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Abstract
It took several hundred million years of evolution, in order to develop the endocrine vitamin D signaling system, which is formed by a nuclear receptor, the transcription factor VDR (vitamin D receptor), its ligand, the vitamin D3 metabolite 1α,25-dihydroxyvitamin D3 (1,25(OH)2D3) and several metabolizing enzymes and transport proteins. Even within the nuclear receptor superfamily the affinity of VDR for 1,25(OH)2D3 is outstandingly high (KD = 0.1 nM). The activation of VDR by 1,25(OH)2D3 is the core mechanism of genomic signaling of vitamin D3, which results in the modulation of the epigenome at thousands of promoter and enhancer regions as well as finally in the activation or repression of hundreds of target gene transcription. In addition, rapid non-genomic actions of vitamin D are described, which are mechanistically far less understood. The main function of vitamin D is to keep the human body in homeostasis. This implies the control of calcium levels, which is essential for bone mineralization, as well as for pushing of innate immunity to react sufficiently strong to microbe infection and preventing overreactions of adaptive immunity, i.e., not to cause autoimmune diseases. This review will discuss whether genomic signaling is sufficient for explaining all physiological functions of vitamin D3.
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Affiliation(s)
- Carsten Carlberg
- Institute of Animal Reproduction and Food Research, Polish Academy of Sciences, PL-10748 Olsztyn, Poland; School of Medicine, Institute of Biomedicine, University of Eastern Finland, FI-70211 Kuopio, Finland.
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Voltan G, Cannito M, Ferrarese M, Ceccato F, Camozzi V. Vitamin D: An Overview of Gene Regulation, Ranging from Metabolism to Genomic Effects. Genes (Basel) 2023; 14:1691. [PMID: 37761831 PMCID: PMC10531002 DOI: 10.3390/genes14091691] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/20/2023] [Revised: 08/17/2023] [Accepted: 08/24/2023] [Indexed: 09/29/2023] Open
Abstract
Vitamin D is a pro-hormone characterized by an intricate metabolism and regulation. It is well known for its role in calcium and phosphate metabolism, and in bone health. However, several studies have assessed a huge number of extra-skeletal functions, ranging from cell proliferation in some oncogenic pathways to antioxidant and immunomodulatory functions. Vitamin D exerts its role by binding to VDRs (vitamin D receptors), which are located in many different tissues. Moreover, VDRs are able to bind hundreds of genomic loci, modulating the expression of various primary target genes. Interestingly, plenty of gene polymorphisms regarding VDRs are described, each one carrying a potential influence against gene expression, with relapses in several chronic diseases and metabolic complications. In this review, we provide an overview of the genetic aspects of vitamin D and VDR, emphasizing the gene regulation of vitamin D, and the genetic modulation of VDR target genes. In addition, we briefly summarize the rare genetic disease linked to vitamin D metabolism.
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Affiliation(s)
- Giacomo Voltan
- Department of Medicine (DIMED), University of Padova, Via Giustiniani 2, 35128 Padova, Italy; (G.V.); (M.C.); (M.F.); (V.C.)
- Endocrinology Unit, Padova University Hospital, Via Ospedale Civile 105, 35128 Padova, Italy
| | - Michele Cannito
- Department of Medicine (DIMED), University of Padova, Via Giustiniani 2, 35128 Padova, Italy; (G.V.); (M.C.); (M.F.); (V.C.)
- Endocrinology Unit, Padova University Hospital, Via Ospedale Civile 105, 35128 Padova, Italy
| | - Michela Ferrarese
- Department of Medicine (DIMED), University of Padova, Via Giustiniani 2, 35128 Padova, Italy; (G.V.); (M.C.); (M.F.); (V.C.)
- Endocrinology Unit, Padova University Hospital, Via Ospedale Civile 105, 35128 Padova, Italy
| | - Filippo Ceccato
- Department of Medicine (DIMED), University of Padova, Via Giustiniani 2, 35128 Padova, Italy; (G.V.); (M.C.); (M.F.); (V.C.)
- Endocrinology Unit, Padova University Hospital, Via Ospedale Civile 105, 35128 Padova, Italy
| | - Valentina Camozzi
- Department of Medicine (DIMED), University of Padova, Via Giustiniani 2, 35128 Padova, Italy; (G.V.); (M.C.); (M.F.); (V.C.)
- Endocrinology Unit, Padova University Hospital, Via Ospedale Civile 105, 35128 Padova, Italy
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