Margherita T Cantorna, Ph.D.
- Distinguished Professor of Molecular Immunology
Shortlidge Road
University Park, PA 16802
- Email mxc69@psu.edu
- Office 814-863-2819
Areas of Expertise
- Host resistance to infection
- Immune-mediated diseases: multiple sclerosis, and inflammatory bowel disease
- T cells
- Gastrointestinal microbiota; Gnotobiotics
- Vitamins A & D regulation of immune function
- Edible mushrooms
- Selenium
Websites
Education
- Postdoctoral Fellow in Biochemistry, University of Wisconsin-Madison
- PhD in Immunology, University of Wisconsin-Madison
- BS in Chemistry, University of Illinois-Urbana
Graduate Programs
- Pathobiology
- Immunology and Infectious Disease Emphasis Area, MCIBS
Research
Vitamin D Regulation of the Immune System
The classic functions of vitamin D are in the regulation of bone remodeling and calcium homeostasis. The identification of vitamin D receptors in cells of the immune system sparked the early interest in vitamin D as an immune system regulator. Anecdotal data suggests a link between vitamin D status and the human autoimmune disease multiple sclerosis (MS). Experimentally, vitamin D deficiency exacerbates experimental autoimmune encephalomyelitis (EAE) an animal model of MS. Conversely, vitamin D supplementation prevents and ameliorates symptoms of EAE. The overall goal of the laboratory is to identify and characterize the cellular and molecular targets of vitamin D in the immune system and to therefore understand why vitamin D treatments are effective in EAE. In addition we are interested in identifying other diseases/conditions which might be affected by vitamin D status.
Nutritional control of host resistance to infection
Vitamin A and vitamin D regulate T cells. Experiments utilize an infection in mice that resembles human infections with enterophathogenic Escherica coli. Experiments determine the targets of vitamin A or vitamin D as regulators of the mucosal immune response to infection. Vitamin A deficient and vitamin D deficient mice are highly susceptible to infection of the gastrointestinal tract. In addition, the bacterial microbiota in the gut is regulated by vitamin A and vitamin D. Mechanisms to explain the effects of these nutrients on host resistance are the focus of this work.
Vitamin D status and inflammatory bowel disease
Inflammatory bowel diseases (IBDs) are immune mediated diseases of unknown etiology affecting the gastrointestinal tract. There are several factors, which suggest that vitamin D status and IBD are linked. The first is the geographical distribution of IBD. IBD is most prevalent in northern climates such as North America and Northern Europe . A major source of vitamin D is from its manufacture via a photolysis reaction in the skin and vitamin D synthesis from sunlight exposure is significantly less in northern climates. The second factor, which links vitamin D and IBD, is diet. Weight loss and vitamin D deficiency occurs in 65-75% of patients diagnosed with IBD. Whether vitamin D deficiency is a cause or an effect of IBD development is not known. We hypothesize and are presently in the process of determining whether vitamin D deficiency will exacerbate experimental IBD and whether supplementation with vitamin D will ameliorate symptoms of IBD.
Publications
Publications
Two lineages of immune cells that differentially express the vitamin D receptor
Journal of Steroid Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Cantorna, Margherita T., Arora, Juhi, 2023
Highlights from the 24th workshop on vitamin D in Austin, September 2022
Journal of Steroid Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Meyer, Mark B., Bernal-Mizrachi, Carlos, Bikle, Daniel D., Biyani, Madhu, Campbell, Moray J., Chaudhari, Snehal N., Christakos, Sylvia, Ingles, Sue A., Knuth, Megan M., Lee, Seong Min, Lisse, Thomas S., Liu, Eva S., Piec, Isabelle, Plum, Lori A., Rao, Sudhaker D., Reynolds, Carmen J., Thacher, Tom D., White, John H., Cantorna, Margherita T., 2023
Vitamin D, microbiota, and inflammatory bowel disease, Cantorna, Margherita T., Arora, Juhi, 2023
Vitamin D for COVID-19: where are we now?
