c(+) cells and A. fumigatus-induced Th2 responses. Vitamin D-deficient mice showed increased expression of OX40L on lung CD11c(+) cells, and OX40L was critical for enhanced Th2 responses to A. fumigatus in vivo. In in vitro assays, vitamin D treatment led to vitamin D receptor (VDR) binding in the promoter region of OX40L and significantly decreased the promoter activity of the OX40L promoter. In addition, vitamin D altered NF-κB p50 binding in the OX40L promoter that may be responsible for repression of OX40L expression. These data show that vitamin D can act directly on OX40L, which impacts Th2 responses and supports the therapeutic use of vitamin D in diseases regulated by OX40L.

MeSH terms

  • Analysis of Variance
  • Animals
  • Aspergillosis / immunology*
  • Aspergillosis / metabolism
  • Aspergillus fumigatus / immunology*
  • Cells, Cultured
  • Dendritic Cells / immunology
  • Dendritic Cells / metabolism
  • Disease Models, Animal
  • Female
  • Lung / cytology
  • Membrane Glycoproteins
  • Mice
  • Mice, Inbred BALB C
  • NF-kappa B p50 Subunit / metabolism
  • OX40 Ligand / metabolism*
  • Promoter Regions, Genetic / drug effects
  • Receptors, Calcitriol / metabolism
  • Th2 Cells / immunology
  • Tumor Necrosis Factors / metabolism*
  • Vitamin D / pharmacology*
  • Vitamin D Deficiency / immunology*
  • Vitamin D Deficiency / metabolism
  • Vitamins / pharmacology*

Substances

  • Membrane Glycoproteins
  • NF-kappa B p50 Subunit
  • OX40 Ligand
  • Receptors, Calcitriol
  • Tnfsf4 protein, mouse
  • Tumor Necrosis Factors
  • Vitamins
  • Vitamin D