Abstract
Alzheimer’s disease (AD) is the most common cause of dementia. In recent years, several studies have robustly shown that neuroinflammation plays a crucial role in the pathophysiology of this disease. The co-localization of amyloid-β plaques near activated glial cells and the increased levels of inflammatory cytokines in AD patients indicate the involvement of the neuroinflammatory process in AD progression. Considering that pharmacological treatment remains a challenge for the management of this disease, compounds with anti-inflammatory and antioxidant properties are promising therapeutic strategies. In this context, vitamin D has gained attention in the last few years due to its neuroprotective property and the high prevalence of vitamin D deficiency in the population. Herein, in this narrative review we present the possible contribution of the antioxidant and anti-inflammatory properties of vitamin D for its neuroprotective effects, and the clinical and preclinical data dealing with the effects of vitamin D in AD, focusing mainly on the neuroinflammatory process.
Similar content being viewed by others
Data Availability
Not applicable.
Code Availability
Not applicable.
References
Ali A, Shah SA, Zaman N et al (2021) Vitamin D exerts neuroprotection via SIRT1/nrf-2/ NF-kB signaling pathways against D-galactose-induced memory impairment in adult mice. Neurochem Int 142:104893. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.neuint.2020.104893
Annweiler C, Brugg B, Peyrin J-M et al (2014) Combination of memantine and vitamin D prevents axon degeneration induced by amyloid-beta and glutamate. Neurobiol Aging 35:331–335. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.neurobiolaging.2013.07.029
Annweiler C, Herrmann FR, Fantino B et al (2012) Effectiveness of the combination of Memantine Plus vitamin D on cognition in patients with Alzheimer Disease: a Pre-Post Pilot Study. Cogn Behav Neurol 25:121–127. https://doi.org/10.1097/WNN.0b013e31826df647
Annweiler C, Llewellyn DJ, Beauchet O (2013) Low serum vitamin D concentrations in Alzheimer’s Disease: a systematic review and Meta-analysis. J Alzheimers Dis 33:659–674. https://doi.org/10.3233/JAD-2012-121432
Baeke F, Takiishi T, Korf H et al (2010) Vitamin D: modulator of the immune system. Curr Opin Pharmacol 10:482–496. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.coph.2010.04.001
Bennett L, Kersaitis C, Macaulay SL et al (2013) Vitamin D2-Enriched button mushroom (Agaricus bisporus) improves memory in both wild type and APPswe/PS1dE9 transgenic mice. PLoS ONE 8:e76362. https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0076362
Boontanrart M, Hall SD, Spanier JA et al (2016) Vitamin D3 alters microglia immune activation by an IL-10 dependent SOCS3 mechanism. J Neuroimmunol 292:126–136. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jneuroim.2016.01.015
Brewer LD, Thibault V, Chen KC et al (2001) Vitamin D hormone confers neuroprotection in parallel with downregulation of L-Type Calcium Channel expression in hippocampal neurons. J Neurosci 21:98–108. https://doi.org/10.1523/JNEUROSCI.21-01-00098.2001
Briones TL, Darwish H (2012) Vitamin D mitigates age-related cognitive decline through the modulation of pro-inflammatory state and decrease in amyloid burden. J Neuroinflammation 9:727. https://doi.org/10.1186/1742-2094-9-244
Cai Y, Liu J, Wang B (2022) Microglia in the neuroinflammatory pathogenesis of Alzheimer’s disease and related therapeutic targets. Front Immunol. 13:856376. https://doi.org/10.3389/fimmu.2022.856376
Calsolaro V, Edison P (2016) Neuroinflammation in Alzheimer’s disease: current evidence and future directions. Alzheimers Dement 12:719–732. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jalz.2016.02.010
Calvello R, Cianciulli A, Nicolardi G et al (2017) Vitamin D treatment attenuates Neuroinflammation and Dopaminergic Neurodegeneration in an animal model of Parkinson’s Disease, shifting M1 to M2 microglia responses. J Neuroimmune Pharmacol 12:327–339. https://doi.org/10.1007/s11481-016-9720-7
