As of the 7th of July 2024, 775,754,322 confirmed cases of COVID-19, including 7,053,902 deaths worldwide, had been reported to the WHO (World Health Organization). Nevertheless, untill the 15th of July 2024, a total of 13,578,710,228 vaccine doses had been administered, with almost no country spared from COVID-19 attacks. The pathophysiology of this virus is complicated, and several symptoms require a deep understanding of the actual mechanisms. It is unclear why some patients develop severe symptoms while others do not, although literature suggests a role for vitamin D. Vitamin D plays a crucial role in the infection or in ameliorating the severity of symptoms. The mechanism of action of vitamin D and vitamin D deficiency (VDD) is well understood. VDD is associated with increased hospitalization of severely ill patients and increased levels of COVID-19-caused mortality. Recent studies suggest that vitamin D levels and genetic variations in the vitamin D receptor (VDR) gene significantly impact the severity and outcomes of COVID-19, especially in the infections caused by Delta and Omicron variants. Furthermore, VDD causes immune system dysregulation upon infection with SARS-CoV-2, indicating that vitamin D sufficiency is crucial in fighting against COVID-19 infection. The therapeutic effect of vitamin D raises interest in its potential role as a prophylactic and treatment adjunct. We evaluate the immunomodulatory effects of vitamin D and its ability to enhance the efficacy of new antiviral drugs like molnupiravir and paxlovid against SARS-CoV-2. This review discusses the role of vitamin D sufficiency and VDD in COVID-19 initiation and progression, emphasizing the molecular mechanisms by which vitamin D exerts its actions as a proactive step for the next pandemic. However, there is still no clear evidence of vitamin D's impact on prevention and treatment, leading to contradictory findings. Therefore, large-scale randomized trials are required to reach a definitive conclusion. A bibliometric analysis of publications related to vitamin D, immunity, and COVID-19 revealed a significant increase in research activity in this area, particularly in 2020-2024, underscoring the growing recognition of vitamin D's potential role in the context of the pandemic.
- MeSH
- COVID-19 * imunologie MeSH
- farmakoterapie COVID-19 MeSH
- lidé MeSH
- nedostatek vitaminu D * farmakoterapie imunologie MeSH
- pandemie MeSH
- receptory kalcitriolu metabolismus MeSH
- SARS-CoV-2 imunologie MeSH
- vitamin D * terapeutické užití aplikace a dávkování MeSH
- Check Tag
- lidé MeSH
- Publikační typ
- časopisecké články MeSH
- přehledy MeSH
The main objective of this study was to analyze changes in the antiproliferative effect of vitamin D3, in the form of calcitriol and calcidiol, via its combined application with all-trans retinoic acid (ATRA) in osteosarcoma cell lines. The response to treatment with calcitriol and calcidiol alone was specific for each cell line. Nevertheless, we observed an enhanced effect of combined treatment with ATRA and calcitriol in the majority of the cell lines. Although the levels of respective nuclear receptors did not correlate with the sensitivity of cells to these drugs, vitamin D receptor (VDR) upregulation induced by ATRA was found in cell lines that were the most sensitive to the combined treatment. In addition, all these cell lines showed high endogenous levels of retinoic acid receptor α (RARα). Our study confirmed that the combination of calcitriol and ATRA can achieve enhanced antiproliferative effects in human osteosarcoma cell lines in vitro. Moreover, we provide the first evidence that ATRA is able to upregulate VDR expression in human osteosarcoma cells. According to our results, the endogenous levels of RARα and VDR could be used as a predictor of possible synergy between ATRA and calcitriol in osteosarcoma cells.
- MeSH
- alfa receptor kyseliny retinové metabolismus MeSH
- antitumorózní látky aplikace a dávkování MeSH
- kalcifediol aplikace a dávkování MeSH
- kalcitriol aplikace a dávkování MeSH
- léky antitumorózní - screeningové testy MeSH
- lidé MeSH
- nádorové buněčné linie MeSH
- osteosarkom farmakoterapie metabolismus MeSH
- protokoly antitumorózní kombinované chemoterapie MeSH
- receptory kalcitriolu metabolismus MeSH
- tretinoin aplikace a dávkování MeSH
- vitaminy aplikace a dávkování MeSH
- Check Tag
- lidé MeSH
- Publikační typ
- časopisecké články MeSH
Vitamin D3 is well-known as a major regulator of calcium and phosphorus homeostasis. A growing body of evidence highlights its crucial role in the regulation of reproductive processes in females. The role of vitamin D3 in the female reproductive tract has been extensively investigated because its receptor is abundant in reproductive organs, including ovary. Importantly, besides expression of vitamin D3 receptor, the ovary is an extrarenal site of vitamin D3 metabolism. The influence of vitamin D3 on follicular development and ovarian steroidogenesis has been investigated. Furthermore, vitamin D3 deficiency has also been associated with polycystic ovary syndrome, premature ovarian failure and ovarian cancer. The objective of this review is to summarize our knowledge about the contribution of vitamin D3 to physiological and pathological processes within the ovary.