Nature Reviews Immunology, Martineau, Adrian R., Cantorna, Margherita T., 2022
Novel insight into the role of the vitamin D receptor in the development and function of the immune system
Journal of Steroid Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Arora, Juhi, Wang, Jinpeng, Weaver, Veronika, Zhang, Yongwei, Cantorna, Margherita T., 2022
Vitamin D and the Ability to Produce 1,25(OH)2D Are Critical for Protection from Viral Infection of the Lungs
Nutrients, Arora, Juhi, Patel, Devanshi, Nicol, McKayla, Field, Cassandra, Restori, Katherine, Wang, Jinpeng, Froelich, Nicole, Katkere, Bhuvana, Terwilliger, Josey, Weaver, Veronika, others, None, Luley, Erin, Kelly, Kathleen, Kirimanjeswara, Girish S., Sutton, Troy, Cantorna, Margherita T., 2022
CCL27 is a crucial regulator of immune homeostasis of the skin and mucosal tissues
iScience, Davila, Micha, Xu, Ming, Huang, Chengyu, Gaddes, Erin, Winter, Levi, Cantorna, Margherita, Wang, Yong, Xiong, N, 2022
Transcriptional Profiling of the Small Intestine and the Colon Reveals Modulation of Gut Infection with Citrobacter rodentium According to the Vitamin A Status
Nutrients, Chai, Zhi, Lyu, Yafei, Chen, Q, Wei, Cheng-Hsin, Snyder, Lindsay, Snyder, I.M., Weaver, Veronika, Sebastian, Aswathy, Albert, Istv\'an, None, Albert, István, Li, Qunhua, Cantorna, Margherita, Ross, A, Ross, Catharine, others, None, 2022
RNAseq studies reveal distinct transcriptional response to vitamin A deficiency in small intestine versus colon, uncovering novel vitamin A-regulated genes
Nutrition Reports International, Chai, Zhi, Lyu, Yafei, Chen, Qiuyan, Wei, Cheng Hsin, Snyder, Lindsay M., Weaver, Veronika, Sebastian, Aswathy, Albert, István, Li, Qunhua, Cantorna, Margherita T., Ross, A. Catharine, 2021
Redefining the targets of the vitamin D receptor (VDR) utilizing a novel VDR reporter mouse.
The Journal of Immunology, Arora, Juhi, Cantorna, Margherita, 2021
Retinoid Signaling in Intestinal Epithelial Cells Is Essential for Early Survival From Gastrointestinal Infection
Frontiers in Immunology, Snyder, Lindsay M., Arora, Juhi, Kennett, Mary J., Weaver, Veronika, Cantorna, Margherita T., 2020
Highlights from the 22nd workshop on vitamin D in New York City, May 2019
Journal of Steroid Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Fleet, James C., Bernal-Mizrachi, Carlos, Hewison, Martin, Jorde, Rolf, White, John, Cantorna, Margherita, Schoenmakers, Inez, Erben, Reinhold, 2020
Aligning the Paradoxical Role of Vitamin D in Gastrointestinal Immunity
Trends in Endocrinology and Metabolism, Cantorna, Margherita T., Rogers, Connie J., Arora, Juhi, 2019
Vitamin A and vitamin D regulate the microbial complexity, barrier function, and the mucosal immune responses to ensure intestinal homeostasis
Critical Reviews in Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Cantorna, Margherita T., Snyder, Lindsay, Arora, Juhi, 2019
Vitamin D is required for ILC3 derived IL-22 and protection from Citrobacter rodentium infection
Frontiers in Immunology, Lin, Yang-Ding, Arora, Juhi, Diehl, Kevin, Bora, Stephanie, Cantorna, Margherita T., 2019
Retinoic acid mediated clearance of Citrobacter rodentium in vitamin A deficient mice requires CD11b+ and T cells
Frontiers in Immunology, Snyder, Lindsay M., McDaniel, Kaitlin L., Tian, Yuan, Wei, Cheng Hsin, Kennett, Mary J., Patterson, Andrew D., Catharine Ross, A., Cantorna, Margherita T., 2019
Isolation and Identification of Aryl Hydrocarbon Receptor Modulators in White Button Mushrooms (Agaricus bisporus)
Journal of Agricultural and Food Chemistry, Tian, Yuan, Gui, Wei, Smith, Philip B., Koo, Imhoi, Murray, Iain A., Cantorna, Margherita, Perdew, Gary H., Patterson, Andrew D., 2019
RNAseq Studies Reveal Distinct Transcriptional Response to Vitamin a (VA) Deficiency in Small Intestine (SI) versus Colon, Discovering Novel VA-regulated Genes (P15-002-19).
