Determinants of vitamin D status: focus on genetic variations.

Curr Opin Nephrol Hypertens. 2011 Jul;20(4):331-6.

Berry D, Hyppönen E. [email protected]

Centre for Paediatric Epidemiology and Biostatistics and Medical Research Council Centre for the Epidemiology of Child Health, UCL Institute of Child Health, London, UK.

PURPOSE OF REVIEW:

The role of vitamin D beyond its importance for bone health is under much debate. In this article, we review recent evidence for genetic influences on 25-hydroxyvitamin D [25(OH)D] and discuss the uses of this information and its importance for public health.

RECENT FINDINGS:

Findings from large-scale genome-wide association meta-analyses on 25(OH)D confirmed the associations for loci nearby genes encoding

• vitamin D binding protein (GC, group component),

• 7-dehydrochlesterol reductase (DHCR7),

• 25-hydroxylase (CYP2R1) and

• 24-hydroxylase (CYP24A1),

all influencing key sites for vitamin D metabolism. Findings from candidate gene studies have been inconsistent, with some implicating an association with 25(OH)D for loci near the gene encoding the hormonal vitamin D activation enzyme (CYP27B1).

SUMMARY:

The amount of variation in 25(OH)D explained by genetic determinants is small compared with environmental exposures .

Information on genetic variants affecting 25(OH)D can be used as tools for Mendelian randomization analyses on vitamin D, and they provide some potential for the use as drug targets.

PMID: 21654390

See also Vitamin D Life

• All items in Genes and Vitamin D items

• CYP24A1 enzyme and Vitamin D

• CLICK HERE for Google Search for Hyppönen at Vitamin D Life

  • 265 hits as of March 2013

• 45 year-old British women working long hours had 8 percent lower vitamin D – April 2011

• Vitamin D UK 45 year olds with nice graphics and some other abstracts

• Infants in Finland who got 2000 IU vitamin D daily grew to normal height – March 2011