Camargo A, Dalmagro AP, Platt N et al (2020) Cholecalciferol abolishes depressive-like behavior and hippocampal glucocorticoid receptor impairment induced by chronic corticosterone administration in mice. Pharmacol Biochem Behav 196:172971. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.pbb.2020.172971
Carlessi AS, Borba LA, Zugno AI et al (2021) Gut microbiota-brain axis in depression: the role of neuroinflammation. Eur J Neurosci 53:222–235. https://doi.org/10.1111/ejn.14631
Chai B, Gao F, Wu R et al (2019) Vitamin D deficiency as a risk factor for dementia and Alzheimer’s disease: an updated meta-analysis. BMC Neurol 19:284. https://doi.org/10.1186/s12883-019-1500-6
Charoenngam N, Shirvani A, Holick MF (2019) Vitamin D for skeletal and non-skeletal health: what we should know. J Clin Orthop Trauma 10:1082–1093. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jcot.2019.07.004
Chen D, Gao H, Peng C et al (2020) Quinones as preventive agents in Alzheimer’s diseases: focus on NLRP3 inflammasomes. J Pharm Pharmacol 72:1481–1490. https://doi.org/10.1111/jphp.13332
Chirumbolo S, Bjørklund G, Sboarina A, Vella A (2017) The role of vitamin D in the Immune System as a pro-survival molecule. Clin Ther 39:894–916. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.clinthera.2017.03.021
Christakos S, Dhawan P, Verstuyf A et al (2016) Vitamin D: metabolism, molecular mechanism of Action, and Pleiotropic Effects. Physiol Rev 96:365–408. https://doi.org/10.1152/physrev.00014.2015
Cohen-Lahav M, Shany S, Tobvin D et al (2006) Vitamin D decreases NFκB activity by increasing IκBα levels. Nephrol Dial Transplant 21:889–897. https://doi.org/10.1093/ndt/gfi254
Cui C, Xu P, Li G et al (2019) Vitamin D receptor activation regulates microglia polarization and oxidative stress in spontaneously hypertensive rats and angiotensin II-exposed microglial cells: role of renin-angiotensin system. Redox Biol 26:101295. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.redox.2019.101295
Durk MR, Han K, Chow ECY et al (2014) 1,25-Dihydroxyvitamin D3 reduces cerebral Amyloid- Accumulation and improves cognition in mouse models of Alzheimer’s Disease. J Neurosci 34:7091–7101. https://doi.org/10.1523/JNEUROSCI.2711-13.2014
Dursun E, Gezen-Ak D, Yilmazer S (2013) A new mechanism for Amyloid-β induction of iNOS: vitamin D-VDR pathway disruption. J Alzheimers Dis 36:459–474. https://doi.org/10.3233/JAD-130416
Eyles D, Brown J, Mackay-Sim A et al (2003) Vitamin d3 and brain development. Neuroscience 118:641–653. https://doi.org/10.1016/S0306-4522(03)00040-X
Eyles DW, Smith S, Kinobe R et al (2005) Distribution of the vitamin D receptor and 1α-hydroxylase in human brain. J Chem Neuroanat 29:21–30. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jchemneu.2004.08.006
Fão L, Mota SI, Rego AC (2019) Shaping the Nrf2-ARE-related pathways in Alzheimer’s and Parkinson’s diseases. Ageing Res Rev 54:100942. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.arr.2019.100942
Fillit H, Ding W, Buee L et al (1991) Elevated circulating tumor necrosis factor levels in Alzheimer’s disease. Neurosci Lett 129:318–320. https://doi.org/10.1016/0304-3940(91)90490-K
Guo YX, He LY, Zhang M et al (2016) 1,25-Dihydroxyvitamin D3 regulates expression of LRP1 and RAGE in vitro and in vivo, enhancing Aβ1–40 brain-to-blood efflux and peripheral uptake transport. Neuroscience 322:28–38. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.neuroscience.2016.01.041
Haussler MR, Whitfield GK, Kaneko I et al (2013) Molecular mechanisms of vitamin D action. Calcif Tissue Int 92:77–98. https://doi.org/10.1007/s00223-012-9619-0
Heneka MT, Kummer MP, Stutz A et al (2013) NLRP3 is activated in Alzheimer’s disease and contributes to pathology in APP/PS1 mice. Nature 493:674–678. https://doi.org/10.1038/nature11729
