| First Author | Froicu M | Year | 2006 |
| Journal | Immunology | Volume | 117 |
| Issue | 3 | Pages | 310-8 |
| PubMed ID | 16476050 | Mgi Jnum | J:107077 |
| Mgi Id | MGI:3620274 | Doi | 10.1111/j.1365-2567.2005.02290.x |
| Citation | Froicu M, et al. (2006) Vitamin D receptor is required to control gastrointestinal immunity in IL-10 knockout mice. Immunology 117(3):310-8 |
| abstractText | The vitamin D receptor (VDR) is a nuclear receptor expressed in a number of different cells of the immune system. This study was performed to determine the effect of VDR deficiency on immune function and inflammation of the gastrointestinal tract in a model of inflammatory bowel disease, namely interleukin-10 (IL-10) knockout mice. IL-10 knockout mice were generated which either could or could not respond to vitamin D (double IL-10/VDR knockout; DKO). The distribution and function of lymphocytes in both the primary and secondary lymphoid organs were compared and determined as a function of the severity of intestinal inflammation. DKO mice had normal thymic development and peripheral T-cell numbers at 3 weeks of age, but a week after intestinal disease was detected the thymus was dysplastic with a reduction in cellularity. The atrophy was coupled with increased apoptosis. The spleen weight of DKO mice increased as a result of the accumulation of red blood cells; however, there was a 50% reduction in the numbers of T and B cells. Conversely, the mesenteric lymph nodes were enlarged and contained increased numbers of lymphocytes. The T cells from DKO mice were of a memory phenotype and were hyporesponsive to T-cell receptor stimulation. Colitis in the DKO mice was associated with local and high expression of IL-2, interferon-gamma, IL-1beta, tumour necrosis factor-alpha and IL-12. The primary and secondary lymphoid organs in DKO mice are profoundly altered as a consequence of the fulminating inflammation in the gastrointestinal tract. VDR expression is required for the T cells and other immune cells to control inflammation in the IL-10 KO mice. |
