Search results for "vitamin D."
showing 10 items of 265 documents
Vitamin D receptor polymorphisms and 25-hydroxyvitamin D in a group of Sicilian multiple sclerosis patients
2016
Multiple sclerosis (MS) is an auto-immune disease whose etiology remains controversial. Both genetic and environmental factors are thought to be involved in the risk of developing the disease. The purpose of our study was to assess the association of Vitamin D receptor (VDR) polymorphisms with MS and to investigate the interaction of these polymorphisms with vitamin D levels. A total of 179 Sicilian subjects, including 104 MS patients and 75 healthy controls, were studied. The most common VDR polymorphisms (Fok-I, Bsm-I, Taq-I and Apa-I) were genotyped by polymerase chain reaction (PCR) followed by restriction fragment length polymorphism (RFLP) analyses in both groups and serum 25-hydroxyv…
CYP27A1, CYP24A1, and RXR-α Polymorphisms, Vitamin D, and Multiple Sclerosis: a Pilot Study.
2018
Multiple sclerosis (MS) is a neurodegenerative autoimmune disease resulting from a complex interaction of genetic and environmental factors. Hypovitaminosis D seems to contribute to MS susceptibility as both an environmental and a genetic risk factor. The aim of our study was to investigate the association of SNPs in CYP27A1, CYP24A1, and RXR- α genes, vitamin D status, and MS risk. We performed a nested case-control study on patients with multiple sclerosis and healthy controls. Serum 25(OH)D3 levels and genotyping of CYP27A1, CYP24A1, and RXR-α -SNPs were investigated both in MS patients and in healthy controls. Serum 25(OH)D3 levels were measured by a high-performance liquid chromatograp…
The Antioxidant Therapy: New Insights in the Treatment of Hypertension
2018
Reactive oxygen species (ROS) and reactive nitrogen species (RNS) play a key role in the regulation of the physiological and pathological signaling within the vasculature. In physiological conditions, a delicate balance between oxidants and antioxidants protects cells from the detrimental effects of ROS/RNS. Indeed, the imbalance between ROS/RNS production and antioxidant defense mechanisms leads to oxidative and nitrosative stress within the cell. These processes promote the vascular damage observed in chronic conditions, such as hypertension. The strong implication of ROS/RNS in the etiology of hypertension suggest that antioxidants could be effective in the treatment of this pathology. I…
Macronutrient balance and micronutrient amounts through growth and development
2021
AbstractNutrition is essential for human growth, particularly in newborns and children. An optimal growth needs a correct diet, in order to ensure an adequate intake of macronutrients and micronutrients. Macronutrients are the compounds that humans consume in largest quantities, mainly classified in carbohydrates, proteins and fats. Micronutrients are instead introduced in small quantities, but they are required for an adequate growth in the pediatric age, especially zinc, iron, vitamin D and folic acid. In this manuscript we describe the most important macro and micronutrients for children’s growth.
The immunological implication of the new vitamin D metabolism
2018
Vitamin D is a neuro-hormone regulating calcium-phosphate homeostasis, cell proliferation, and immunomodulation. exogenous and endogenous Vitamin D is inactive, and two hydroxylations are required to produce the active hormone. The first hydroxylation is unique to the liver, while the second step occurs in kidney, brain, lung, prostate, placenta, and immune cells. Kidney-derived calcitriol regulates calcium homeostasis. active hormone produced by brain and immune cells mediates immune system response; lung calcitriol is involved in fighting respiratory tract infections; finally, prostate and placenta Vitamin D regulates cells growth and proliferation within such tissues. immune modulation b…
Integrating the Tumor Microenvironment into Cancer Therapy
2020
© 2020 by the authors.
Fine mapping of a QTL on bovine chromosome 6 using imputed full sequence data suggests a key role for the group-specific component (GC) gene in clini…
2016
Background Clinical mastitis is an inflammation of the mammary gland and causes significant costs to dairy production. It is unfavourably genetically correlated to milk production, and, thus, knowledge of the mechanisms that underlie these traits would be valuable to improve both of them simultaneously through breeding. A quantitative trait locus (QTL) that affects both clinical mastitis and milk production has recently been fine-mapped to around 89 Mb on bovine chromosome 6 (BTA6), but identification of the gene that underlies this QTL was not possible due to the strong linkage disequilibrium between single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) within this region. Our aim was to identify the gen…
Bisphosphonates, vitamin D, parathyroid hormone, and osteonecrosis of the jaw. Could there be a missing link?
2016
It is estimated that over 190 million bisphosphonates have been prescribed worldwide. But this drug can produce adverse effects, of which osteonecrosis of the jaw and severe hypocalcemia are the most serious. It is evident that bisphosphonate administration affects multiple and diverse biochemical mediators related to bone metabolism. This review of literature investigates four basic parameters in patients treated with bisphosphonates - parathyroid hormone (PTH), bisphosphonates, vitamin D, calcium, and jaw osteonecrosis - which are fundamental for assessing bone metabolism and so the efficacy and correct use of the drug. The imbalances generated by vitamin D and calcium deficiencies, toget…
Vitamin D in malaria: more hypotheses than clues
2019
Abstract Vitamin D is a secosteroid hormone regulating calcium and phosphate metabolism, immune response and brain development. Low blood 25(OH)D levels have been reported in patients affected by infectious diseases caused by parasites, including malaria. Despite the high effectiveness of antimalarials, malaria is burdened with high morbidity and mortality, and the search for additional therapies is rapidly growing. Furthermore, available preventive measures have proved to be barely effective so far. Finding new prevention and therapy tools is a matter of urgency. Studies on animal models and humans have hypothesized some mechanisms by which the hormone can influence malaria pathogenesis, a…
Vitamin D Status and the Relationship with Bone Fragility Fractures in HIV-Infected Patients: A Case Control Study
2018
HIV-infected patients show high risk of fracture. The aims of our study were to determine the prevalence of vertebral fractures (VFs) and their associations with vitamin D in HIV patients. 100 patients with HIV infection and 100 healthy age-and sex-matched controls were studied. Bone mineral density was measured by quantitative ultrasound at the non-dominant heel. Serum osteocalcin and C-terminal telopeptide of collagen type 1 served as bone turnover markers. Bone ultrasound measurements were significantly lower in patients compared with controls (Stiffness Index (SI): 80.58 ± 19.95% vs. 93.80 ± 7.10%, respectively, p < 0.001). VFs were found in 16 patients and in 2 controls. HIV patie…