title: Vitamin D and the Epigenetic Machinery in Colon Cancer.
abstract: Vitamin D is an important hormone that regulates many physiological processes related to human health. Through its nuclear receptor, VDR, vitamin D controls gene expression through genetic and epigenetic mechanisms. Increasing data have demonstrated the anti-cancer activities of vitamin D in various cancers, including colon cancer. This review summarizes the recent progresses in our understanding of the molecular mechanisms of vitamin D and its interaction with the epigenetic machinery in colon cancer. Vitamin D changes the status of DNA methylation and histone modifications, resulting in the activation of tumor suppressors and inhibition of oncogenes. In addition, vitamin D activates the expression of tumor suppressing miRNAs, which contribute to the tumor suppressive activity. Further understanding of the epigenetic action of vitamin D will help the development of therapeutic strategies targeting the vitamin D signaling pathway without inducing the hypercalcemic side effects.
authors.affiliation: Department of Pharmacological and Pharmaceutical Sciences, University of Houston, Houston, TX 77030. United States.
authors.forename: Meiyan
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Sun
authors.affiliation: Department of Pharmacological and Pharmaceutical Sciences, University of Houston, Houston, TX 77030. United States.
authors.forename: Bin
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Guo
mesh_terms: D000107:Acetylation; D003110:Colonic Neoplasms / Q000235:genetics / Q000473:pathology*; D019175:DNA Methylation; D044127:Epigenesis, Genetic; D006657:Histones / Q000378:metabolism; D006801:Humans; D035683:MicroRNAs / Q000378:metabolism; D014807:Vitamin D / Q000502:physiology*
chemical_list: D006657:Histones; D035683:MicroRNAs; D014807:Vitamin D
keywords: DNA methylation; Vitamin D; chemotherapy; epigenetics; histone methylation; microRNA