The role of vitamin D3 receptor mRNA in the proliferation of hepatocellular carcinoma.
OBJECTIVE
1,25-Dihydroxyvitamin D3 [1,25-(OH)2D3] exhibits effects on cell proliferation and differentiation.


METHODS
We examined the anti-proliferative effect of 1,25-(OH)2D3 on human hepatocellular carcinoma cell lines (PLC/PRF/5, HCC-T) and the role of vitamin D receptors in modulating this effect. We also investigated the gene expression of vitamin D receptors in tissues from patients with hepatocellular carcinoma.


RESULTS
1,25-(OH)2D3 inhibited proliferation of PLC/PRF/5 cells that express prominent vitamin D receptor mRNA with time and dose dependent manner. On the other hand 1,25-(OH)2D3 had no anti-proliferative effect on hepatocellular carcinoma T cells in which gene expression of vitamin D receptor was little. We next examined vitamin D receptor gene expression in surgically obtained 10 hepatocellular carcinoma tissues by reverse transcriptase-polymerase chain reaction analysis. In all 10 cases, the level of vitamin D receptor mRNA in tumorous tissue was expressed on tumorous tissue.


CONCLUSIONS
These results indicate that 1,25-(OH)2D3 may clinically exert its anti-proliferative effect through vitamin D receptors.
Miyaguchi
S
S
Department of Medicine, Tokyo Metropolitan Otsuka Hospital, Japan.
Watanabe
T
T
D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D002117:Calcitriol / Q000494:pharmacology; D006528:Carcinoma, Hepatocellular / Q000235:genetics* / Q000473:pathology; D002455:Cell Division / Q000187:drug effects / Q000235:genetics*; D004305:Dose-Response Relationship, Drug; D005260:Female; D015972:Gene Expression Regulation, Neoplastic / Q000187:drug effects / Q000502:physiology; D006801:Humans; D008113:Liver Neoplasms / Q000235:genetics* / Q000473:pathology; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D012333:RNA, Messenger / Q000187:drug effects / Q000235:genetics*; D018167:Receptors, Calcitriol / Q000187:drug effects / Q000235:genetics*; D014407:Tumor Cells, Cultured
D012333:RNA, Messenger; D018167:Receptors, Calcitriol; D002117:Calcitriol