Vitamin D receptor signaling in renal and cardiovascular protection.

Abstract

The high prevalence of vitamin D deficiency in patients with chronic kidney disease is believed to be an important risk factor for the cardiorenal syndrome commonly seen in this patient population. African Americans suffer a disproportionally high incidence of renal and cardiovascular disease with poor disease outcome, which may be partly attributed to their low vitamin D status in part owing to low subcutaneous photoproduction of vitamin D. Mounting evidence from animal and clinical studies has shown beneficial effects of vitamin D therapy on the renal and cardiovascular systems, and the underlying renoprotective and cardioprotective mechanisms of vitamin D receptor (VDR)-mediated signaling are under intense investigation. In this article, our most recent understanding of the renal protective mechanism of the podocyte VDR signaling against diabetic nephropathy and the anti-atherosclerotic role of macrophage VDR signaling in the regulation of atherosclerosis is reviewed.

• Authors: Yan Chun Li
• Journal: Seminars in nephrology (Semin Nephrol) Vol. 33 Issue 5 Pg. 433-47 (Sep 2013) ISSN: 1558-4488 [Electronic] United States
• PMID: 24119849 (Publication Type: Journal Article, Research Support, N.I.H., Extramural, Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't, Review)
• Copyright: © 2013 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Chemical References

• Receptors, Calcitriol
• Vitamin D

Topics

• Black or African American
• Animals
• Apoptosis
• Atherosclerosis (etiology)
• Cardiovascular Diseases (prevention & control)
• Humans
• Kidney Diseases (prevention & control)
• Macrophages (physiology)
• Mice
• Podocytes (physiology)
• Receptors, Calcitriol (physiology)
• Signal Transduction (physiology)
• Vitamin D (therapeutic use)