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Vitamin D receptor (VDR) and metabolizing enzymes CYP27B1 and CYP24A1 in breast cancer

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Abstract

Vitamin D Receptor (VDR), a nuclear steroid receptor, is a transcription factor with a primary physiologic role in calcium metabolism. It has also a physiologic role in breast tissues during development of the gland and postpartum. In addition, it is commonly expressed in breast cancer and has tumor suppressive effects. Cytochrome enzymes CYP27B1 and CYP24A1 that perform the final conversion of the circulating form of vitamin D, 25-hydroxyvitamin D (25-OHD) to the active VDR ligand, 1a,25-dihydroxyvitamin D and the catabolism of it to inactive 24,25-dihydroxyvitamin D, respectively, are also expressed in breast cancer tissues. Defective regulation of the receptor and the metabolic enzymes of VDR ligand is prevalent in breast cancer and leads to decreased VDR signaling. The expression and molecular defects of VDR, CYP27B1 and CYP24A1 that perturb physiologic function, the implications for breast cancer progression and therapeutic opportunities are discussed in this paper.

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  1. Algoma District Cancer Program, Sault Area Hospital, 750 Great Northern Road, Sault Ste. Marie, ON, P6B 0A8, Canada

    Ioannis A. Voutsadakis

  2. Section of Internal Medicine, Division of Clinical Sciences, Northern Ontario School of Medicine, Sudbury, ON, Canada

    Ioannis A. Voutsadakis

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Voutsadakis, I.A. Vitamin D receptor (VDR) and metabolizing enzymes CYP27B1 and CYP24A1 in breast cancer. Mol Biol Rep 47, 9821–9830 (2020). https://doi.org/10.1007/s11033-020-05780-1

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