Comparison of Proportions of Lymphocyte Subsets According to Serum 25(OH) Vitamin D Levels in Postmenopausal Women

Lee, Hyo Jin; Bhang, Seon Yong; Kang, Jee Hyun; Yu, Byung Yeon; Lee, Sung Ki

Abstract

BACKGROUND
S: Many reports have proposed a significant role for vitamin D in immune mediated disease. This study analyzed the lymphocyte subsets according to serum 25(OH) vitamin D levels in postmenopausal women to determine the potential effect of vitamin D on immune-mediated disease.
METHODS
We enrolled 31 postmenopausal women who underwent health checkup in a university hospital. Peripheral blood samples were taken for the investigation of the levels of T, B, and natural killer (NK) cells and the, proportion of CD3+, CD4+ ,CD8+, Th1, Th2, Th17 and Treg subsets of T lymphocyte in the morning after overnight fast. We also measured serum 25(OH) Vitamin D and evaluated the relationship between vitamin D levels and lymphocyte subpopulations.
RESULTS
The subjects were divided into three groups according to serum vitamin D levels. There was no significant correlation between the level of vitamin D and the percentages of three lymphocyte subtypes. The proportion of CD4+ T cell (P for trend 0.024) and the CD4+/CD8+ T cell ratio(P for trend 0.000) was declined across increasing tertiles of vitamin D levels. The proportion of CD8+T cell was increased with increasing of tertiles of vitamin D levels (P for trend 0.004). And the results showed that the CD4+/CD8+ T cell ratio differed significantly between the groups with lowest and the middle vitamin D levels and between the groups with lowest and the highest.
CONCLUSIONS
Serum vitamin D levels in postmenopausal women are associated with changes in the peripheral T cell compartment. These results provide insight into the immunomodulatory properties of vitamin D andthe possible beneficial associations between vitamin Dand immune-mediated disease.