Current developments in nutrition, Chai, Zhi, Lyu, Yafei, Chen, Q, Wei, Cheng-Hsin, Snyder, Lindsay, Weaver, Veronika, Li, Q, Cantorna, Margherita, Ross, A Catharine, None, Ross, A., 2019
Vitamin D Regulates the Microbiota to Control the Numbers of RORγt/FoxP3+ Regulatory T Cells in the Colon
Frontiers in Immunology, Cantorna, Margherita T., Lin, Yang Ding, Arora, Juhi, Bora, Stephanie, Tian, Yuan, Nichols, Robert G., Patterson, Andrew D., 2019
Neuroprotective role of the ron receptor tyrosine kinase underlying central nervous system inflammation in health and disease
Frontiers in Immunology, Dey, A, Allen, J, Fraser, J, Snyder, L, Tian, Yuan, Zhang, L, Paulson, Robert, Patterson, Andrew, Cantorna, Margherita T., Hankey-Giblin, Pamela A., 2018
Regulation of vitamin D metabolism following disruption of the microbiota using broad spectrum antibiotics
Nutrition Reports International, Bora, Stephanie, Kennett, M, Smith, P, Patterson, A, Cantorna, Margherita, 2018
The gut microbiota regulates endocrine vitamin D metabolism through fibroblast growth factor 23
Frontiers in Immunology, Bora, Stephanie, Kennett, M, Smith, Philip B., Patterson, Andrew D., Cantorna, Margherita, 2018
Vitamin A deficiency in mice alters host and gut microbial metabolism leading to altered energy homeostasis
Nutrition Reports International, Tian, Y, Nichols, R, Cai, Jingwei, Patterson, A, Cantorna, Margherita, 2018
Prebiotic effects of white button mushroom (Agaricus bisporus) feeding on succinate and intestinal gluconeogenesis in C57BL/6 mice
Journal of Functional Foods, Tian, Yuan, Nichols, Robert G., Roy, Pratiti, Gui, Wei, Smith, Philip B., Zhang, Jingtao, Lin, Yangding, Weaver, Veronika, Cai, Jingwei, Patterson, Andrew D., Cantorna, Margherita T., 2018
Vitamin D and Inflammatory Bowel Disease, Cantorna, Margherita, Bruce, Danny, 2017
Comment on "diet-derived short chain fatty acids stimulate intestinal epithelial cells to induce mucosal tolerogenic dendritic cells"
Journal of Immunology, Cantorna, Margherita T., 2017
Control of circulating IgE by the Vitamin D receptor in vivo involves B cell intrinsic and extrinsic mechanisms
Journal of Immunology, James, Jamaal, Weaver, Veronika, Cantorna, Margherita T., 2017
The Ron receptor tyrosine kinase plays a protective role in the development of CNS inflammation during health and disease states
The Journal of Immunology, Dey, Adwitia, Allen, Joselyn, Fraser, James, Snyder, Lindsay, Cantorna, Margherita, Paulson, R, Hankey-Giblin, Pamela, 2017
The role of UVR and Vitamin D on T cells and inflammatory bowel disease
Photochemical and Photobiological Sciences, Bora, Stephanie, Cantorna, Margherita T., 2017
IBD: Vitamin D and IBD: Moving towards clinical trials
Nature Reviews Gastroenterology and Hepatology, Cantorna, Margherita Teresa-Anna, 2016
Vitamin D and lung infection
Infection and Immunity, Cantorna, Margherita T., 2016
Vitamin D deficiency results in fewer innate lymphoid cells and severe infection with Citrobacter rodentium.