Heneka MT, McManus RM, Latz E (2018) Inflammasome signalling in brain function and neurodegenerative disease. Nat Rev Neurosci 19:610–621. https://doi.org/10.1038/s41583-018-0055-7
Holick MF (2011) Vitamin D: a D-Lightful solution for Health. J Investig Med 59:872–880. https://doi.org/10.2310/JIM.0b013e318214ea2d
Holick MF (2007) Vitamin D Deficiency. N Engl J Med 357:266–281. https://doi.org/10.1056/NEJMra070553
Hossein-Nezhad A, Holick MF (2013) Vitamin D for Health: A Global Perspective. Mayo Clin Proc 88:720–755. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.mayocp.2013.05.011
Huang H, Hong JY, Wu YJ et al (2018) Vitamin D receptor interacts with NLRP3 to restrict the allergic response. Clin Exp Immunol 194:17–26. https://doi.org/10.1111/cei.13164
Ito S, Ohtsuki S, Nezu Y et al (2011) 1α,25-Dihydroxyvitamin D3 enhances cerebral clearance of human amyloid-β peptide(1–40) from mouse brain across the blood-brain barrier. Fluids Barriers CNS 8:20. https://doi.org/10.1186/2045-8118-8-20
Jayedi A, Rashidy-Pour A, Shab-Bidar S (2019) Vitamin D status and risk of dementia and Alzheimer’s disease: a meta-analysis of dose-response. Nutr Neurosci 22:750–759. https://doi.org/10.1080/1028415X.2018.1436639
Ji B, Maeda J, Sawada M et al (2008) Imaging of peripheral benzodiazepine receptor expression as biomarkers of detrimental versus beneficial glial responses in mouse models of Alzheimer’s and other CNS pathologies. J Neurosci 28:12255–12267. https://doi.org/10.1523/JNEUROSCI.2312-08.2008
Jia J, Hu J, Huo X et al (2019) Effects of vitamin D supplementation on cognitive function and blood Aβ-related biomarkers in older adults with Alzheimer’s disease: a randomised, double-blind, placebo-controlled trial. https://doi.org/10.1136/jnnp-2018-320199. J Neurol Neurosurg Psychiatry jnnp-2018-320199
Kanekiyo T, Cirrito JR, Liu CC et al (2013) Neuronal clearance of amyloid- by endocytic receptor LRP1. J Neurosci 33:19276–19283. https://doi.org/10.1523/JNEUROSCI.3487-13.2013
Kitazawa M (2005) Lipopolysaccharide-Induced inflammation exacerbates Tau Pathology by a cyclin-dependent kinase 5-Mediated pathway in a transgenic model of Alzheimer’s Disease. J Neurosci 25:8843–8853. https://doi.org/10.1523/JNEUROSCI.2868-05.2005
Kuwar R, Rolfe A, Di L et al (2021) A novel inhibitor targeting NLRP3 inflammasome reduces neuropathology and improves cognitive function in Alzheimer’s Disease Transgenic mice. J Alzheimers Dis 82:1769–1783. https://doi.org/10.3233/JAD-210400
Landel V, Millet P, Baranger K et al (2016) Vitamin D interacts with Esr1 and Igf1 to regulate molecular pathways relevant to Alzheimer’s disease. Mol Neurodegener 11:22. https://doi.org/10.1186/s13024-016-0087-2
Lee J, Kim H, Kim J et al (2021) A Novel Treatment Strategy by Natural Products in NLRP3 inflammasome-mediated neuroinflammation in Alzheimer’s and Parkinson’s Disease. Int J Mol Sci 22:1324. https://doi.org/10.3390/ijms22031324
Lefebvre d’Hellencourt C, Montero-Menei CN, Bernard R, Couez D (2003) Vitamin D3 inhibits proinflammatory cytokines and nitric oxide production by the EOC13 microglial cell line. J Neurosci Res 71:575–582. https://doi.org/10.1002/jnr.10491
Leng F, Edison P (2021) Neuroinflammation and microglial activation in Alzheimer disease: where do we go from here? Nat Rev Neurol 17:157–172. https://doi.org/10.1038/s41582-020-00435-y
Li P, Wang Y, Li P et al (2022) Maternal vitamin D deficiency aggravates the dysbiosis of gut microbiota by affecting intestinal barrier function and inflammation in obese male offspring mice. Nutrition 105:111837. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.nut.2022.111837
Lian H, Litvinchuk A, Chiang ACA et al (2016) Astrocyte-Microglia Cross talk through complement activation modulates amyloid Pathology in Mouse Models of Alzheimer’s Disease. J Neurosci 36:577–589. https://doi.org/10.1523/JNEUROSCI.2117-15.2016
Lian H, Yang L, Cole A et al (2015) NFκB-Activated Astroglial Release of complement C3 compromises neuronal morphology and function Associated with Alzheimer’s Disease. Neuron 85:101–115. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.neuron.2014.11.018
