PreprintReviewVersion 1Preserved in Portico This version is not peer-reviewed
The Essential Role of Vitamin D in the Biosynthesis of Endogenous Antimicrobial Peptides May Explain Why Deficiency Increases Mortality Risk in COVID-19 Infections
Version 1
: Received: 15 May 2020 / Approved: 16 May 2020 / Online: 16 May 2020 (16:02:26 CEST)
How to cite:
McCullough, P.J.; Amend, J.; McCullough, W.P.; Repas, S.J.; Travers, J.B.; Lehrer, D.S. The Essential Role of Vitamin D in the Biosynthesis of Endogenous Antimicrobial Peptides May Explain Why Deficiency Increases Mortality Risk in COVID-19 Infections. Preprints2020, 2020050265. https://doi.org/10.20944/preprints202005.0265.v1
McCullough, P.J.; Amend, J.; McCullough, W.P.; Repas, S.J.; Travers, J.B.; Lehrer, D.S. The Essential Role of Vitamin D in the Biosynthesis of Endogenous Antimicrobial Peptides May Explain Why Deficiency Increases Mortality Risk in COVID-19 Infections. Preprints 2020, 2020050265. https://doi.org/10.20944/preprints202005.0265.v1
McCullough, P.J.; Amend, J.; McCullough, W.P.; Repas, S.J.; Travers, J.B.; Lehrer, D.S. The Essential Role of Vitamin D in the Biosynthesis of Endogenous Antimicrobial Peptides May Explain Why Deficiency Increases Mortality Risk in COVID-19 Infections. Preprints2020, 2020050265. https://doi.org/10.20944/preprints202005.0265.v1
APA Style
McCullough, P.J., Amend, J., McCullough, W.P., Repas, S.J., Travers, J.B., & Lehrer, D.S. (2020). The Essential Role of Vitamin D in the Biosynthesis of Endogenous Antimicrobial Peptides May Explain Why Deficiency Increases Mortality Risk in COVID-19 Infections. Preprints. https://doi.org/10.20944/preprints202005.0265.v1
Chicago/Turabian Style
McCullough, P.J., Jeffrey B. Travers and Douglas S. Lehrer. 2020 "The Essential Role of Vitamin D in the Biosynthesis of Endogenous Antimicrobial Peptides May Explain Why Deficiency Increases Mortality Risk in COVID-19 Infections" Preprints. https://doi.org/10.20944/preprints202005.0265.v1
Abstract
Abstract: A primary action of vitamin D is regulation of gene transcription. Many cell types possess genes that make antimicrobial peptides (AMPS) (endogenous antibiotics), recently discovered to be regulated by vitamin D. Two examples are cathelicidin and beta defensins, both bioactive against many different bacteria, fungi, mycobacteria, parasites and viruses. The signal transduction pathway is triggered by sensing microorganisms via cell surface receptors, causing intracellular production of calcitriol (1,25(OH)2D) and vitamin D receptors, leading to upregulation of AMP production. Serum 25(OH)D concentrations required to sustain adequate AMP production to eradicate infections are unknown. Vitamin D3 is photosynthesized in skin in amounts ranging from 10,000 (250 mcg) to 25,000 (625 mcg) International Units (IU) from 7-dehydrocholesterol after whole-body exposure to one minimal erythemal dose (MED) of ultraviolet B (UVB) radiation, and is impacted by many factors including geographic localities, seasonal changes and skin pigmentation. We and others have reported extended daily oral dosing with these amounts of vitamin D3 safe. We routinely observe serum 25(OH)D concentrations below 20ng/ml on new admissions, which have been reported insufficient to sustain AMP production. In contrast serum 25(OH)D concentrations above 100ng/ml have been reported after serial UVB treatments for psoriasis. Little vitamin D naturally occurs in food, and insufficient sun exposure may be causing worldwide deficiency. We review evidence suggesting that higher daily intakes of vitamin D3 than the currently recommended 600 (15 mcg) IU/day may be necessary to sustain AMP production in the face of an overwhelming infection, particularly in non-Hispanic blacks, a high risk population suffering the worst outcomes from COVID-19. We propose that increased vitamin D supplementation could provide a safe and cost-effective way to protect all populations from infections, in particular those from pandemic COVID-19.
