Interaction of Vitamin D-BODIPY With Fat Cells and the Link to Obesity-associated Vitamin D Deficiency.

Background/aim: Obese individuals often exhibit vitamin D deficiency, potentially due to sequestration in fat cells. Little is known about how vitamin D enters adipocytes and associates with the intracellular lipid droplet.

Materials And Methods: Newly differentiated human and mouse (3T3-L1) adipocytes and primary mouse adipocytes were treated with vitamin D covalently linked to green fluorescent BODIPY (VitD-B) or Green BODIPY (GB) as control.

Decoding the Genetic Basis of Mast Cell Hypersensitivity and Infection Risk in Hypermobile Ehlers-Danlos Syndrome.

Hypermobile Ehlers-Danlos syndrome (hEDS) is a connective tissue disorder marked by joint hypermobility, skin hyperextensibility, and tissue fragility. Recent studies have linked hEDS with mast cell activation syndrome (MCAS), suggesting a genetic interplay affecting immune regulation and infection susceptibility. This study aims to decode the genetic basis of mast cell hypersensitivity and increased infection risk in hEDS by identifying specific genetic variants associated with these conditions.

Effects of Vitamin D on tumor cell proliferation and migration, tumor initiation and anti-tumor immune response in head and neck squamous cell carcinomas.

Background: Head and neck squamous cell carcinomas (HNSCCs) are among the six most common cancers, with a constantly poor prognosis. Vitamin D has been found to have antineoplastic and immunomodulatory properties in various cancers. This study investigated the impact of Vitamin D on the initiation and progression as well as antitumor immune response in HNSCCs, both in vitro and in vivo.

Daily and Weekly "High Doses" of Cholecalciferol for the Prevention and Treatment of Vitamin D Deficiency for Obese or Multi-Morbidity and Multi-Treatment Patients Requiring Multi-Drugs-A Narrative Review.

Daily vitamin D supplementation using higher than normal dosing (up to the upper limit value) and intermittent (once or twice per week) dosing were studied in patients with increased risk of vitamin D deficiency. Using a PubMed database, a thorough search for published randomized controlled trials and other studies was conducted, and the results were analyzed. This review provides an overview of the use of 7000 IU daily, 30,000 IU per week or twice weekly, and 50,000 IU weekly of vitamin D for obtaining and maintaining 25(OH)D concentrations of at least 30 ng/mL in patients at high risk of vitamin D deficiency.

Calcifediol boosts efficacy of ChAdOx1 nCoV-19 vaccine by upregulating genes promoting memory T cell responses.

The ChAdOx1 nCoV-19 (COVISHIELD) vaccine has emerged as a pivotal tool in the global fight against the COVID-19 pandemic. In our previous study eligible subjects were supplemented with calcifediol, a direct precursor to the biologically active form of vitamin D, calcitriol with an objective to enhance the immunogenicity of the COVISHIELD vaccine. Herein we investigated the effects of calcifediol supplementation on gene expression profiles in individuals who received the COVISHIELD vaccine.

Vitamin D and bone health: What vitamin D can and cannot do.

Historically vitamin D deficiency had devastating consequences for children causing rickets resulting in severe bone deformities often leading to death. The mystery of the cause of rickets finally came to light when it was observed that cod liver oil and sunlight could prevent and cure rickets. The first vitamin D to be discovered was vitamin D from ergosterol in ultraviolet irradiated yeast.

Evolutionary formation of melatonin and vitamin D in early life forms: insects take centre stage.

Melatonin, a product of tryptophan metabolism via serotonin, is a molecule with an indole backbone that is widely produced by bacteria, unicellular eukaryotic organisms, plants, fungi and all animal taxa. Aside from its role in the regulation of circadian rhythms, it has diverse biological actions including regulation of cytoprotective responses and other functions crucial for survival across different species. The latter properties are also shared by its metabolites including kynuric products generated by reactive oxygen species or phototransfomation induced by ultraviolet radiation.

Efficacy, safety, and dose-response effects of calcifediol supplementation on 25-hydroxyvitamin D, parathyroid hormone, and 1,25-dihydroxyvitamin D levels in healthy adults: An open-label, interventional pilot study.

Background: Vitamin D deficiency (VDD) is highly prevalent across the globe. Cholecalciferol (Vitamin D3) fails to attain sufficient serum concentrations of 25-hydroxyvitamin D (25(OH)D) in a significant proportion of supplemented individuals. Calcifediol (25-hydroxyvitamin D3) is less studied in healthy adults and its effects on 25(OH)D, parathyroid hormone (PTH), and 1,25-dihydroxyvitamin D (1,25(OH)2D) at higher doses are not well known.

Calcifediol: a review of its pharmacological characteristics and clinical use in correcting vitamin D deficiency.

Background: In addition to the role of vitamin D in bone mineralization, calcium and phosphate homeostasis, and skeletal health, evidence suggests an association between vitamin D deficiency and a wide range of chronic conditions. This is of clinical concern given the substantial global prevalence of vitamin D deficiency. Vitamin D deficiency has traditionally been treated with vitamin D (cholecalciferol) or vitamin D (ergocalciferol).

