Copyright: ©Author(s) 2026. This article is an open access article distributed under the terms and conditions of the Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial (CC BY-NC 4.0) license. No commercial re-use. See permissions. Published by Baishideng Publishing Group Inc.
World J Gastroenterol. Apr 21, 2026; 32(15): 115533
Published online Apr 21, 2026. doi: 10.3748/wjg.v32.i15.115533
Published online Apr 21, 2026. doi: 10.3748/wjg.v32.i15.115533
Vitamin D, vitamin D receptor gene polymorphisms, and inflammatory bowel disease outcomes: From molecular mechanisms to clinical application
Beatriz Gabriela Costa, Ryan Nunes Yoshio Yoshihara, Amanda Luísa Spiller, Natalia Salvador Castelhano, Júlio Pinheiro Baima, Ligia Yukie Sassaki, Department of Internal Medicine, Medical School, São Paulo State University (UNESP), Botucatu 18618-686, São Paulo, Brazil
Andrey Santos, Department of Internal Medicine, School of Medical Sciences, University of Campinas (UNICAMP), Campinas 13083-887, São Paulo, Brazil
Marcello Imbrizi, Daniéla Oliveira Magro, Division of Gastroenterology, School of Medical Sciences, University of Campinas (UNICAMP), Campinas 13083-970, São Paulo, Brazil
Maiara Brusco De Freitas, Center for Molecular Prediction of Inflammatory Bowel Disease, Department of Clinical Medicine, Aalborg University, Copenhagen 2450, Denmark
Author contributions: Costa BG, Yoshihara RNY, Spiller AL, Castelhano NS, Santos A, Baima JP, Imbrizi M, De Freitas MB, Magro DO, and Sassaki LY contributed equally to the conception and design of the article, writing, and editing of the manuscript, and review of the literature. All the authors approved the final version of the article to be published.
Conflict-of-interest statement: All the authors report no relevant conflicts of interest for this article.
Corresponding author: Ligia Yukie Sassaki, MD, PhD, Assistant Professor, Researcher, Department of Internal Medicine, Medical School, São Paulo State University (UNESP), Avenida Professor Montenegro, Distrito de Rubiao Junior, Botucatu 18618-686, São Paulo, Brazil. ligia.sassaki@unesp.br
Received: October 20, 2025
Revised: October 30, 2025
Accepted: February 2, 2026
Published online: April 21, 2026
Processing time: 178 Days and 13.2 Hours
Revised: October 30, 2025
Accepted: February 2, 2026
Published online: April 21, 2026
Processing time: 178 Days and 13.2 Hours
Core Tip
Core Tip: Vitamin D is essential in the pathogenesis and managing inflammatory bowel diseases. In addition to its classical bone metabolism function, vitamin D modulates intestinal epithelial integrity and immune responses. Genetic polymorphisms in the vitamin D receptor may influence disease activity and treatment outcomes. This minireview emphasizes the need for routine assessment of vitamin D status and consideration of vitamin D receptor genetic variants in personalized therapeutic strategies for inflammatory bowel diseases, especially in patients receiving immunosuppressive or biologic therapies.