title: Tacalcitol, an active vitamin D3, induces nerve growth factor production in human epidermal keratinocytes.
abstract: The human epidermal keratinocyte cell line K-TL-1, developed from a benign epidermal tumor, was cultured in the presence of the synthetic vitamin D3 analogue tacalcitol [1alpha,24(R)-dihydroxyvitamin D3] to assess the effects on the production of nerve growth factor (NGF). Confluent K-TL-1 cells were cultured with 10(-8) M of tacalcitol. Supernatants and cell homogenates were collected and NGF concentrations were determined by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay. The concentration of NGF in the supernatants of cultures treated with tacalcitol peaked within 24 h after the start of tacalcitol treatment and remained stable for 96 h. This NGF induction caused by tacalcitol was dose-dependent, showing an ED50 between 10(-10) and 10(-9) M. Induction of NGF mRNA expression by tacalcitol was also observed by RT-PCR, indicating that tacalcitol induced NGF expression through transcriptional activation. These results suggest that active vitamin D3 could treat peripheral neuropathy by inducing NGF production in the skin.
authors.affiliation: Teijin Institute for Bio-Medical Research, Tokyo, Japan. ma.fukuka@teijin.co.jp
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Fukuoka
authors.forename: K
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Sakurai
authors.forename: T
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Ohta
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Kiyoki
authors.forename: I
authors.initials: I
authors.lastname: Katayama
mesh_terms: D002478:Cells, Cultured; D003879:Dermatologic Agents / Q000494:pharmacology*; D004100:Dihydroxycholecalciferols / Q000494:pharmacology*; D004797:Enzyme-Linked Immunosorbent Assay; D000078404:Epidermal Cells; D004817:Epidermis / Q000187:drug effects; D006801:Humans; D015603:Keratinocytes / Q000187:drug effects / Q000378:metabolism*; D020932:Nerve Growth Factor / Q000096:biosynthesis*; D012333:RNA, Messenger / Q000096:biosynthesis; D020133:Reverse Transcriptase Polymerase Chain Reaction
chemical_list: D003879:Dermatologic Agents; D004100:Dihydroxycholecalciferols; D012333:RNA, Messenger; C023850:1 alpha,24-dihydroxyvitamin D3; D020932:Nerve Growth Factor