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Updated: Jun 23, 2026

A Method of Trigonometric Modelling of Seasonal Variation Demonstrated with Multiple Sclerosis Relapse Data
Published on: December 9, 2015
The relevance of vitamin D receptor gene polymorphisms for vitamin D research in multiple sclerosis
Joost Smolders1, Evelyn Peelen, Mariëlle Thewissen
1School for Mental Health and Neuroscience, Maastricht University Medical Center, Maastricht, the Netherlands. j.smolders@mumc.nl
Abstract:
A poor vitamin D status has been associated with several autoimmune diseases, including multiple sclerosis (MS). The receptor for the biologically active metabolite of vitamin D appears to be a key player in these associations, not only as a mediator of the biological effects of vitamin D, but also as a mediator of the regulation of vitamin D metabolism itself. In this concise review, we will discuss the mostly investigated genetic polymorphisms of the vitamin D receptor (VDR), and their consequences for VDR functionality and immune regulation. Next, we will discuss the association of these polymorphisms with MS, and their relation with vitamin D metabolism. We conclude that polymorphisms of the VDR have major effects on vitamin D function and metabolism, and should therefore be assessed in studies on vitamin D and MS.
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Role of Skin in Vitamin D Synthesis
The solar UV B rays (290-315 nm) are absorbed by the skin, and 7-dehydrocholesterol (provitamin D3) photolyzes it to previtamin D3, which undergoes a rapid transformation to vitamin D3(cholecalciferol).