[Role of vitamin D in HIV infection]

Besides its role in bone metabolism, vitamin D shows properties on autoimmune, oncological, cardiovascular, metabolic, or infectious diseases. In this article, we talk about interpellant relationships between vitamin D and HIV. This hormone plays an important role in HIV infection, as much at a skeletal level than in the course of the disease itself. First, we notice that a low vitamin D status is currently associated with HIV infection. Moreover, it is now known that low rate of 1,25-dihydroxyvitamin D in HIV patients is associated with advanced clinical HIV infection and increased mortality. Thus, vitamin D deficiency has to be considered as an important factor in HIV progression. Indeed, vitamin D increases macrophage activity, in some way through autophagy, and this process can inhibit HIV-1 infection. Then we consider the implications of antiretroviral therapies on vitamin D metabolism. We finally evaluate the benefits of a vitamin D supplementation in HIV + patients.