The Journal of Immunology, Lin, Yang-Ding, Cantorna, Margherita, 2016
Vitamin D and 1,25(OH)2D regulation of T cells
Nutrients, Cantorna, Margherita T., Snyder, Lindsay, Lin, Yang Ding, Yang, Linlin, 2015
NKT cells can help mediate the protective effects of 1,25-dihydroxyvitamin D3 in experimental autoimmune encephalomyelitis in mice
International Immunology, Waddell, Amanda, Zhao, Jun, Cantorna, Margherita T., 2015
Vitamin A-deficient hosts become nonsymptomatic reservoirs of Escherichia coli-like enteric infections
Infection and Immunity, McDaniel, K, Restori, Katherine, Dodds, Jeffery W., Kennett, M, Ross, A. Catharine, Cantornaa, Margherita T., Cantorna, M, 2015
B cell intrinsic effects of the vitamin D receptor on IgE responses.(IRC10P. 417)
The Journal of Immunology, James, Jamaal, Cantorna, Margherita, 2015
Dysbiosis caused by vitamin D receptor deficiency confers colonization resistance to Citrobacter rodentium through modulation of innate lymphoid cells
Mucosal Immunology, Chen, Jing, Waddell, Amanda, Lin, Yang-Ding, Cantorna, Margherita, 2015
Host vitamin D status is dependent on the microbiota.(MUC9P. 747)
The Journal of Immunology, Bora, Stephanie, Smith, P, Patterson, A, Cantorna, Margherita, 2015
Vitamin A deficiency creates persistent shedding of Citrobacter rodentium and potential reservoirs for the spread of enteric pathogens (MUC5P. 755)
The Journal of Immunology, McDaniel, Kaitlin, Restori, K, Dodds, J, Kennett, M, Ross, A, Cantorna, Margherita, 2015
Prepregnancy maternal vitamin d deficiency and placental development in mice
Placenta, Gernand, A, Cantorna, Margherita, Diaz, Francisco, Snyder, Lindsay, Hester, James, Vasudevan, Sreelakshmi, Kamat, Manasi, Ott, T, 2015
Vitamin D, immune regulation, the microbiota, and inflammatory bowel disease
Experimental Biology and Medicine, Cantorna, Margherita T., McDaniel, Kaitlin, Bora, Stephanie, Chen, Jing, James, Jamaal, 2014
Crucial role of macrophage selenoproteins in experimental colitis
Journal of Immunology, Kaushal, Naveen, Kudva, Avinash K., Patterson, Andrew D., Chiaro, Christopher, Kennett, Mary J., Desai, Dhimant, Amin, Shantu, Carlson, Bradley A., Cantorna, Margherita T., Prabhu, K. Sandeep, 2014
Vitamin D inhibits the occurrence of experimental cerebral malaria in mice by suppressing the host inflammatory response
Journal of Immunology, He, Xiyue, Yan, Juan, Zhu, Xiaotong, Wang, Qinghui, Pang, Wei, Qi, Zanmei, Wang, Meilian, Luo, Enjie, Parker, Daniel M., Cantorna, Margherita T., Cui, Liwang, Cao, Yaming, 2014
Streptococcus pneumoniae-induced pneumonia and citrobacter rodentium-induced gut infection differentially alter vitamin A concentrations in the lung and liver of mice
Journal of Nutrition, Restori, Katherine, McDaniel, K, Wray, A, Cantorna, Margherita T., Ross, A. Catharine, 2014
Mushrooms and health summit proceedings
Journal of Nutrition, Feeney, Mary Jo, Dwyer, Johanna, Hasler-Lewis, Clare M., Milner, John A., Noakes, Manny, Rowe, Sylvia, Wach, Mark, Beelman, Robert B., Caldwell, Joe, Cantorna, Margherita T., Castlebury, Lisa A., Chang, Shu Ting, Cheskin, Lawrence J., Clemens, Roger, Drescher, Greg, Fulgoni, Victor L., Haytowitz, David B., Hubbard, Van S., Law, David, Miller, Amy Myrdal, Minor, Bart, Percival, Susan S., Riscuta, Gabriela, Schneeman, Barbara, Thornsbury, Suzanne, Toner, Cheryl D., Woteki, Catherine E., Wu, Dayong, 2014
Dominant effects of the diet on the microbiome and the local and systemic immune response in mice
PLoS One, Ooi, Jot, Waddell, Amanda, Lin, Yang-Ding, Albert, Istvan, Rust, Laura, Holden, Victoria, Cantorna, Margherita, 2014
Metabolomics reveals the impact of vitamin D on the microbiome (MUC4P. 856)
The Journal of Immunology, Bora, Stephanie, Ooi, Jot, Smith, P, Patterson, A, Cantorna, Margherita, 2014
The vitamin D receptor turns off chronically activated T cells
Annals of the New York Academy of Sciences, Cantorna, Margherita, Waddell, Amanda, 2014
Vitamin A deficient mice have a decreased ability to clear the enteric pathogen, Citrobacter rodentium and increased mortality during infection (MUC4P. 851)
The Journal of Immunology, McDaniel, Kaitlin, Restori, K, Kennett, M, Ross, A, Cantorna, Margherita, 2014
Vitamin D receptor expression controls proliferation of naïve CD8+ T cells and development of CD8 mediated gastrointestinal inflammation
BMC Immunology, Chen, Jing, Bruce, Danny, Cantorna, Margherita, 2014
Murine CD8+ T cells but not macrophages express the vitamin D 1α-hydroxylase
Nutrition Reports International, Ooi, Jot Hui, McDaniel, Kaitlin L., Weaver, Veronika, Cantorna, Margherita T., 2014