Bone Fragility in Hereditary Connective Tissue Disorders: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis.

Objective: To investigate bone fragility in patients with hereditary connective tissue disorders (HCTD), including Ehlers-Danlos syndrome (EDS), Marfan's syndrome (MFS) and Loeys-Dietz syndrome (LDS).

Methods: From inception to June 2022, potentially eligible studies were identified in the Medline and EMBASE databases using search strategy that included terms for "HCTD", "Fracture" and "Osteoporosis". Eligible studies must consist of a group of patients with HCTD and report prevalence/incidence of fracture/osteoporosis in their participants, with or without comparison with healthy individuals.

Genomic or Non-Genomic? A Question about the Pleiotropic Roles of Vitamin D in Inflammatory-Based Diseases.

Vitamin D (vit D) is widely known for its role in calcium metabolism and its importance for the bone system. However, various studies have revealed a myriad of extra-skeletal functions, including cell differentiation and proliferation, antibacterial, antioxidant, immunomodulatory, and anti-inflammatory properties in various cells and tissues. Vit D mediates its function via regulation of gene expression by binding to its receptor (VDR) which is expressed in almost all cells within the body.

Guidelines for Preventing and Treating Vitamin D Deficiency: A 2023 Update in Poland.

All epidemiological studies suggest that vitamin D deficiency is prevalent among the Polish general population. Since vitamin D deficiency was shown to be among the risk factors for many diseases and for all-cause mortality, concern about this problem led us to update the previous Polish recommendations. After reviewing the epidemiological evidence, case-control studies and randomized control trials (RCTs), a Polish multidisciplinary group formulated questions on the recommendations for prophylaxis and treatment of vitamin D deficiency both for the general population and for the risk groups of patients.

The One-Hundred-Year Anniversary of the Discovery of the Sunshine Vitamin D: Historical, Personal Experience and Evidence-Based Perspectives.

The discovery of a fat-soluble nutrient that had antirachitic activity and no vitamin A activity by McCollum has had far reaching health benefits for children and adults. He named this nutrient vitamin D. The goal of this review and personal experiences is to give the reader a broad perspective almost from the beginning of time for how vitamin D evolved to became intimately involved in the evolution of land vertebrates.

Why fear the coming of Winter in Game Of Thrones? The hypovitaminosis D hypothesis.

Background: The Game of Thrones fiction is particularly marked by an alarmist maxim, "Winter is coming", which highlights the fear of Westeros inhabitants as Winter approaches. The threat is such that Winter has been given the face of the Night King, whose progress threatens all life north of Westeros. The objective of this narrative review was to elucidate why the coming of Winter was so threatening, particularly by exploring the hypovitaminosis D hypothesis.

Effect of supplemental vitamin D3 on bone mineral density: a systematic review and meta-analysis.

Context: There is still controversy over the effect of vitamin D3 supplementation on bone health.

Objective: The effects of vitamin D3 supplementation on bone mineral density (BMD) and markers of bone turnover, as well as the dose-response relationship between vitamin D3 and bone health in adults, were evaluated.

Data Sources: The PubMed, Scopus, Cochrane, Web of Science, and AGRIS databases were searched for articles published through April 30, 2022.

Hereditary Metabolic Bone Diseases: A Review of Pathogenesis, Diagnosis and Management.

Hereditary metabolic bone diseases are characterized by genetic abnormalities in skeletal homeostasis and encompass one of the most diverse groups among rare diseases. In this review, we examine 25 selected hereditary metabolic bone diseases and recognized genetic variations of 78 genes that represent each of the three groups, including sclerosing bone disorders, disorders of defective bone mineralization and disorder of bone matrix and cartilage formation. We also review pathophysiology, manifestation and treatment for each disease.

An Appraisal to Address Health Consequences of Vitamin D Deficiency With Food Fortification and Supplements: Time to Act!

A symposium entitled "Vitamin D in Prevention and Therapy" was held on May 4-5, 2022, in Homburg, Germany to discuss important new advances in the field, including identification of new vitamin D signaling pathways, of new biologic effects of vitamin D-compounds (e.g., on the microbiome), and convincing proof of the relevance of vitamin D deficiency for the risk and outcome of many chronic diseases, including cancer, cardio-vascular, auto-immune, metabolic, and infectious diseases.

A Novel Immunomodulatory Mechanism by Which Vitamin D Influences Folate Receptor 3 Expression to Reduce COVID-19 Severity.

Background/aim: Identify potential mechanisms involving gene expression changes through which vitamin D supplementation could be beneficial in preventing adverse COVID-19 outcomes.

Materials And Methods: We performed a literature review to identify differentially expressed genes (DEGs) in the blood between severe and mild COVID-19 patients. We compared these with the top DEGs induced by 6 months of 10,000 IU/day vitamin D supplementation in healthy adults who were vitamin D deficient/insufficient.