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Low utility of serum 25–hydroxyvitamin D3 and 1, 25-dihydroxyvitamin D3 in predicting peripheral Treg and Th17 cell counts in ESRD and renal transplant patients

Research Authors
Mostafa G. Aly, Li Zhu, Rolf Weimer, Gerhard Opelz, Christian Morath, Ruben Kuon,
Mohammed Tohamy, Gamal Saadi, Mona Soliman, Walaa Ibrahim, Volker Daniel
Research Department
Research Journal
Transplant Immunology
Research Publisher
NULL
Research Rank
1
Research Vol
NULL
Research Website
NULL
Research Year
2017
Research_Pages
3-10
Research Abstract

and inhibits Th17 cells. The immune-modulatory role of vitamin D in chronic kidney disease (CKD) and renal
transplant patients is unclear. We measured whether different serum levels of vitamin D were associated with an
increased or decreased presence of lymphocyte subsets including Treg and Th17 cells in end-stage renal disease
(ESRD) and renal transplant recipients.
Methods: Eighty-seven renal transplant recipients and 53 end-stage renal disease (ESRD) patients were enrolled
in this study. The absolute counts of CD4+ and CD8+ T, CD16+ CD56+ NK, CD19+ B, CD4+ CD25+
CD127- Foxp3+ (Tregs), Helios+ Tregs, CD38+ Tregs, and CD4+ CD17+ (Th17) cells were analyzed in
peripheral blood in both patient groups. In addition, serum 25 (OH) D3, 1, 25 (OH)2 D3, IL-6, IL-17, IL-23, and
TGF-β1 were measured. The association between lymphocyte subset counts and 1, 25 (OH)2 D3 or 25 (OH) D3
was studied, as was the association between serum IL-6, IL-17, IL-23, or TGF-β1 and 1,25 (OH)2 D3 or 25 (OH)
D3.
Results: Serum 25 (OH) D3 and 1,25 (OH)2 D3 levels were not independently associated with peripheral CD4+
T, CD19+B, CD16+CD56+NK, Treg, or Th17 cell counts. In contrast to serum 25 (OH) D3, serum1, 25 (OH)2
D3 was positively associated with CD8+ T cells counts in renal transplant recipients.
Conclusion: Our findings indicate low utility of serum 25 (OH) D3 and 1, 25 (OH)2 D3 levels in predicting a
change in lymphocyte subset counts in ESRD and renal transplant patients.