Analysis of the Response of Subjects with Atopic Dermatitis to Oral Vitamin D3 by Measurement of Antimicrobial Peptide Expression in Skin and Saliva (CATH 03)

The goal of the Atopic Dermatitis Vaccinia Network (ADVN) is to research methods for preventing atopic dermatitis (AD) patients from contracting eczema vaccinatum (EV), a potentially fatal complication of smallpox vaccinations. A critical host defense defect uncovered in patients with AD is their apparent relative lack of expression of antimicrobial peptides (AMPs), specifically cathelicidins, under inflammatory conditions. AMPs are important effectors and triggers in the innate immune system, and the lack of expression in AD patients could be a key component in their susceptibility to EV. This study will examine whether or not administration of oral Vitamin D3 given over 21 days will change the AMP expression in the skin or saliva of AD subjects and healthy controls.