Liddelow SA, Guttenplan KA, Clarke LE et al (2017) Neurotoxic reactive astrocytes are induced by activated microglia. Nature 541:481–487. https://doi.org/10.1038/nature21029
Lin CI, Chang YC, Kao NJ et al (2020) 1,25(OH)2D3 alleviates Aβ(25–35)-Induced Tau Hyperphosphorylation, excessive reactive oxygen species, and apoptosis through interplay with glial cell line-derived neurotrophic factor signaling in SH-SY5Y cells. Int J Mol Sci 21:4215. https://doi.org/10.3390/ijms21124215
Lin L, Zheng LJ, Zhang LJ (2018) Neuroinflammation, Gut Microbiome, and Alzheimer’s Disease. Mol Neurobiol 55:8243–8250. https://doi.org/10.1007/s12035-018-0983-2
Littlejohns TJ, Henley WE, Lang IA et al (2014) Vitamin D and the risk of dementia and Alzheimer disease. Neurology 83:920–928. https://doi.org/10.1212/WNL.0000000000000755
Masters CL, Bateman R, Blennow K et al (2015) Alzheimer’s disease. Nat Rev Dis Primer 1:15056. https://doi.org/10.1038/nrdp.2015.56
Medhat E, Rashed L, Abdelgwad M et al (2020) Exercise enhances the effectiveness of vitamin D therapy in rats with Alzheimer’s disease: emphasis on oxidative stress and inflammation. Metab Brain Dis 35:111–120. https://doi.org/10.1007/s11011-019-00504-2
Mehrabadi S, Sadr SS (2020) Administration of vitamin D 3 and E supplements reduces neuronal loss and oxidative stress in a model of rats with Alzheimer’s disease. Neurol Res 42:862–868. https://doi.org/10.1080/01616412.2020.1787624
Mehri N, Haddadi R, Ganji M et al (2020) Effects of vitamin D in an animal model of Alzheimer’s disease: behavioral assessment with biochemical investigation of Hippocampus and serum. Metab Brain Dis 35:263–274. https://doi.org/10.1007/s11011-019-00529-7
Miller BJ, Whisner CM, Johnston CS (2016) Vitamin D supplementation appears to increase plasma Aβ40 in vitamin D insufficient older adults: a pilot randomized controlled trial. J Alzheimers Dis 52:843–847. https://doi.org/10.3233/JAD-150901
Morello M, Landel V, Lacassagne E et al (2018) Vitamin D improves neurogenesis and cognition in a mouse model of Alzheimer’s Disease. Mol Neurobiol 55:6463–6479. https://doi.org/10.1007/s12035-017-0839-1
Nakajo T, Katayoshi T, Kitajima N, Tsuji-Naito K (2021) 1,25-Dihydroxyvitamin D3 attenuates IL-1β secretion by suppressing NLRP1 inflammasome activation by upregulating the NRF2-HO-1 pathway in epidermal keratinocytes. Redox Biol 48:102203. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.redox.2021.102203
Raha S, Lee HJ, Yumnam S et al (2016) Vitamin D2 suppresses amyloid-β 25–35 induced microglial activation in BV2 cells by blocking the NF-κB inflammatory signaling pathway. Life Sci 161:37–44. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.lfs.2016.07.017
Rao Z, Chen X, Wu J et al (2019) Vitamin D receptor inhibits NLRP3 activation by impeding its BRCC3-Mediated deubiquitination. Front Immunol 10:2783. https://doi.org/10.3389/fimmu.2019.02783
Rossom RC, Espeland MA, Manson JE et al (2012) Calcium and vitamin D supplementation and cognitive impairment in the women’s Health Initiative. J Am Geriatr Soc 60:2197–2205. https://doi.org/10.1111/jgs.12032
Sabir MS, Haussler MR, Mallick S et al (2018) Optimal vitamin D spurs serotonin: 1,25-dihydroxyvitamin D represses serotonin reuptake transport (SERT) and degradation (MAO-A) gene expression in cultured rat serotonergic neuronal cell lines. Genes Nutr 13:19. https://doi.org/10.1186/s12263-018-0605-7
Soares JZ, Valeur J, Šaltytė Benth J et al (2022) Vitamin D in Alzheimer’s Disease: Low Levels in Cerebrospinal Fluid Despite Normal Amounts in Serum. J Alzheimers Dis 1–14. https://doi.org/10.3233/JAD-215536
Taghizadeh M, Talaei SA, Djazayeri A, Salami M (2014) Vitamin D supplementation restores suppressed synaptic plasticity in Alzheimer’s disease. Nutr Neurosci 17:172–177. https://doi.org/10.1179/1476830513Y.0000000080
