Vitamin D is important for the regulation of bone and muscle metabolism and other functions in the human body. The hydroxylated forms of vitamin D2 and D3 are the most important, however only 1,25(OH)D2 is a fully active product. This hormone exert its pleiotropic actions via the specific receptor VDR, an important transcription factor. The optimal vitamin D concentration in the blood is >20 ng...

Background and aims: Vitamins are essential constituents of our diet that Longley have been known to influence the immune system. Vitamin D3 and B9 have received particular attention in recent years as these vitamins have been shown to have an unexpected and crucial effect on the immune response. 1, 25(OH)2D3 metabolizing enzymes and vitamin D r...

Vitamin D is a hormone produced in the skin by ultraviolet radiation and plays crucial role calcium homeostasis. It has been lately acknowledged that vitamin participates pathophysiology of various chronic diseases its deficiency linked to deterioration patients’ condition. The aim this study was record levels 25(OH)D population rural, near-border area Northern Greece investigate possible assoc...

Vitamin D and calcium are essential for normal skeletal growth and for maintaining the mechanical and structural integrity of the skeleton. Reduced intake of calcium and vitamin D may be associated with reduced bone mass and osteoporosis while a chronic and severe vitamin D deficiency may lead to osteomalacia. Given the importance of vitamin D in bone homeostasis, common polymorphisms in the vi...

Vitamin D exerts its genomic effects following binding to a specific receptor which is a member of the steroid hormone receptor superfamily. The vitamin D receptor (VDR) forms heterodimers with retinoid X receptors (RXRs) and the dimer then interacts with its cognate binding site, termed vitamin D response element (VDRE), to affect the transcription of target genes. Recent studies have identifi...

Nuclear receptors for vitamins A and D belong to the nuclear hormone receptor superfamily and act as ligand-inducible transcription factors. Therefore, most of the biological actions of vitamins A and D are now considered to be exerted through nuclear vitamin receptor-mediated gene expression. The vitamin A nuclear receptors compromise six members, three all-trans retinoic acid receptors (RARal...

Vitamin D, besides its classical role in bone metabolism, plays a distinct role in multiple pathways of the feto-maternal unit. Calcitriol is the major active ligand of the nuclear vitamin D receptor (VDR). The vitamin D receptor (VDR) is expressed in different uteroplacental parts and exerts a variety of functions in physiologic pregnancy. It regulates decidualisation and implantation, influen...

Vitamin D is a steroid hormone with many important functions in the brain, mediated through the vitamin D nuclear receptor. Numerous human and animal data link vitamin D dysfunctions to various behavioural disorders. To examine this problem, we studied whether genetic ablation of vitamin D receptors in mice may be associated with altered emotional behaviours. Here we show that the receptor-defi...

Hereditary vitamin D-resistant rickets type or vitamin D-dependent rickets type II is a genetically determined and rare autosomal recessive disorder, most often caused by mutations in the vitamin D receptor gene. It usually presents with rachitic changes not responsive to vitamin D treatment and the circulating levels of 1,25 (OH)2 vitamin D-3 are elevated, differentiating it from vitamin D-dep...