title: Vitamin D and the skin.
abstract: Vitamin D was originally discovered as a factor that regulates calcium and bone metabolism. Recent advances in investigation have shown that vitamin D also functions as a regulator of cellular growth and differentiation in various tissues. The skin is not an exception from such effects of vitamin D; it is regarded as a site of its activation and action. Evidence has accumulated showing that the active form of vitamin D and its analogs suppress growth and stimulate the terminal differentiation of keratinocytes. In psoriatic lesions, epidermal keratinocytes exhibit hyper-proliferation and impaired differentiation triggered by inflammation. Therefore, it is quite reasonable that vitamin D is effective on psoriasis. Indeed, within the past decade, analogs of vitamin D3 have been used as topical therapy for psoriasis. In this review, we summarize the fundamental features of vitamin D and the development of vitamin D therapy for psoriasis. Clinical application to other skin diseases and the future of vitamin D therapy in dermatology are also discussed.
authors.affiliation: Department of Dermatology, Course of Molecular Medicine, Graduate School of Medicine, Osaka University, Suita, Japan.
authors.forename: Masahiro
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Kira
authors.forename: Teruaki
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Kobayashi
authors.forename: Kunihiko
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Yoshikawa
mesh_terms: D005544:Forecasting; D006801:Humans; D011565:Psoriasis / Q000188:drug therapy*; D012867:Skin / Q000187:drug effects*; D015595:Skin Aging / Q000187:drug effects; D014807:Vitamin D / Q000031:analogs & derivatives / Q000494:pharmacology* / Q000627:therapeutic use
chemical_list: D014807:Vitamin D