Vitamin D Thwarts Prostate Cancer

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Indexed  January 25, 2011

Previous research has suggested that vitamin D may have anticancer benefits. Now a study reports that vitamin D may help prevent the spread of prostate cancer by inhibiting two proteases (enzymes that break down protein) involved in tumor invasion. The cell study, published in Carcinogenesis (2006, vol 27, no 1), investigated the effect of 1,25-hydroxyvitamin D3 (the active form of vitamin D in the body) on three groups of proteases involved in tumor invasion, in three different prostate cancer cell lines. Researchers at the University of Rochester Medical Center treated the three proteases, including the matrix metalloproteinases, the plasminogen activators, and the cathepsins, with high doses of 1,25-hydroxyvitamin D3. The researchers found that vitamin D decreased the activity of two enzymes, matrix metalloproteinase-9 and cathepsins. However, the third enzyme group, the plasminogen activators, was not affected. Findings also revealed an increased activity of metalloproteinase-1 and cathepsins tissue inhibitors. “These findings support the idea that vitamin D-based therapies might be beneficial in the management of advanced prostate cancer, especially among patients who have higher matrix metalloproteinase-9 and cathepsins activities," the study authors conclude   See the complete post here