Vitamin D metabolism in cancer: potential feasibility of vitamin D metabolism blocking therapy

In this review, we discuss the possibility of the vitamin D metabolizing enzyme CYP24A1 being a therapeutic target for various tumors including breast, colorectal and prostate tumors. Given the pleiotropic cellular activity of vitamin D, its deficiency impairs its physiological function in target cells and results in various pathologies including cancer. In addition, accumulated data have shown that elevated expression of CYP24A1 promotes carcinogenesis in various cancer subtypes by decreasing the bioavailability of vitamin D metabolites. Thus, we propose the potential feasibility of vitamin D metabolism-blocking therapy in various types of human malignancies that express constitutive CYP24A1.

Automated summary

In this review, the potential of targeting the vitamin D metabolizing enzyme CYP24A1 as a therapy for various tumors is discussed. Vitamin D deficiency impairs its physiological function in target cells, leading to various pathologies including cancer. Additionally, elevated expression of CYP24A1 has been shown to promote carcinogenesis by reducing the bioavailability of vitamin D metabolites. Therefore, vitamin D metabolism-blocking therapy may be feasible for various types of human malignancies that express constitutive CYP24A1.