Determinants of vitamin D status: focus on genetic variations.

Curr Opin Nephrol Hypertens. 2011 Jul;20(4):331-6.
Berry D, Hyppönen E. e.hypponen at ich.ucl.ac.uk
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

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See also Vitamin D Life

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• CYP24A1 enzyme and Vitamin D
• CLICK HERE for Google Search for Hyppönen at Vitamin D Life
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• 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