Abstract Text: Multiple sclerosis (MS) is a chronic inflammatory disease of the central nervous system resulting from a complex interaction between genetic predisposition and environment. Among the latter, vitamin D deficiency is significantly correlated with increased MS risk and severity. However, whether vitamin D supplementation is able to improve MS is still debated. Herein, we analyzed the effect of vitamin D supplementation on the proportion of T cells and their phenotype in a small cohort of patients with CIS supplemented by either high dose cholecalciferol (100,000UI every 14 days, n=6) or placebo (n=6) for 3 months (D-lay MS clinical trial, NCT01817166). Unsupervised analyses showed a significant increase in the proportion of effector T cells in the vitamin D-treated group. Phenotypic changes could also be observed notably in adhesion molecules between the two groups. These preliminary data suggest a modulatory effect of Vitamin D on the phenotype and proportion of T cells in patients in CIS. Longer follow up of these patients will reveal whether these changes are related to clinical benefits.
This work is funded by the ARSEP foundation and the Agence Nationale de la Recherche (ANR - 19 - CE14 - 0043).
