The Vitamin D-Antimicrobial Peptide Axis in Host Defense Against Parasitic Infections, with a Focus on Protozoa
Akimbekov N.S. Sakhanova S.K. Tastambek K.T. Turaliyeva M. Sherelkhan D.K.
February 2026Engineered Science Publisher
Engineered Science
2026#40
Parasitic diseases, especially those caused by protozoa, continue to pose a significant global health challenge, further exacerbated by rising drug resistance and limited vaccine availability. Concurrently, vitamin D has been identified as a critical immunomodulator influencing both innate and adaptive immune responses, partly through the regulation of antimicrobial peptides (AMPs) such as cathelicidin (LL‑37) and specific defensins in immune and epithelial cells. This review evaluates the “vitamin D–AMP axis” as a potential mechanism of host defense against parasitic infections, with a particular focus on protozoan pathogens. The review first outlines vitamin D metabolism, vitamin D receptor (VDR) signaling, and the molecular mechanisms underlying AMP induction. It then summarizes AMP families, their regulatory pathways, and their direct as well as immunomodulatory antiparasitic activities. Subsequently, the available evidence regarding the vitamin D–AMP axis in specific infections, including Leishmania, Plasmodium, Toxoplasma gondii, Cryptosporidium parvum, Giardia duodenalis, and Entamoeba histolytica, is synthesized. Mechanistic evidence is most robust for Leishmania, where VDR-dependent cathelicidin facilitates macrophage-mediated parasite control and is actively targeted by parasite evasion strategies. In contrast, evidence for other protozoan infections is primarily associative or inferential. Finally, the review addresses clinical and translational implications, including the potential of vitamin D as a host-directed adjunct and the development of AMP-based therapeutics.
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Scientific-Practical Center, West Kazakhstan Marat Ospanov Medical University, 68 Maresyev Street,, Aktobe, 030019, Kazakhstan
International Center for Islamic Science and Innovation, Al-Farabi Kazakh National University, 71 Al-Farabi Avenue,, Almaty, 050040, Kazakhstan
Ecology Research Institute, Khoja Akhmet Yassawi International Kazakh-Turkish University, 29 Sattarhanov street,, Turkistan, 161200, Kazakhstan
Department of Biotechnology, M. Auezov South Kazakhstan University, Shymkent, 160012, Kazakhstan
Scientific-Practical Center
International Center for Islamic Science and Innovation
Ecology Research Institute
Department of Biotechnology
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