The Distinct Regulation of the Vitamin D and Aryl Hydrocarbon Receptors in COVID-19
Nutrients 2024 Feb 22;16(5):598. doi: 10.3390/nu16050598.
Oliver Robak 1, Marie-Theres Kastner 1, Astrid Voill-Glaninger 2, André Viveiros 2, Christoph Steininger 1 3
Background: SARS-CoV-2 affects several immune pathways, including the vitamin D (VDR) and the aryl hydrocarbon receptor pathways (AhR). The aim of the study was the evaluation of the VDR and AhR pathways in the blood of COVID-19 patients with regard to the severity of disease.
Methods: Observational, single-center, case-control design. A total of 240 samples were selected for exploration. Patients who tested negative for SARS-CoV-2 but suffered from other respiratory infections (ORIs) served as a control group.
Results: VDR-specific mRNA in the blood of patients with mild symptoms (131.2 ± 198.6) was significantly upregulated relative to the VDR expression of the ORI group (23.24 ± 42.60; p < 0.0001); however, VDR expression of critically ill patients showed an impaired upregulation (54.73 ± 68.34; p < 0.001). CYP27B1 expression was not significantly regulated during SARS-CoV-2 infection. There was a downregulation of VDR and CYP27B1 compared to survivors. There was no significant difference in 25(OH)-vitamin D3 levels between critically ill patients with regard to survival (24.3 ± 9.4 vs. 27.1 ± 11.3; p = 0.433).
Conclusion: The VDR and AhR pathways are distinctively regulated in patients suffering from COVID-19 depending on the severity of disease. A combination treatment of antiviral drugs and vitamin D substitution should be evaluated for potentially improved prognosis in COVID-19.
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VitaminDWiki – CYP27B1 category contains
The CYP27B1 gene activates Vitamin D in the Kidney, Skin, Lungs, Brain, Eyes Breasts etc.
Poor CYP27B1 is assocated with COVID, Miscarriage, Lupus, Alz, Parkinson, MSA, Rickets
CYtochrome P450 family 27 subfamily B member 1 = 25-Hydroxyvitamin D3 1-alpha-hydroxylase
- 64 items in CYP27B1 category
- 346 articles in the Genetics
- 538 articles in Vitamin D Receptor
- 178 articles in Vitamin D Binding Protein
- CYP27B1 and other genes are less activated in seniors
- CYP27B causes many health problems – March 2020
- Every Parkinson’s brain had a poor CYP27B1 gene
What can be done if have a poor CYP27B1
- Larger doses of Vitamin D
- More Bio-available: Gut-friendly form, Topical form, taken with fatty meal, taken with evening meal
- Additional sources: UV
- Increase Vitamin D metabolism: additional Magnesium, Omega-3
- All cytochrome P450 enzymes require Mg++ as a cofactor
- Increase the amount of Vitamin D in the blood that gets to cells: increase activation of VDR
Vitamin D blood test misses CYP27B1 and other genes
Note: COVID protects itself by downregulating VDR and CYP27B1 (and 100+ genes)
Both downregulations reduce Vitamin D in cells but NOT the Vitamin D measurement
VitaminDWiki - 39 studies in both categories Virus and Vitamin D Receptor
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- 10 of the top 15 COVID treatments increase cellular Vitamin D
- Metformin appears to activate the Vitamin D Receptor (more D to kidney cells, etc,) - March 2025
- Vitamin D preventing and treating COVID - 30,000 publications – Oct 2024
- COVID maximum downregulation of Vitamin D receptor and CYP27B1 resulted in death - Feb 2024
- COVID in hospital stopped by Vitamin D Receptor activators (curcumin, quercetin) – RCT June 2023
- Children with COVID 4X more likely to have poor Vitamin D Receptors (Note: COVID deactivates VDR) – April 2023
- Diabetes 3X more likely if had COVID ICU (VDR was deactivated) - April 2023