Medicine and Pharmacology, Dietetics and Nutrition
Copyright:
This is an open access article distributed under the Creative Commons Attribution License which permits unrestricted use, distribution, and reproduction in any medium, provided the original work is properly cited.
Received:
29 November 2020
Commenter:
Fay Louise Danel
The commenter has declared there is no conflict of interests.
Comment:
I wanted to say, to let you know that I love this article.
Please let me know when it has gone peer-reviewed/published.
My passion is learning and educating about vitamin d.
I love that the work here is based on Heaney, and the great respect given. I have a profound appreciation and respect for his work.
You did a fabulous job on many levels here in this article,
If i may, my only input would be though to tie in the targeted testing metabolite and supplementation, with the metabolites they are and the systems they are obligated to.
What I see as the biggest hindrance is not keeping to the proper use of, and names of the metabolites in general, and the basic understanding of the metabolites. And everyone gets stuck with referencing back to the current and very outdated definitions of vitamin d and it's recommendations and assessment. One has to see into, and past that, and apply better understanding.
The confusion so rampant in general, and it is so badly taught, in testing and supplementation, that I teach, try to teach, the very easy basics of understanding that calcidiol is obligated to the renal feedback loop (endocrine), and that cholecalciferol is the parent compound used as necessary by all body tissues (paracrine/endocrine) or it's direct conversions, on an as need basis and the best way to raise the testing 25OHD3 is to do so by supplementing with cholecalciferol in amounts that allow for its full body use, and eventual rise in serum,, though technically obligated to the endocrine feedback, it is what we use, and proper testing then would logically entail the serum calcium, iPTH and 25OHD to see on an individual basis how that system is working and supplement appropriately based on physiologic doses by weight, in addition, this simple testing helps to find and address the most common disorder not recognized as common but for being missed and misdiagnosed, primary HPTD.
In short, I love this paper.
I just wanted to let you authors know, and if possible, I would love to hear back from you. I would feel so privileged if you read some of my writings on explaining vitamin d.
I am on facebook (no snickers.. please LOL)
It is a good platform, social media, called All things D, deficiency, education, research,
and another called Understanding Vitamin D Deficiency
I try my best to explain these important concepts using foundational research,
,
Commenter: Fay Louise Danel
The commenter has declared there is no conflict of interests.
Please let me know when it has gone peer-reviewed/published.
My passion is learning and educating about vitamin d.
I love that the work here is based on Heaney, and the great respect given. I have a profound appreciation and respect for his work.
You did a fabulous job on many levels here in this article,
If i may, my only input would be though to tie in the targeted testing metabolite and supplementation, with the metabolites they are and the systems they are obligated to.
What I see as the biggest hindrance is not keeping to the proper use of, and names of the metabolites in general, and the basic understanding of the metabolites. And everyone gets stuck with referencing back to the current and very outdated definitions of vitamin d and it's recommendations and assessment. One has to see into, and past that, and apply better understanding.
The confusion so rampant in general, and it is so badly taught, in testing and supplementation, that I teach, try to teach, the very easy basics of understanding that calcidiol is obligated to the renal feedback loop (endocrine), and that cholecalciferol is the parent compound used as necessary by all body tissues (paracrine/endocrine) or it's direct conversions, on an as need basis and the best way to raise the testing 25OHD3 is to do so by supplementing with cholecalciferol in amounts that allow for its full body use, and eventual rise in serum,, though technically obligated to the endocrine feedback, it is what we use, and proper testing then would logically entail the serum calcium, iPTH and 25OHD to see on an individual basis how that system is working and supplement appropriately based on physiologic doses by weight, in addition, this simple testing helps to find and address the most common disorder not recognized as common but for being missed and misdiagnosed, primary HPTD.
In short, I love this paper.
I just wanted to let you authors know, and if possible, I would love to hear back from you. I would feel so privileged if you read some of my writings on explaining vitamin d.
I am on facebook (no snickers.. please LOL)
It is a good platform, social media, called All things D, deficiency, education, research,
and another called Understanding Vitamin D Deficiency
I try my best to explain these important concepts using foundational research,
Thank you
Fay Louise Danel
faylouilou@gmail.com