Prostate cancer susceptibility is mediated by interactions between exposure to ultraviolet radiation and polymorphisms in the 5' haplotype block of the vitamin D receptor gene.
A multigenic model of prostate cancer susceptibility has been proposed, in which common polymorphic variants of genes, such as the androgen and vitamin D receptor, contribute to tumorigenesis.
Allelic variation at the 3'-end of the vitamin D receptor (VDR) gene has been associated with a 3-5-fold increased risk of developing prostate cancer and with differences in bone mineralization.
Also VDR gene, that is a component of ligand (steroid)-dependent nuclear transcription factor superfamily, shows various polymorphisms which appear to be associated with PC risk.
Although most studies to date have examined only a few VDR polymorphisms, more are beginning to comprehensively investigate polymorphisms in the VDR as well as in other vitamin D pathway genes, such as the vitamin D-binding protein gene (Gc) and CYP27B1 and CYP24A1, which code for enzymes that, respectively, synthesize and degrade 1alpha,25-(OH)(2)-vitamin D. Currently, there is no strong, consistent epidemiologic evidence for substantial influences of single variants in vitamin D pathway genes on risk for colorectal, breast, or prostate cancer, but promising leads are developing.
Among 191 newly diagnosed prostate cancer cases and 304 randomly selected population controls in Shanghai, China, we found no significant association between the BsmI or FokI VDR gene polymorphisms and prostate cancer risk.
Data indicating an association of VDR polymorphisms and cancer prognosis are strongest for prostate cancer (Fok1), breast cancer (Bsm1, Taq1), MM (Bsm1) and renal cell carcinoma (Taq1).
DC-SCRIPT is a key regulator of nuclear receptors AR and VDR that play an opposite role in prostate cancer etiology and loss of DC-SCRIPT may be involved in the onset of prostate cancer.
Fifty-seven non-Hispanic white case patients with prostate cancer and 169 non-Hispanic white control subjects were genotyped for a previously described microsatellite (CAG repeats) in the AR gene and for a newly discovered poly-A microsatellite in the 3'-untranslated region (3'UTR) of the VDR gene.