An in silico model of the effects of vitamin D3 on mycobacterium infected macrophage.

Mycobacterium tuberculosis is a global health concern, causing over one million deaths a year. Alveolar macrophages, as the primary host cell of this intracellular bacterium, play an important role in the course of disease. Vitamin D3 is known to have a potent effect on macrophage behavior during infection, modulating the production of pro- and anti-inflammatory cytokines and immune effector molecules. In a vitamin D3 deficient host, the immune systems response to infection is greatly impaired. We used a quantitative systems biology approach to model the intracellular effects of vitamin D3 and compared our simulation output to our in vitro model of mycobacterium infection of macrophages in the presence and absence of Vitamin D3. Our in silico model results agreed with the in vitro assay results of interleukin-10, an anti-inflammatory protein whose production is known to be influenced by vitamin D3. This model will provide a platform for further investigation of the effects of vitamin D3 deficiency on host immune response to infection.