The effects of serum levels, and alterations in the genes of binding protein and receptor of vitamin D on gastric cancer

Vitamin D and gastric cancer - A systematic review and meta-analysis

Introduction

Objective: to explore the association between serum vitamin D level and the occurrence and pathological grade of gastric cancer. Material a nd methods: search PubMed, Embase, Web of Science, Cochrane and Chinese database; all articles about the association between serum vitamin D levels and gastric cancer published before July 2021. Results: 10 trials with 1159 cases of gastric cancer patients and 33,387 cases of regular control patients were analyzed. The serum vitamin D level of the gastric cancer group (15.56 ± 7.46 ng/ml) was lower than in the control group (17.60 ± 1.61 ng/ml), and the difference was statistically significant. The patients with gastric cancer, clinical stage III/IV (16.19 ± 8.04 ng/ml) had lower vitamin D levels than those with stage I/II (19.61 ± 9.61 ng/ml), and the patients with low differentiation of gastric cancer (17.5 ± 9.5 ng/ml) had lower levels than those with well- or moderately-differentiated cancer (18.04 ± 7.92 ng/ml). The patients with lymph node metastasis (19.41 ± 8.63 ng/ml) had lower vitamin D levels than the patients without lymph node metastasis (20.65 ± 7.96 ng/ml), and the difference was statistically significant. Conclusion: vitamin D levels were negatively associated with gastric cancer. Vitamin D levels were significantly associated with different clinical stages, degrees of differentiation, and lymph node metastasis, suggesting that low vitamin D levels might predict poor prognosis in gastric cancer.

VDR, SOD-2, and CYP24A1 Gene Expression in Different Genotypes of BsmI SNP of the Vitamin D Receptor Gene in Individuals with Hypovitaminosis

BACKGROUND

Hypovitaminosis D is a public health problem due to its implications for various diseases. Vitamin D has numerous functions, such as modulating the metabolism of cellular tissues, and it is expressed through the vitamin D receptor (VDR) gene that may influence gene expression modulation, which plays an important role in vitamin D metabolism.

OBJECTIVE

To evaluate the effect of the genotypes of BsmI single nucleotide polymorphism (SNP) of the VDR gene on VDR, SOD2, and CYP24A1 gene expression in individuals with low serum vitamin D levels.

METHODS

This was a cross-sectional analytical study. After signing the informed consent form, individuals were invited to participate and answered a structured questionnaire with identification data. Blood was collected for biochemical analysis, and vitamin D was measured by chemiluminescence; BsmI polymorphism was determined using real-time polymerase chain reaction (PCR) assays with TaqMan allelic discrimination, and gene expression was conducted by qRT-PCR using QuantiFast SYBR® Green PCR Master Mix. Data were analyzed using the SPSS 20.0 software, and differences were considered significant at p < 0.05.

RESULTS

98 individuals with vitamin D ≤ 20 ng/dL were evaluated, and the BsmI SNP of the VDR gene showed CYP24A1 overexpression and low SOD2 expression.

CONCLUSION

BsmI SNP of the VDR gene can modulate the expression of the genes evaluated without interfering with serum levels.

Correlation between Serum 25-Hydroxyvitamin D Levels and Gastric Cancer: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis

The purpose of this meta-analysis was to evaluate the relationship between serum 25-hydroxyvitamin D[25(OH)D] levels and gastric cancer. PubMed, Embase, Cochrane Library, Web of Science, The China Academic Journals full-text database, Wanfang Database of Chinese Academic Journals, VIP Chinese Science and Technology Periodicals database, and Chinese Biomedical Literature database were systematically searched. Case-control studies on the correlation between serum 25-hydroxyvitamin D levels and gastric cancer were retrieved, and the data extracted were analyzed. The results of 9 case-control studies containing 671 patients showed that serum 25(OH)D levels in the gastric cancer group were lower than those in the control group (weighted mean difference (WMD) = -8.90, 95% confidence interval (CI): -11.5, -6.32, p < 0.01); the risk of vitamin D deficiency in the gastric cancer group was higher than that in the control group (Odds ratio = 3.09, 95% CI: 1.96, 4.87, p < 0.01). The serum 25(OH)D levels in patients with well and moderately differentiated gastric cancer were higher than those in patients with poorly differentiated gastric cancer (WMD = -3.58, 95% CI: -6.41, -0.74, p = 0.01). Thus, low levels of vitamin D may increase the risk of gastric cancer. Systematic review registration: PROSPERO CRD42022327942.

