Related Experiment Video

Updated: Jun 4, 2026

Yeast Luminometric and Xenopus Oocyte Electrophysiological Examinations of the Molecular Mechanosensitivity of TRPV4
12:09

Yeast Luminometric and Xenopus Oocyte Electrophysiological Examinations of the Molecular Mechanosensitivity of TRPV4

Published on: December 31, 2013

TRPV6 determines the effect of vitamin D3 on prostate cancer cell growth

V'yacheslav Lehen'kyi1, Maylis Raphaël, Agathe Oulidi

  • 1Inserm, U-1003, Equipe labellisée par la Ligue Nationale contre le cancer, Villeneuve d'Ascq, France.

Plos One
|February 25, 2011
PubMed

Insights

1,25-dihydroxyvitamin D3 can unexpectedly promote prostate cancer growth by upregulating TRPV6 calcium channels, especially in low-steroid conditions. Targeting TRPV6 may improve vitamin D therapies for prostate cancer.

Area of Science:

  • Oncology
  • Molecular Biology
  • Calcium Channel Research

Background:

  • Prostate cancer remains a leading cause of cancer death despite therapeutic advances.
  • High drug resistance and tumor evolution limit treatment efficacy.
  • 1,25-dihydroxyvitamin D3, a potential therapeutic, shows unpredictable outcomes in prostate cancer.
  • TRPV6 calcium channel, a target of vitamin D, promotes prostate cancer proliferation and apoptosis resistance.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To elucidate the mechanism behind 1,25-dihydroxyvitamin D3's paradoxical effects on prostate cancer.
  • To investigate the role of TRPV6 channel in mediating vitamin D's pro-proliferative and anti-apoptotic effects.
  • To determine if TRPV6 expression influences the efficacy of vitamin D-based prostate cancer therapies.

Main Methods:

  • Investigated 1,25-dihydroxyvitamin D3 effects on TRPV6 expression in prostate cancer cell lines (LNCaP, DU-145, LNCaP C4-2) under varying steroid conditions.
  • Utilized TRPV6 knockdown to assess its role in mediating vitamin D's effects.
  • Measured cell proliferation (S-phase entry) and apoptosis resistance.
  • Analyzed calcium influx via TRPV6 channels.

Main Results:

  • In low steroid conditions, 1,25-dihydroxyvitamin D3 upregulates TRPV6 expression and enhances prostate cancer cell proliferation by increasing S-phase entry.
  • Overexpression of TRPV6 mediates these pro-proliferative effects through increased calcium uptake.
  • TRPV6 knockdown reverses the apoptosis resistance conferred by TRPV6 in androgen-dependent cells treated with vitamin D.
  • The ability of 1,25-dihydroxyvitamin D3 to induce TRPV6 expression correlates with therapeutic success in different prostate cancer models.

Conclusions:

  • 1,25-dihydroxyvitamin D3 can paradoxically promote prostate cancer proliferation and apoptosis resistance by upregulating TRPV6, particularly in low-steroid environments.
  • TRPV6 channel activity is a critical mediator of these effects, influencing calcium homeostasis and cell cycle progression.
  • TRPV6 expression levels are a key determinant of 1,25-dihydroxyvitamin D3 efficacy in prostate cancer treatment, suggesting it as a potential therapeutic target or biomarker.

More Related Videos

A Method of Trigonometric Modelling of Seasonal Variation Demonstrated with Multiple Sclerosis Relapse Data10:46

A Method of Trigonometric Modelling of Seasonal Variation Demonstrated with Multiple Sclerosis Relapse Data

Published on: December 9, 2015

Generation of Prostate Cancer Cell Models of Resistance to the Anti-mitotic Agent Docetaxel06:44

Generation of Prostate Cancer Cell Models of Resistance to the Anti-mitotic Agent Docetaxel

Published on: September 8, 2017

Related Concept Videos

Cancer Vaccines01:30

Cancer Vaccines

Cancer treatment vaccines are a rapidly evolving field that offers a promising approach to immunotherapy. Unlike traditional vaccines that prevent diseases, cancer treatment vaccines are designed to treat existing cancers by stimulating the immune system to recognize and attack cancer cells.
Cancer vaccines come in two categories: preventive (prophylactic) and treatment (active). Preventive vaccines, such as the Human Papillomavirus (HPV) vaccine, protect against viruses that cause certain...
Role of Skin in Vitamin D Synthesis01:23

Role of Skin in Vitamin D Synthesis

The skin plays a crucial role in the synthesis of vitamin D, a vital nutrient for various physiological processes in the body. Vitamin D is unique because it can be synthesized in the skin through a series of chemical reactions triggered by exposure to ultraviolet B (UVB) radiation from sunlight.
The solar UV B rays (290-315 nm) are absorbed by the skin, and 7-dehydrocholesterol (provitamin D3) photolyzes it to previtamin D3, which undergoes a rapid transformation to vitamin D3(cholecalciferol).
mTOR Signaling and Cancer Progression03:03

mTOR Signaling and Cancer Progression

The mammalian target of rapamycin or mTOR protein was discovered in 1994 due to its direct interaction with rapamycin. The protein gets its name from a yeast homolog called TOR. The mTOR protein complex in mammalian cells plays a major role in balancing anabolic processes such as the synthesis of proteins, lipids, and nucleotides and catabolic processes, such as autophagy in response to environmental cues, such as availability of nutrients and growth factors.
The mTOR pathway or the...