Title:The Current Role and Therapeutic Targets of Vitamin D in Gastrointestinal Inflammation and Cancer
Volume: 21
Issue: 21
Author(s): Gan Hui Cai, Ming Xing Li, Lan Lu, Ruby Lok Yi Chan, Jian Hao Wang and Chi Hin Cho
Affiliation:
Keywords:
Cancer, colon, inflammation, vitamin D.
Abstract: Vitamin D, beyond its classical roles in the regulation of calcium and phosphorus homeostasis and bone
metabolism, has been implicated in multiple pathological processes, including progression from inflammation to
cancer development and also involvement in autoimmune diseases as well as cardiovascular disorders. In this review,
we shall discuss the different roles of vitamin D and its therapeutic targets in different gastrointestinal diseases,
focusing on colorectal cancer (CRC) and inflammatory bowel disease (IBD). To this end, vitamin D deficiency
has been identified as a risk factor of CRC. On the other hand the active metabolite of vitamin D, 1, 25-
dihydroxyvitamin D3 (1, 25(OH)2D3) has multiple anti-cancerous benefits including inhibition of proliferation, induction
of apoptosis, promotion of differentiation and suppression of angiogenesis in tumors. In IBD, vitamin D is
involved in the pathogenic process through the normalization of immune responses in the colon. With these experimental
findings, well-designed and large-scale clinical trials are warranted to further define the therapeutic action
of vitamin D in the prevention and/or treatment of IBD and further on CRC in humans.