Vitamin D intake and gastric cancer in Viet Nam: a case-control study

Background

Most recent laboratory studies have suggested a promising role of vitamin D and its analogs as novel chemotherapeutic agents for cancer treatment. However, epidemiological evidence, especially regarding the effects of vitamin D on gastric cancer is still inconsistent.

Objectives

Our research aimed to evaluate the associations between vitamin D intake and the risk of developing gastric cancer through a case-control study in North Vietnam.

Methods

We accessed databases of the previous completed case-control studies to derive 1182 incident gastric cancer cases and 2995 hospital controls selected from hospitals in Hanoi from 2003 to 2019. Vitamin D intake was computed by multiplying the food frequency intake with nutrient content based on the Viet Nam Food Composition Tables. Data were collected through face-to-face interviews by trained interviewers using the validated semi-quantitative food frequency and demographic lifestyle questionnaires. The odds ratio and 95% confidence interval (OR and 95%CI) were estimated using unconditional logistic regression analysis.

Results

We observed a continual decline in gastric cancer risk according to the level-up of vitamin D intake in both genders, men, and women [Fifth vs. bottom quintile, OR, 95%CI: 0.68 (0.53, 0.86), OR, 95%CI: 0.72 (0.53, 0.97), OR, 95%CI: 0.58 (0.38, 0.89), respectively. Per increment quintile, the statistically significant decreased risk was seen by 7% in men and 13% in women. The significant inverse association between vitamin D intake remained in the subgroups of ever and never tobacco smoking; negative and positive H. pylori infection.

Conclusion

The findings suggested that sufficient vitamin D intake was associated with a lower risk of Gastric Cancer in the Vietnamese population.

Vitamin D and Gastric Cancer: A Ray of Sunshine?

Gastric cancer (GC) is one of the most aggressive malignancies, currently ranking third among cancers leading to death worldwide. Despite the recent advancements in GC research, it is most often diagnosed during the terminal stages and with limited treatment modalities contributing to its poor prognosis and a lower survival rate.

Much research has provided conflicting results between a vitamin D deficient status and the development of GC. Vitamin D is a well-known and essential hormone classically known to regulate calcium and phosphate absorption, enabling adequate mineralization of the skeletal system. However, the function of vitamin D is multidimensional. It possesses unique roles, including acting as antioxidants or immunomodulators while crossing the cell membrane, performing several intracellular functions, participating in gene regulation, and controlling the proliferation and invasion of cancer cells, including those of GC.

In light of this, it is imperative to analyze the causes of GC, review the factors that can be used to enhance the effectiveness of treatments, and discover the tools to determine prognosis, reduce mortality, and prevent GC development. In this review, we have summarized recent investigations on multiple associations between vitamin D and GC, emphasizing genetic associations, vitamin D receptors, and the prevalence of hormone deficiency in those developing this aggressive malignancy.

Vitamin D modulation and microRNAs in gastric cancer: prognostic and therapeutic role

Gastric adenocarcinoma arises after a complex interaction between the host and environmental factors. Tumor location and TNM are the tools that currently guide treatment decisions. Surgery is the only curative treatment, but relapse is common. After relapse or advanced staged disease survival is poor and systemic treatment has modestly improved survival. An association between sun exposure, vitamin D status and gastric cancer (GC) incidence and mortality has been reported. The molecular differences of the histological subtypes and the new molecular classifications account for the great heterogeneity of this disease and are the basis for the discovery of new therapeutic targets. New prognostic and predictive factors are essential and microRNAs (miRNAs) are endogenous small non-coding RNA molecules with a great potential for diagnosis, prognosis and treatment of cancer. There are hundreds of miRNAs with altered expression in tumor gastric tissue when compared to normal gastric tissue. Many of these miRNAs are associated with clinicopathological variables and survival in patients with GC. Furthermore, the expression of some of these miRNAs with prognostic importance in CG is influenced by vitamin D and others are mediators of some of the actions of this vitamin. This review aims to update the evidence on several miRNAs with prognostic value and therapeutic potential in GC, whose expression may be influenced by vitamin D or may regulate vitamin D signaling.