Vitamin D's role in cell proliferation and differentiation

Samuel, Sam
Sitrin, Michael D

MD Sitrin, is with the Western New York Veterans Administration Medical Center, University at Buffalo, State University of New York, Buffalo, New York, USA.

Correspondence:MD Sitrin, University at Buffalo, State University of New York, Western New York Veterans Administration Medical Center, 3495 Bailey Avenue, Room 804A, Buffalo, NY 14215, USA. E-mail: [email protected], Phone: +1-716-862-3163, Fax: +1-716-862-6777.

Nutrition Reviews 66:p S116-S124, October 2008.

Vitamin D has pleiotropic effects that go beyond its traditional role in calcium homeostasis. Hundreds of genes with vitamin D receptor response elements directly or indirectly influence cell cycling and proliferation, differentiation, and apoptosis. Vitamin D compounds also have effects on cell function that are nongenomic. The noncalcemic actions of vitamin D influence normal and pathological cell growth, carcinogenesis, immune function, and cardiovascular physiology. This review examines many of the various mechanisms by which vitamin D alters cellular growth and differentiation and explores cell-specific factors that influence responsiveness to vitamin D.