- MeSH
- cholekalciferol metabolismus MeSH
- lidé MeSH
- nedostatek vitaminu D metabolismus MeSH
- ovarium metabolismus patologie MeSH
- receptory kalcitriolu metabolismus MeSH
- syndrom polycystických ovarií metabolismus patologie MeSH
- vápník metabolismus MeSH
- zvířata MeSH
- Check Tag
- lidé MeSH
- ženské pohlaví MeSH
- zvířata MeSH
- Publikační typ
- časopisecké články MeSH
- přehledy MeSH
Hormonally active vitamin D3 metabolite, calcitriol, plays an important role in calcium-phosphate homeostasis, immune system actions and cell differentiation. Although anticancer activity of calcitriol is well documented and thousands of its analogs have been synthesized, none has been approved as a potential drug against cancer. Therefore, we attempted to introduce the cytotoxic effect to the calcitriol molecule by its linking to cisplatin. Herein, we present the synthesis of vitamin D compounds, designed on the basis of molecular modeling and docking experiments to the vitamin D receptor, and characterized by the presence of significantly different two side chains attached to C-20. In this study, a new synthetic approach to Gemini analogs was developed. Preparation of the target 19-norcalcitriol compounds involved separate syntheses of several building blocks (the A-ring, C/D-rings and side-chain fragments). The convergent synthetic strategy was used to combine these components by the different coupling processes, the crucial one being Wittig-Horner reaction of the Grundmann ketone analog with the known 2-methylene A-ring phosphine oxide. Due to the nature of the constructed steroidal side chains (bidentate ligands), which allowed coordination of metal ions, the first conjugate-type platinum(II) complexes of the vitamin D analogs were also successfully prepared and characterized. The target vitamin D compounds, displaying significant affinity for a vitamin D receptor, were assessed in vitro for their anti-proliferative activities towards several cell lines.
- MeSH
- antitumorózní látky chemická syntéza chemie farmakologie MeSH
- kalcitriol analogy a deriváty chemická syntéza farmakologie MeSH
- lidé MeSH
- nádorové buněčné linie MeSH
- nádory farmakoterapie metabolismus MeSH
- organoplatinové sloučeniny chemická syntéza chemie farmakologie MeSH
- proliferace buněk účinky léků MeSH
- racionální návrh léčiv MeSH
- receptory kalcitriolu metabolismus MeSH
- simulace molekulového dockingu MeSH
- techniky syntetické chemie MeSH
- vitaminy chemická syntéza chemie farmakologie MeSH
- Check Tag
- lidé MeSH
- Publikační typ
- časopisecké články MeSH
- práce podpořená grantem MeSH
In higher metazoans, the nuclear hormone receptors activate transcription trough their specific adaptors, nuclear hormone receptor adaptors NCoA, which are absent in lower metazoans. The Nine amino acid TransActivation Domain, 9aaTAD, was reported for a large number of the transcription activators that recruit general mediators of transcription. In this study, we demonstrated that the 9aaTAD from NHR-49 receptor of nematode C.elegans activates transcription as a small peptide. We showed that the ancient 9aaTAD domains are conserved in the nuclear hormone receptors including human HNF4, RARa, VDR and PPARg. Also their small 9aaTAD peptides effectively activated transcription in absence of the NCoA adaptors. We also showed that adjacent H11 domains in ancient and modern hormone receptors have an inhibitory effect on their 9aaTAD function.
