Current Medicinal Chemistry - Volume 24, Issue 9, 2017

Crohn's disease (CD) and ulcerative colitis (UC) are classified under inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) which has been linked to a multifaceted etiology involving both environmental and genetic factors that intersect with the vitamin D pathway. Dysfunctions in innate immune defense mechanisms in the epithelial compartment of the intestine play a crucial role in the pathogenesis of IBD. Symptoms of IBD are caused b Read More

Vitamin D deficiency and insufficiency are associated with an increased risk of cancer, autoimmune disease, inflammation, infection, cardiovascular disease and metabolic disease, as well as bone and mineral disorders. The vitamin D receptor (VDR), a member of the nuclear receptor superfamily, is a receptor for the active form of vitamin D, 1α ,25-dihydroxyvitamin D3 [1,25(OH)2D3], and mediates vitamin D regulatio Read More

Vitamin D is an important factor in regulating inflammation, immune responses, and carcinoma inhibition via action of its receptor, vitamin D receptor (VDR). Recent studies have demonstrated the role of vitamin D/VDR in regulating host-bacterial interactions. Probiotics are beneficial bacteria with the power of supporting or favoring life on the host. In the current review, we will discuss the recent progress on the roles Read More

Vitamin D is an important hormone that regulates many physiological processes related to human health. Through its nuclear receptor, VDR, vitamin D controls gene expression through genetic and epigenetic mechanisms. Increasing data have demonstrated the anti-cancer activities of vitamin D in various cancers, including colon cancer. This review summarizes the recent progresses in our understanding of the molecul Read More

Vitamin D exerts an anti-inflammatory effect in both health and disease. The importance of vitamin D in protection against various inflammatory and metabolic diseases, including inflammatory bowel diseases (IBDs), has been discussed. Considerable data indicate a role for vitamin D in the activation of autophagy, an intracellular renewal system that maintains homeostasis by eliminating large protein aggregates and damag Read More

It is well accepted that inflammatory bowel disease (IBD), including ulcerative colitis and Crohn’s disease, is one of high risk factors for colorectal cancer (CRC). This supports the notion that inflammation plays a key role in cancer development. Epidemiologic studies have shown that vitamin D (Vit D) deficiency is associated with IBD and various types of cancer including colorectal cancer. Clinical trials and mouse models have s Read More

Vitamin D has been widely used as a dietary supplement for the prevention and treatment of bone disorders. Epidemiological and preclinical studies demonstrated the anticancer action of vitamin D in a variety of cancers including those in the gastrointestinal (GI) tract. In these studies the inhibitory action of vitamin D on cancer stem cells (CSCs) has been a focus and is also an important subject to revolutionize the therape Read More

Background: The body of biomedical literature on Vitamin D effector mechanisms in gastrointestinal biology and pathophysiology is rapidly expanding. Accordingly, new possibilities of vitamin D biology-based therapeutical intervention in gastroenterological disease are being identified. However, the literature lacks a concise review on these developments, hampering comprehension of the possibilities involved for many i Read More

Prior to senescence, erythrocytes may experience injury, which compromises their integrity and thus triggers suicidal erythrocyte death or eryptosis. This mechanism is characterised by cell shrinkage, cell membrane blebbing, and cell membrane phospholipid scrambling after phosphatidylserine exposure on the cell surface that is identified by macrophages, which engulf and degrade the eryptotic cells. The ter Read More

Background: Aging is a phenomenon in which the functions, adaptability and resistance of an organism decrease over time. With the global population aging at an accelerating pace, delaying the negative aspects of aging is vital for advancing the human life span and quality of life. The aging of multiple organs can lead to many diseases, and the cardiovascular system is no exception. Indeed, one of the primary risk fact Read More