Related Experiment Video
Updated: Jul 5, 2026
Using Mouse Mammary Tumor Cells to Teach Core Biology Concepts: A Simple Lab Module
Published on: June 18, 2015
Vitamin D inhibits myometrial and leiomyoma cell proliferation in vitro
Merja Bläuer1, Päivi H Rovio, Timo Ylikomi
1Department of Cell Biology, University of Tampere, Tampere, Finland.
Objective:
To determine the effect of 1,25(OH)(2)D(3) and 25(OH)D(3) vitamin D derivates on the growth of leiomyoma and myometrial cells in vitro.
Design:
In vitro study.
Setting:
Cell biology research laboratory.
Patient(S):
Six premenopausal women with uterine leiomyomas undergoing hysterectomy.
Intervention(S):
Samples of leiomyomas and normal myometrial tissue were obtained, and paired cultures were established.
Main Outcome Measure(S):
A colorimetric crystal violet assay to determine the effect of 1,25(OH)(2)D(3) and 25(OH)D(3) on cell growth.
Result(S):
In both myometrial and leiomyoma cells, 0.1 nM physiologic level of 1,25(OH)(2)D(3) inhibited growth by 12% when compared with controls. The growth inhibition was concentration dependent; the highest concentration of 1,25(OH)(2)D(3) (100 nM) inhibited growth by 62% in both cell types. All the differences were statistically significant. A slight stimulation (<4%) of cell proliferation was observed with the lowest 25(OH)(2)D(3) concentrations. When treated with either a 500 nM or 1000 nM concentration of the compound, the growth of both cell types fell to approximately 50% of that of the control cultures, and the level of inhibition with the latter concentration was statistically significant.
Conclusion(S):
Both myometrial and leiomyoma cell growth in vitro was effectively inhibited by 1,25(OH)(2)D(3). Vitamin D may play a role in the growth of uterine leiomyomas.
Related Concept Videos
02:23Abnormal Proliferation
02:34Inhibition of Cdk Activity
02:34Inhibition of CDK Activity