Troubat R, Barone P, Leman S et al (2021) Neuroinflammation and depression: a review. Eur J Neurosci 53:151–171. https://doi.org/10.1111/ejn.14720
Verma R, Jung JH, Kim JY (2014) 1,25-Dihydroxyvitamin D3 up-regulates TLR10 while down-regulating TLR2, 4, and 5 in human monocyte THP-1. J Steroid Biochem Mol Biol 141:1–6. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jsbmb.2013.12.012
Verma R, Kim JY (2016) 1,25-Dihydroxyvitamin D3 facilitates M2 polarization and Upregulates TLR10 expression on human microglial cells. Neuroimmunomodulation 23:75–80. https://doi.org/10.1159/000444300
Wacker M, Holick M (2013) Vitamin D — Effects on skeletal and Extraskeletal Health and the need for supplementation. Nutrients 5:111–148. https://doi.org/10.3390/nu5010111
Wu S, Liao AP, Xia Y et al (2010) Vitamin D receptor negatively regulates bacterial-stimulated NF-κB activity in intestine. Am J Pathol 177:686–697. https://doi.org/10.2353/ajpath.2010.090998
Xin L, Che B, Zhai B et al (2019) 1,25-Dihydroxy vitamin D3 attenuates the oxidative stress-mediated inflammation Induced by PM2.5via the p38/NF-κB/NLRP3 pathway. Inflammation 42:702–713. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10753-018-0928-y
Yamini P, Ray RS, Chopra K (2018) Vitamin D3 attenuates cognitive deficits and neuroinflammatory responses in ICV-STZ induced sporadic Alzheimer’s disease. Inflammopharmacology 26:39–55. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10787-017-0372-x
Yu J, Gattoni-Celli M, Zhu H et al (2011) Vitamin D3-Enriched Diet correlates with a decrease of amyloid plaques in the brain of AβPP Transgenic mice. J Alzheimers Dis 25:295–307. https://doi.org/10.3233/JAD-2011-101986
Zhang Y, Leung DYM, Richers BN et al (2012) Vitamin D inhibits Monocyte/Macrophage Proinflammatory Cytokine production by targeting MAPK Phosphatase-1. J Immunol 188:2127–2135. https://doi.org/10.4049/jimmunol.1102412
Zhu J, DeLuca HF (2012) Vitamin D 25-hydroxylase – four decades of searching, are we there yet? Arch Biochem Biophys 523:30–36. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.abb.2012.01.013
Zuliani G, Ranzini M, Guerra G et al (2007) Plasma cytokines profile in older subjects with late onset Alzheimer’s disease or vascular dementia. J Psychiatr Res 41:686–693. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jpsychires.2006.02.008
Funding
The authors acknowledge funding from Conselho Nacional de Desenvolvimento Científico e Tecnológico (CNPq; #312215/2021-5 and #3421142/2018-5) and Coordenação de Aperfeiçoamento de Pessoal de Nível Superior (CAPES). ALSR is CNPq Research Fellow.
Author information
Authors and Affiliations
Contributions
Bruna R Kouba: Idea, preparation of manuscript and literature review.
Anderson Camargo: Editing and compilation.
Ana Lúcia S. Rodrigues: Idea, editing and literature review.
Corresponding author
Ethics declarations
Ethics approval
Not applicable.
Consent to participate
Not applicable.
Consent for publication
All the authors have consented for publishing this manuscript.
Conflict of Interest
The authors declare no conflict of interest.
Additional information
Publisher’s Note
Springer Nature remains neutral with regard to jurisdictional claims in published maps and institutional affiliations.
Rights and permissions
Springer Nature or its licensor (e.g. a society or other partner) holds exclusive rights to this article under a publishing agreement with the author(s) or other rightsholder(s); author self-archiving of the accepted manuscript version of this article is solely governed by the terms of such publishing agreement and applicable law.
About this article
Cite this article
Kouba, B.R., Camargo, A. & Rodrigues, A.L.S. Neuroinflammation in Alzheimer’s disease: potential beneficial effects of vitamin D. Metab Brain Dis 38, 819–829 (2023). https://doi.org/10.1007/s11011-023-01188-5
Received:
Accepted:
Published:
Issue Date:
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s11011-023-01188-5