Higher vitamin A levels were associated with better lung function in children and adults with asthma, while adequate vitamin D levels were linked to better lung function and slower epigenetic aging in adults. Researchers analyzed two asthma cohorts involving 1,165 children and 1,041 adults, measuring vitamin A and D levels alongside lung function, DNA methylation, and microRNA (miRNA) profiles. In children, higher vitamin A was associated with higher FEV1 and FVC, whereas vitamin D showed no significant association with lung function. In adults, both vitamins A and D were positively associated with FEV1 and FVC, and vitamin D sufficiency was associated with lower epigenetic aging. Higher vitamin levels were also linked to reduced methylation of regulatory sites in the immune-related gene IRF5, which corresponded to better lung function and lower biological aging. Distinct vitamin-related miRNAs were identified, with shared targets involved in immune regulation and cell-cycle pathways. Mediation analyses suggested that DNA methylation and miRNA regulation partially explained the beneficial associations between vitamin status, lung function, and aging in asthma. Source: https://thorax.bmj.com/
