title: Renoprotective effects of vitamin D analogs.
abstract: Recent decades have witnessed the revelation of expanding roles of the vitamin D endocrine system beyond calcium and phosphorus metabolism. Along with these non-calcemic or non-classic actions of vitamin D are newly discovered therapeutic actions of vitamin D analogs in a number of pathological conditions, including kidney disease. The kidney is the major organ involved in the synthesis of the hormonal metabolite of vitamin D, and vitamin D deficiency is a common feature of chronic kidney disease even in its early stages. Experimental data suggest that vitamin D deficiency may in turn accelerate the progression of kidney disease. Low-calcemic vitamin D analogs have exhibited impressive therapeutic effects in various kidney disease models, with targets ranging from the NF-kappaB pathway to the renin-angiotensin system. These recent studies demonstrate that vitamin D analogs have potent renoprotective effects. The emerging experimental and clinical evidence has provided a solid foundation for the continuing exploration of vitamin D analogs in prevention and intervention in kidney disease.
authors.affiliation: Department of Medicine, The University of Chicago, Chicago, Illinois 60637, USA. cyan@medicine.bsd.uchicago.edu
authors.forename: Yan Chun
authors.initials: YC
authors.lastname: Li
mesh_terms: D003928:Diabetic Nephropathies / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000517:prevention & control; D006801:Humans; D007674:Kidney Diseases / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000517:prevention & control*; D020011:Protective Agents / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D014807:Vitamin D / Q000031:analogs & derivatives* / Q000502:physiology / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D014815:Vitamins / Q000502:physiology* / Q000627:therapeutic use*
chemical_list: D020011:Protective Agents; D014815:Vitamins; D014807:Vitamin D