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Vitamin D as an Epigenetic Regulator: A Hypothetical Mechanism for Cancer Prevention via Inhibition of Oncogenic
Samuel Trujano-Camacho1,2, Ángel Pulido-Capiz3, Victor García-González3
1Laboratorio de Genómica Funcional, Unidad de Biomedicina, Facultad de Estudios Superiores Iztacala, Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México, Tlalnepantla Estado de México 54090, Mexico.
Abstract:
Cancer remains a leading cause of mortality worldwide, arising from a complex interplay of genetic, epigenetic, and environmental factors. Although the role of micronutrients in cancer development has received limited attention, growing evidence suggests that vitamins, particularly vitamin D, may influence oncogenic pathways. This hypothesis manuscript explores the potential interaction between vitamin D and the oncogenic long non-coding RNA HOTAIR, providing a novel mechanistic explanation for the inverse correlation between vitamin D status and cancer risk. We support our hypothesis with in silico docking evidence, suggesting that vitamin D binds to bioactive domains within the structured regions of HOTAIR, potentially disrupting its interaction with chromatin regulators such as PRC2. This concept may offer a novel approach to cancer prevention and therapy.
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