- MeSH
- aktivace transkripce * MeSH
- alfa receptor kyseliny retinové chemie metabolismus MeSH
- Caenorhabditis elegans chemie metabolismus MeSH
- hepatocytární jaderný faktor 4 chemie metabolismus MeSH
- lidé MeSH
- molekulární modely MeSH
- peptidy chemie metabolismus MeSH
- PPAR gama chemie metabolismus MeSH
- proteinové domény MeSH
- proteiny Caenorhabditis elegans chemie metabolismus MeSH
- receptory cytoplazmatické a nukleární chemie metabolismus MeSH
- receptory kalcitriolu chemie metabolismus MeSH
- sekvence aminokyselin MeSH
- sekvenční seřazení MeSH
- signální transdukce MeSH
- zvířata MeSH
- Check Tag
- lidé MeSH
- zvířata MeSH
- Publikační typ
- časopisecké články MeSH
- práce podpořená grantem MeSH
Some epidemiological studies suggested caffeine consumption as the cause for bone mineral density loss. Certain genes involved in this process are regulated by vitamin D receptor (VDR). Therefore, we investigated if caffeine can affect inducible expression of VDR-regulated genes, some of them being involved in bone mineralization process. By employing reporter gene assay, polymerase chain reaction, and western blotting, we monitored the VDR activity and expression in cell cultures of intestinal (LS180), osteosarcoma (HOS), and normal human osteoblasts in vitro. While caffeine stimulated calcitriol-inducible VDR-dependent nanoluciferase activity in stable reporter cell line IZ-VDRE (derived from LS180), it rather modulated mRNA levels of target genes, like CYP24A1, BGLAP, SPP1, and TNSF11 in LS180 and HOS cells. However, caffeine significantly decreased calcitriol-inducible CYP24A1, TNSF11, and SPP1 transcripts in osteoblasts. This decrease had non-linear U-shaped profile. Our in vitro data demonstrate biphasic action of caffeine on the expression of certain calcitriol-inducible VDR-regulated genes in normal human osteoblasts.
- MeSH
- kalcitriol farmakologie MeSH
- kofein farmakologie MeSH
- lidé MeSH
- nádorové buněčné linie MeSH
- osteoblasty účinky léků metabolismus MeSH
- osteosarkom farmakoterapie metabolismus MeSH
- receptory kalcitriolu účinky léků metabolismus MeSH
- regulace genové exprese účinky léků MeSH
- signální transdukce účinky léků MeSH
- vitamin D metabolismus MeSH
- Check Tag
- lidé MeSH
- Publikační typ
- časopisecké články MeSH
- práce podpořená grantem MeSH
We developed and characterized a novel human luciferase reporter cell line for the assessment of peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor γ (PPARγ) transcriptional activity, PAZ-PPARg. The luciferase activity induced by PPARγ endogenous agonist 15d-PGJ2 and prostaglandin PGD2 reached mean values of (87.9 ± 14.0)-fold and (89.6 ± 19.7)-fold after 24 h of exposure to 40 μM 15d-PGJ2 and 70 μM PGD2, respectively. A concentration-dependent inhibition of 15d-PGJ2- and PGD2-induced luciferase activity was observed after the application of T0070907, a selective antagonist of PPARγ, which confirms the specificity of response to both agonists. The PAZ-PPARg cell line, along with the reporter cell lines for the assessment of transcriptional activities of thyroid receptor (TR), vitamin D3 receptor (VDR), androgen receptor (AR), and glucocorticoid receptor (GR), were used for the screening of 27 commonly marketed flavored nonalcoholic beverages for their possible disrupting effects. Our findings indicate that some of the examined beverages have the potential to modulate the transcriptional activities of PPARγ, VDR, and AR.
- MeSH
- aktivace transkripce účinky léků MeSH
- androgenní receptory genetika metabolismus MeSH
- buněčné linie MeSH
- chuťové esence škodlivé účinky farmakologie MeSH
- lidé MeSH
- nápoje škodlivé účinky analýza MeSH
- PPAR gama genetika metabolismus MeSH
- prostaglandin D2 farmakologie MeSH
- receptory glukokortikoidů genetika metabolismus MeSH
- receptory kalcitriolu genetika metabolismus MeSH
- receptory thyreoidních hormonů genetika metabolismus MeSH
- Check Tag
- lidé MeSH
- Publikační typ
- časopisecké články MeSH
Recently it has been shown that vitamin D(3) acting via its cognate receptor (VDR) regulates the growth, differentiation and function of female reproductive tissues including ovary. The aim of the study was to examine the effect of testosterone (T) and its antagonist 2-hydroxyflutamide (HF) on VDR protein expression and function in porcine ovarian follicles. Medium size antral follicles expressing great amount of androgen receptors and represent high steroidogenic activity were used in this research. After 6 h incubation of whole follicles with T, HF or T+HF, immunohistochemical analysis of VDR revealed its nuclear localization in granulosa and theca interna cells in control and experimental groups. The expression of VDR protein was shown as a band of 48 kDa. There were no significant differences between either experimental group and the control. T influenced the function of VDR through decreased formation of VDR/RXR (retinoid X receptor) complexes (P<0.05) in both granulosa and theca interna cells, but HF abolished this effect only in granulosa cells (P<0.05). These results suggest that androgens regulate the response of follicular cells to vitamin D3 in pigs ovary via regulation of VDR transcriptional activity.
