Cellular Mechanisms of Calcium and Vitamin D in the Inhibition of Colorectal Carcinogenesis

• Published in: Annals of the New York Academy of Sciences Vol. 952; no. 1; pp. 73 - 87
• Main Authors: LAMPRECHT, SERGIO A., LIPKIN, MARTIN
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Oxford, UK Blackwell Publishing Ltd 01-12-2001
• Subjects: Adenocarcinoma - etiology; Adenocarcinoma - metabolism; Adenocarcinoma - prevention & control; Animals; Apoptosis - drug effects; calcium; Calcium - physiology; Calcium - therapeutic use; Calcium-Binding Proteins - drug effects; Calcium-Binding Proteins - metabolism; Cell Cycle - drug effects; Cell Transformation, Neoplastic - genetics; colon cancer; Colorectal Neoplasms - etiology; Colorectal Neoplasms - metabolism; Colorectal Neoplasms - prevention & control; Diet - adverse effects; Gene Expression Regulation - drug effects; Genes, APC; Humans; Intestinal Mucosa - drug effects; Intestinal Mucosa - metabolism; Isoenzymes - metabolism; Mice; Neoplastic Syndromes, Hereditary - etiology; Neoplastic Syndromes, Hereditary - metabolism; Neoplastic Syndromes, Hereditary - prevention & control; Protein Kinase C - metabolism; Receptors, Retinoic Acid - metabolism; Retinoid X Receptors; Signal Transduction; Transcription Factors - metabolism; Tumor Cells, Cultured - drug effects; vitamin D; Vitamin D - physiology; Vitamin D - therapeutic use
• ISSN: 0077-8923; 1749-6632
• DOI: 10.1111/j.1749-6632.2001.tb02729.x

Convincing evidence is available showing that dietary calcium and vitamin D impede the development of colonic carcinogenesis. The major cellular modes of action of calcium and vitamin D which can contribute to the inhibition of colonic neoplasia are reviewed in this article. These consist of complex series of signaling events induced by the chemopreventive agents acting at various tiers of colonic cell organization.