Fig. 7
From: Age-dependent VDR peak DNA methylation as a mechanism for latitude-dependent multiple sclerosis risk
Macrophage images adapted from [26]
A potential mechanism for the development of autoimmune disease risk dependent on early life vitamin D exposure. Decreased VDR binding site methylation in early life increases phenotypic plasticity and susceptibility to vitamin D exposure. Because tissue macrophages persist for months to years, phenotypic settings resulting from vitamin D exposure in early life may lead to a tolerogenic or autoimmune propensity in later life.