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Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, UMDNJ-New Jersey Medical School, Newark, New Jersey 07103, USA
Key Words: vitamin D • 1,25-dihydroxyvitaminD3 • osteopontin • TRPV6 and TRPV5 epithelial calcium channels • 25-hydroxyvitaminD3 24-hydroxylase • calbindin • CCAAT enhancer-binding protein
Address for correspondence: Sylvia Christakos, Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, UMDNJ-New Jersey Medical School, 185 South Orange Ave., Newark, NJ 07103. Voice: 973-972-4033; fax: 973-972-5594. e-mail: christak{at}umdnj.edu
Vitamin D functions to regulate calcium homeostasis in intestine, kidney, and bone. Vitamin D deficiency during bone development causes rickets and in adults vitamin D deficiency, which has been shown to be common in the elderly population, can cause secondary hyperparathyroidism that can result in osteomalacia and increased risk of fracture. Recent evidence has suggested that vitamin D can have numerous other physiological functions including protection against certain autoimmune diseases, such as diabetes and multiple sclerosis and inhibition of proliferation of a number of malignant cells including breast and prostate cancer cells. Exactly how vitamin D affects numerous different systems is a subject of continuing investigation. This article will review new developments related to the function and regulation of vitamin D target proteins in classic vitamin D target tissues that have provided novel insight into the mechanism of vitamin D action.
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