Vitamin D Signaling Pathways Confer the Susceptibility of Esophageal Squamous Cell Carcinoma in a Northern Chinese Population

• Published in: Nutrition and cancer 2017-05, Vol.69 (4), p.593-600
• Main Authors: Yang, Jianzhou, Wang, Haili, Ji, Aifang, Ma, Liang, Wang, Jinsheng, Lian, Changhong, Wei, Zibai, Wang, Lidong
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: 25-Hydroxyvitamin D3 1-alpha-Hydroxylase - genetics; Aged; Asian Continental Ancestry Group - genetics; Carcinoma, Squamous Cell - genetics; Case-Control Studies; DNA-Binding Proteins - genetics; Esophageal Neoplasms - genetics; Esophageal Squamous Cell Carcinoma; Esophagus; Female; Genetic Predisposition to Disease; Humans; Logistic Models; Male; Middle Aged; Oxidoreductases Acting on CH-CH Group Donors - genetics; Polymorphism, Single Nucleotide; Population; Receptors, Calcitriol - genetics; Signal Transduction - genetics; Studies; Transcription Factors - genetics; Vitamin D; Vitamin D - analogs & derivatives; Vitamin D - blood; Vitamin D - genetics; Vitamin D - metabolism; Vitamin D3 24-Hydroxylase - genetics
• ISSN: 0163-5581; 1532-7914
• DOI: 10.1080/01635581.2017.1299873

Experimental studies have determined the chemopreventive effects of vitamin D against the esophageal squamous cell carcinoma (ESCC); however, results from the epidemiological studies are not yet well established. The current study aimed to evaluate the associations between plasma vitamin D levels and variants on vitamin D metabolic-related genes with the risks for ESCC. A hospital-based case-control study was performed. Five hundred eighty-two ESCC patients and 569 controls were recruited in a Northern Chinese population. Common variants on vitamin D metabolism-related genes CYP24A1, DHCR7, GC, CYP27B1, and vitamin D receptor (VDR) and the plasma 25(OH)D level were determined. The unconditional logistic regression method was applied to determine the associations between the variants and vitamin D level and ESCC. Higher plasma 25(OH)D was associated with a reduced risk for ESCC, especially for rs2296241, rs11568820, and rs4646536. The variants rs2296241 on CYP24A1 and rs11568820 on VDR are significantly associated with ESCC cancer. Vitamin D signaling pathways may participate in the ESCC development. Further studies with larger sample size are warranted to confirm the results. Intervention studies are needed to determine whether vitamin D supplementation may reduce the ESCC risk in the Chinese population.