- COVID variants protect themselves by deactivating different VDR variants– March 2023
- Dengue Fever decimated by Vitamin D - many studies
- COVID kids were more likely to have a poor VDR (4.3 X), than low Vitamin D (2.6 X) – Sept 2022
- Cancers are associated with low vitamin D, poor vaccination response and perhaps poor VDR – July 2022
- COVID 3X more likely if a poor Receptor (cells get less Vitamin D from the blood) – July 2022
- Long-COVID is now the biggest COVID concern - many studies
- COVID death 12X more likely if poor Vitamin D Receptor (less D gets to cells) - many studies
- COVID severity, ICU, and mortality all associated with poor vitamin D receptor (but not D, everyone had low D) -Dec 2021
- Different Vitamin D Receptor problems cause different COVID problems - Dec 2021
- COVID-19 severity associated with 3 vitamin D genes – Oct 2021
- Poor Vitamin D receptor blocked Vitamin D from fighting avian influenza viruses (in mice) – July 2021
- Epstein-Barr is yet another virus that deactivates the Vitamin D receptor (COVID later suspected as well)– 2010
- COVID-19 symptoms and comorbidities associated with the type of Vitamin D Receptor – Oct 2021
- Enveloped virus infection (RSV, coronavirus, HIV, etc.) 1.5X more likely if poor Vitamin D Receptor – meta-analysis Dec 2018
- COVID-19 outpatients getting Quercetin nanoemulsion had excellent outcomes (Q increased Vitamin D in cells) – RCT – June 2021
- A virus that most adults have (Cytomegalovirus) decreases the amount of Vitamin D which gets to the cells – Jan 2017
- COVID virus alters the activation of 100 vitamin D related genes in the lung – April 2021
- Common sense COVID-19 risk reduction - masks, social distancing, vitamin D - Oct 2020
- AI is examining 170,000 potential COVID-19 treatments, Vitamin D is one of only 6 found – Sept 4, 2020
- Vitamin D Receptor activation should reduce ARDS associated with COVID-19 - June 2020
- Dengue viral production decreased 1000X if activate Vitamin D Receptor (in lab) – July 2020
- Vitamin D, Quercetin, and Estradiol all increase vitamin D in cells and increase genes which reduce COVID-19 – May 21, 2020
- Quercetin and Vitamin D - Allies Against COVID-19
- Risk of enveloped virus infection is increased 50 percent if poor Vitamin D Receptor - meta-analysis Dec 2018
- Hand, foot, and Mouth disease is 14X more likely if poor Vitamin D Receptor – Oct 2019
- Treating herpes reduced incidence of senile dementia by 10 X (HSV1 reduces VDR by 8X) – 2018
- Severe hand, foot, and mouth virus is 2.9 X more likely if poor Vitamin D receptor – Oct 2018
- Hepatitis B virus reduced by 5X the Vitamin D getting to liver cells in the lab – Oct 2018
- Some enveloped virus are 1.2 X more likely if have a poor Vitamin D Receptor -Aug 2018
- Severe Pertussis is 1.5 times more likely if poor vitamin D receptor – Feb 2016
- Dengue Fever associated with poor vitamin D receptor – July 2002
- Dengue virus 2X to 4X more likely if vitamin D receptor gene problems
VitaminDWiki - 7 studies in both categories Virus and Genetics
This list is automatically updated
- Long-COVID associated with 37 poor genes (no Vitamin D genes) – July 2023
- High dose vitamin D fights Folate gene changes by COVID, autoimmune, CVD, ALZ – Oct 2022
- COVID-19 severity associated with 3 vitamin D genes – Oct 2021
- COVID-19 5X worse if poor Vitamin D gene (CYP2R1) – June 2021
- COVID virus alters the activation of 100 vitamin D related genes in the lung – April 2021
- COVID-19 cytokine storms perhaps better stopped by the CYP11A1 Vitamin D pathway – Aug 11, 2020
- Hepatitis C 1.4X more likely if poor CYP24A1 gene – May 2019