International Journal of Molecular Sciences

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Special Issue Editor

Dr. Anargyros N. Moulas

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Guest Editor

General Department, University of Thessaly, 41500 Larisa, Greece
Interests: molecular biology; metabolism; nutrition; cell culture; liquid chromatography; apoptosis

Special Issue Information

Dear Colleagues,

This Special Issue is dedicated to ‘’Vitamins in Human Health and Disease’’. Vitamins are involved in fundamental functions of the human body such as metabolism, growth, reproduction, immune function, maintaining homeostasis, blood formation and clotting, nutrient absorption and protection from oxidative stress, just to name a few. Vitamins are necessary for maintaining health and for disease prevention and in several cases, they can contribute to treatment. Deficiencies of vitamins can cause malfunctions and diseases; thus, vitamin intake is of utmost importance.

Exciting new research is being conducted in the field of vitamins. In this Special Issue, we focus on the role of vitamins in health and disease. In health, the role of vitamins will be discussed in relation to physiological mechanisms, physiology, defense and metabolism. In disease, the role of vitamins can be examined in relation to disease in defense, pathogenesis, progression, etiology, evolution or treatment and recovery.

Overall, submissions that explore one of the above topics and articles on both fat- and water-soluble vitamins are welcome for submission. We are looking forward to receive your contributions and research.

Dr. Anargyros N. Moulas
Guest Editor

Manuscript Submission Information

Manuscripts should be submitted online at www.mdpi.com by registering and logging in to this website. Once you are registered, click here to go to the submission form. Manuscripts can be submitted until the deadline. All submissions that pass pre-check are peer-reviewed. Accepted papers will be published continuously in the journal (as soon as accepted) and will be listed together on the special issue website. Research articles, review articles as well as short communications are invited. For planned papers, a title and short abstract (about 100 words) can be sent to the Editorial Office for announcement on this website.

Submitted manuscripts should not have been published previously, nor be under consideration for publication elsewhere (except conference proceedings papers). All manuscripts are thoroughly refereed through a single-blind peer-review process. A guide for authors and other relevant information for submission of manuscripts is available on the Instructions for Authors page. International Journal of Molecular Sciences is an international peer-reviewed open access semimonthly journal published by MDPI.

Please visit the Instructions for Authors page before submitting a manuscript. There is an Article Processing Charge (APC) for publication in this open access journal. For details about the APC please see here. Submitted papers should be well formatted and use good English. Authors may use MDPI's English editing service prior to publication or during author revisions.

Keywords

vitamins
vitamin deficiency
vitamin supplementation
essential micronutrient
immune responses
metabolic disease
bone metabolism
oxidative stress

Published Papers (2 papers)

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Research

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10 pages, 553 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Vitamin D Status Modestly Regulates NOD-Like Receptor Family with a Pyrin Domain 3 Inflammasome and Interleukin Profiles among Arab Adults

by Sobhy M. Yakout, Hend Alfadul, Mohammed G. A. Ansari, Malak N. K. Khattak and Nasser M. Al-Daghri

Int. J. Mol. Sci. 2023, 24(22), 16377; https://doi.org/10.3390/ijms242216377 - 15 Nov 2023

Viewed by 763

Abstract

Vitamin D (VD) deficiency has been associated with inflammation and dysregulation of the immune system. The NLRP3 inflammasome, a critical immune response component, plays a pivotal role in developing inflammatory diseases. VD hinders NLRP3 inflammasome activation and thus exerts anti-inflammatory effects. This study aimed to analyze the effect of VD deficiency on circulating levels of NLRP3 inflammasomes (NLRP3 and caspase–1) and associated interleukins (IL–1α, IL–1β, IL–18, IL–33 and IL–37) in Saudi adults. Methods: A total of 338 Saudi adults (128 males and 210 females) (mean age = 41.2 ± 9.1 years and mean BMI 31.2 ± 6.5 kg/m²) were included. Overnight-fasting serum samples were collected. Participants were stratified according to their VD status. Serum levels of NLRP3 inflammasomes and interleukins of interest were assessed using commercially available immuno-assays. Individuals with VD deficiency had significantly lower mean 25(OH)D levels than those with a normal VD status (29.3 nmol/L vs. 74.2 nmol/L, p < 0.001). The NLRP3 levels were higher in the VD-deficient group than their VD-sufficient counterparts (0.18 vs. 0.16, p = 0.01). Significant inverse associations were observed between NLRP3 levels with age (r = −0.20, p = 0.003) and BMI (r = −0.17, p = 0.01). Stepwise regression analysis identified insulin (β = 0.38, p = 0.005) and NLRP3 (β = −1.33, p = 0.03) as significant predictors of VD status, explaining 18.3% of the variance. The findings suggest that the VD status modestly regulates NLRP3 inflammasome and interleukin activities. This may provide novel insights into the pathogenesis and management of inflammatory disorders. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Vitamins in Human Health and Disease: Molecular Mechanisms and Biological Function)

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Review

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34 pages, 3346 KiB

Open AccessReview

Vitamin A, D, E, and K as Matrix Metalloproteinase-2/9 Regulators That Affect Expression and Enzymatic Activity

by Ha Vy Thi Vo, Yen Thi Nguyen, Namdoo Kim and Hyuck Jin Lee

Int. J. Mol. Sci. 2023, 24(23), 17038; https://doi.org/10.3390/ijms242317038 - 1 Dec 2023

Cited by 3 | Viewed by 2018

Abstract

Fat-soluble vitamins (vitamin A, D, E, and K) assume a pivotal role in maintaining human homeostasis by virtue of their enzymatic functions. The daily inclusion of these vitamins is imperative to the upkeep of various physiological processes including vision, bone health, immunity, and protection against oxidative stress. Current research highlights fat-soluble vitamins as potential therapeutics for human diseases, especially cancer. Fat-soluble vitamins exert their therapeutic effects through multiple pathways, including regulation of matrix metalloproteinases’ (MMPs) expression and enzymatic activity. As MMPs have been reported to be involved in the pathology of various diseases, such as cancers, cardiovascular diseases, and neurological disorders, regulating the expression and/or activity of MMPs could be considered as a potent therapeutic strategy. Here, we summarize the properties of fat-soluble vitamins and their potential as promising candidates capable of effectively modulating MMPs through multiple pathways to treat human diseases. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Vitamins in Human Health and Disease: Molecular Mechanisms and Biological Function)

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