title: Vitamin D and thyroid diseases.
abstract: In this review we summarize recent opinions on the possible role of vitamin D in the risk of thyroid diseases development. It may be concluded from the available data that vitamin D deficiency, particularly levels below 12.5 ng/ml should be considered as an additional, but important risk factor for development of thyroid autoimmunity, both chronic autoimmune thyroiditis and Graves' disease. A higher risk of Graves' disease development is also associated with several polymorphisms in the gene encoding for vitamin D binding protein and for the specific receptor of active form of vitamin D - 1,25-(OH)(2)D(3) in the respective target cells. Important for development of thyroid cancer appeared polymorphisms of genes encoding for vitamin D receptors and of genes encoding for the participating hydroxylating enzymes in thyroid tissue, leading to a diminished local 1,25-(OH)(2)D(3) formation capacity with following alteration of antiproliferatory, antiapoptotic and prodifferentiating efficacy of the latter. Whether supplementation with high doses of vitamin D or its analogues possesses preventive or therapeutic effect is an object of intensive studies.
authors.affiliation: Institute of Endocrinology, Prague, Czech Republic. kvondra@endo.cz.
authors.forename: K
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Vondra
authors.forename: L
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Stárka
authors.forename: R
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Hampl
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D019587:Dietary Supplements; D006111:Graves Disease / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000628:therapy; D006801:Humans; D013959:Thyroid Diseases / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000628:therapy; D014807:Vitamin D / Q000008:administration & dosage*; D014808:Vitamin D Deficiency / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000628:therapy
chemical_list: D014807:Vitamin D