Resistance to vitamin D has been known for decades as vitamin D resistant rickets, caused by mutations of the gene encoding for vitamin D receptor (VDR). Findings of extra-skeletal effects of vitamin D and learning of the molecular mechanisms used by its biologically active metabolite calcitriol revealed other ways leading to its impaired sensitivity. Calcitriol takes advantage of both genomic and non-genomic mechanisms through its binding to vitamin D receptor, located not only in the cell nuclei but also in a perinuclear space. On the genomic level the complex of calcitriol bound to VDR binds to the DNA responsive elements of the controlled gene in concert with another nuclear receptor, retinoid X receptor, and expression of the VDR itself is controlled by its own ligand. These elements were found not only in the promotor region, but are scattered over the gene DNA. The gene expression includes a number of nuclear transcription factors which interact with the responsive elements and with each other and learning how they operate would further contribute to revealing causes of the impaired vitamin D sensitivity. Finally, the examples of major disorders are provided, associated with impairment of the vitamin D function and its receptor.
- MeSH
- kalcitriol genetika metabolismus MeSH
- lidé MeSH
- mutace genetika MeSH
- nedostatek vitaminu D farmakoterapie genetika metabolismus MeSH
- receptory kalcitriolu genetika metabolismus MeSH
- vitamin D aplikace a dávkování genetika metabolismus MeSH
- Check Tag
- lidé MeSH
- Publikační typ
- časopisecké články MeSH
- přehledy MeSH
Essential oils (EOs) of culinary herbs and spices are consumed on a daily basis. They are multicomponent mixtures of compounds with already demonstrated biological activities. Taking into account regular dietary intake and the chemical composition of EOs, they may be considered as candidates for endocrine-disrupting entities. Therefore, we examined the effects of 31 EOs of culinary herbs and spices on transcriptional activities of glucocorticoid receptor (GR), androgen receptor (AR) and vitamin D receptor (VDR). Using reporter gene assays in stably transfected cell lines, weak anti-androgen and anti-glucocorticoid activity was observed for EO of vanilla and nutmeg, respectively. Moderate augmentation of calcitriol-dependent VDR activity was caused by EOs of ginger, thyme, coriander and lemongrass. Mixed anti-glucocorticoid and VDR-stimulatory activities were displayed by EOs of turmeric, oregano, dill, caraway, verveine and spearmint. The remaining 19 EOs were inactive against all receptors under investigation. Analyses of GR, AR and VDR target genes by means of RT-PCR confirmed the VDR-stimulatory effects, but could not confirm the anti-glucocorticoid and anti-androgen effects of EOs. In conclusion, although we observed minor effects of several EOs on transcriptional activities of GR, AR and VDR, the toxicological significance of these effects is very low. Hence, 31 EOs of culinary herbs and spices may be considered safe, in terms of endocrine disruption involving receptors GR, AR and VDR.
- MeSH
- aktivace transkripce účinky léků MeSH
- androgenní receptory chemie metabolismus MeSH
- androgeny škodlivé účinky MeSH
- antagonisté androgenů škodlivé účinky MeSH
- endokrinní disruptory škodlivé účinky MeSH
- jedlé rostliny chemie MeSH
- koření * MeSH
- léčivé rostliny chemie MeSH
- lidé MeSH
- ligandy MeSH
- nádorové buněčné linie MeSH
- oleje prchavé škodlivé účinky MeSH
- receptory glukokortikoidů agonisté antagonisté a inhibitory genetika metabolismus MeSH
- receptory kalcitriolu agonisté antagonisté a inhibitory genetika metabolismus MeSH
- regulace genové exprese účinky léků MeSH
- rekombinantní proteiny chemie metabolismus MeSH
- reportérové geny účinky léků MeSH
- reprodukovatelnost výsledků MeSH
- viabilita buněk účinky léků MeSH
- Check Tag
- lidé MeSH
- Publikační typ
- časopisecké články MeSH
- srovnávací studie MeSH
- Geografické názvy
- Česká republika MeSH
