[The mechanism and research progress of vitamin A in the prevention and treatment of atopic dermatitis in children].

Atopic dermatitis (AD) is a chronic, recurrent, inflammatory, and pruritic skin disease associated with genetic predisposition to allergies. As one of the most common chronic allergic diseases in children, the global incidence of AD has been on the rise in recent years, imposing a significant burden on the quality of life of affected children and the economic status of their families. Vitamin A, as an essential fat-soluble vitamin, not only participates in the visual cycle and maintains epithelial homeostasis but also plays a crucial role in the immune regulation of allergic diseases such as AD. Vitamin A deficiency exacerbates the progression of AD by enhancing type 2 helper T (Th2)-mediated inflammatory responses and mast cell activation, whereas exogenous vitamin A supplementation exerts a protective effect in the early stage of the disease. Vitamin A and its metabolites exert anti-inflammatory effects through multiple mechanisms: regulating mast cell; remodeling natural killer (NK) cell; inducing T cell differentiation; modulating the differentiation and function of innate lymphoid cell (ILC) and regulating the gut microbiota. In summary, vitamin A participates in AD-related immune regulation through multiple pathways, holding significant basic research value and promising clinical application prospects. This review will systematically summarize the role of vitamin A in the pathogenesis of AD and its potential therapeutic value.