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Calcium, vitamin D and cancer
Meinrad Peterlik1, William B Grant, Heide S Cross
1Department of Pathophysiology, Medical University Vienna, A-1090 Vienna, Austria. meinrad.peterlik@meduniwien.ac.at
Anticancer Research
|August 12, 2009
Summary
Low vitamin D and calcium intake are linked to increased cancer risk. Supplementation of both nutrients is crucial for effective cancer chemoprevention, as they work together to regulate cell growth.
Area of Science:
- Oncology
- Nutritional Science
- Molecular Biology
Background:
- Low vitamin D status and inadequate calcium intake are established risk factors for numerous cancers.
- Ecological studies show an inverse association between UV-B exposure (vitamin D production) and mortality for 15 cancer types.
- Several cancers, including colon, breast, gastric, and endometrial, demonstrate an inverse relationship between incidence and calcium intake.
Purpose of the Study:
- To elucidate the molecular mechanisms underlying the roles of vitamin D and calcium in cancer prevention.
- To understand how vitamin D and calcium interact to regulate cellular processes relevant to cancer pathogenesis.
- To provide evidence for the necessity of combined calcium and vitamin D supplementation for optimal cancer chemoprevention.
Main Methods:
- Review of studies on tissue-specific expression of 25-hydroxyvitamin D-1alpha-hydroxylase (CYP27B1) and the calcium-sensing receptor (CaR).
- Analysis of signaling pathways involving the vitamin D receptor (VDR) and CaR in cellular proliferation, differentiation, and function.
- Examination of the interplay between 1,25-dihydroxyvitamin D3 (1,25(OH)2D3) and extracellular calcium (Ca2+) in cellular regulation.
Main Results:
- Impairment of VDR and CaR signaling due to vitamin D and calcium insufficiency is implicated in cancer pathogenesis.
- 1,25(OH)2D3 and calcium signaling pathways converge on shared downstream elements, such as the Wnt pathway.
- High extracellular calcium influences vitamin D metabolism favorably, and 1,25(OH)2D3 can enhance CaR expression and antiproliferative effects.
Conclusions:
- Vitamin D and calcium act synergistically in regulating cell growth and function, impacting cancer development.
- The convergence of VDR and CaR signaling pathways highlights a shared mechanism in cancer prevention.
- Combined supplementation of calcium and vitamin D is essential for achieving optimal chemopreventive effects against various cancers.
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