Vitamin D deficiency has been implicated as a risk factor for multiple sclerosis (MS), but how vitamin D metabolism affects MS pathophysiology is not understood. We studied the expression of vitamin D receptor (VDR) and related enzymes, including 1,25(OH)(2)D-24-hydroxylase (24-OHase; CYP24A1) and 25(OH)D-1α-hydroxylase (CYP27B1), in CNS tissues of 39 MS patients and 20 controls and in primary ...

Cardiorenal syndrome (CRS) refers to a constellation of conditions whereby heart and kidney diseases are pathophysiologically connected. For clinical purposes, it would be more appropriate to emphasize the pathophysiological pathways to classify CRS into: (1) hemodynamic, (2) atherosclerotic, (3) uremic, (4) neurohumoral, (5) anemic-hematologic, (6) inflammatory-oxidative, (7) vitamin D recepto...

Osteoblasts are bone-forming cells that play an essential role in the development and maintenance of a mineralized bone extracellular matrix and they are target cells for vitamin D. Osteoblasts express vitamin D receptors (VDR) and 1,25-dihydroxyvitamin D3 [1,25(OH)2D3] regulates the expression of osteoblastic-specific genes such as osteocalcin and osteopontin. VDR is a ligand-inducible transcr...

BACKGROUND Vitamin D receptor (VDR) is a well known transcriptional regulator, active as heterodimer in association with coactivators and corepressors. In addition it has been described the extranuclear distribution of the receptor and in particular the recently reported mitochondrial localization in platelets and megakaryocytes is intriguing because it appears to be a common feature of steroid...

Retinoid X receptors (RXRs) heterodimerize with 1,25-dihydroxyvitamin D3 (VD) receptor (VDR), and play important roles in VD-regulated transactivation. VD acts on many tissues including kidney for the regulation of calcium homeostasis. In the kidney, the expression of VDR in the tubular cells has been well studied. In contrast, little is known about the localization and the functional significa...

Hematopoietic stem/progenitor cells (HSPCs) are released from the bone marrow to the circulation by the cytokine, granulocyte colony-stimulating factor, via sympathetic nervous system (SNS)-mediated osteoblast suppression. Because the orientation of HSPCs in their osteoblastic niche is reported to be guided by [Ca(2+)], we speculated on a cooperation between the calcium-regulating hormones and ...

The signaling connection between mitogen-activated protein kinases(MAPKs) and nuclear steroid receptors is complex and remains mostly unexplored. Here we report that stress-activated protein kinases p38 and JNK trans-activate nuclear steroid vitamin D receptor (VDR) gene and increase vitamin D(3)-dependent growth inhibition in human breast cancer cells. Activation of p38 and JNK by an active MA...

Decreased nerve growth factor (NGF) synthesis in the hippocampus and reduced nerve growth factor receptor immunoreactivity in CH1-4 basal forebrain areas have been implicated in neurodegeneration. Vitamin D receptors (VDR) have been located in brain areas affected by neurodegenerative diseases. 1,25-Dihydroxyvitamin D3 [1,25-(OH)2D3], the active form of vitamin D, has been shown to induce NGF i...

S-1. Association of coronary artery vitamin D receptor expression and Systemic Risk Factors for Coronary Artery Atherosclerosis Ran Xie, M.D., Ph.D.1, Xuezhi Jiang, MD1, David M. O’Sullivan, PhD1, Peter F. Schnatz, D.O.1,2. 1ObGyn & Internal Medicine, The Reading Hospital and Medical Center, Reading, PA; 2ObGyn & Internal Medicine, Jefferson Medical College of Thomas Jefferson University, Phila...

There are many immune mediated disorders with the corroborated role of vitamin D or Vitamin D Receptor (VDR) gene polymorphisms in their pathogenesis, immunologic regulation, and disease characteristics. Therefore, in this review, we searched PubMed data base in regard to the role of VDR gene polymorphisms in common autoimmune disorders, emphasizing on dermatologic diseases.