Calcidiol and prostate cancer

Epidemiological studies suggest that serum calcidiol (25(OH)-Vitamin D-3) seems to be associated with several cancers including prostate cancer. We have made several experimental studies in order to clarify the mechanism(s) involved in the association. Calcidiol has been regarded as an inactive prohormone for calcitriol, which possesses the highest biological activity of the Vitamin D metabolites, when it is evaluated on the basis of bioactivity/nmol. However, we found recently that at the physiological concentration calcidiol (100-200 nM) is an active hormone, whereas calcitriol (1 alpha,25(OH)(2)-Vitamin D-3) (100pM) is inactive in human primary prostate stromal cells. Calcidiol is able to inhibit cell growth and to induce or inhibit several genes including 1 alpha-hydroxylase and 24-hydroxylase genes. This suggests that calcidiol might be an independent endocrine system involved in the control of cell differentiation and proliferation, whereas calcitriol might be mainly involved in the regulation of calcium and phosphorous balance. Several mechanisms may mediate the action of Vitamin D in the prostate. This is a review of some recent studies on the role of (1) Vitamin D metabolism, (2) growth factors and (3) fatty acid metabolism. (c) 2004 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.