Tumor-associated macrophages have been shown to promote tumor growth. They may have an obligatory function in angiogenesis, invasion, and metastasis through release of inflammatory mediators. Their presence in ovarian cancer has been correlated with poor prognosis in these patients. The human cationic antimicrobial protein-18 (hCAP18)/LL-37 was originally identified as an effector molecule of t...

BACKGROUND Multiple sclerosis (MS) risk is determined by both genes and environment. One of the most striking features of MS is its geographic distribution, particularly the pattern of high MS frequency in areas with low sunlight exposure, the main inducer of vitamin D synthesis. Recent epidemiologic, experimental, and clinical evidence support an effect for low environmental supplies of vitami...

1α,25-Dihydroxyvitamin D3 [1α,25(OH)2D3] is a steroid hormone derived from circulating 25(OH) vitamin D [25(OH)D] with chemopreventive effects in colorectal cancer. 1α,25(OH)2D3 acts through transcriptional mechanisms; however, our understanding of vitamin D transcriptional responses in the colon is derived from studies in transformed cancer cell lines which may not represent responses in norma...

1α,25-Dihydroxyvitamin D3 (1α,25(OH)2D3) had earlier been regarded as the only active hormone. The newly identified actions of 25-hydroxyvitamin D3 (25(OH)D3) and 24R,25-dihydroxyvitamin D3 (24R,25(OH)2D3) broadened the vitamin D3 endocrine system, however, the current data are fragmented and a systematic understanding is lacking. Here we performed the first systematic study of global gene expr...

In this study we evaluated whether single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) in the genes encoding PTH, VDR, CYP24A1, and CYP27B1 were associated with mandibular retrognathism (MR). Samples from biologically-unrelated Brazilian patients receiving orthodontic treatment included study. Pre-orthodontic lateral cephalograms used to determine phenotype. Patients a retrognathic mandible selected as case...

Vitamin D has antiproliferative, antiangiogenic, and apoptotic properties. There is some evidence supporting an association between vitamin D-related gene variants and prostate cancer risk. We report results from this population-based case-control study of genes encoding for the vitamin D receptor (VDR), the vitamin D activating enzyme 1-alpha-hydroxylase (CYP27B1), and deactivating enzyme 24-h...