Vitamin D Analogs in Cancer Prevention and Therapy

This volume provides a comprehensive, highly readable overview of the topics discussed at the First International Symposium on "Vitamin D Analogs in Cancer Prevention and Therapy" held in Homburg/Saar, Germany in May 2002. Leading researchers discuss our present knowledge of the vitamin D system in cancer. Topics range from the newest findings in molecular biology, epidemiology, synthesis and metabolism of vitamin D to new concepts for the use of vitamin D analogs in cancer prophylaxis and treatment. The book provides essential up-to-date information for every researcher or clinician interested in the biology of vitamin D or cancer.

Autorentext
Jörg Reichrath is Professor for Dermatology and Deputy Director of the Clinic for Dermatology, Allergology and Venerology at the Saarland University Hospital in Homburg/Saar, Germany. Main research interests include photobiology, dermato-endocrinology and dermato-oncology. He is a member of numerous national and international scientific organizations, including the German Dermatological Society (DDG), the Deutsche Krebsgesellschaft (DKG), the German Dermatologic Cooperative Oncology Group (DeCOG), and the European Society of Dermatological Research (ESDR). He has been awarded numerous prices including the Arnold-Rikli-price 2006. Jörg Reichrath received his academic degrees (Dr. med., venia legendi) from the Saarland University, Germany.

Inhalt
1 Molecular Biology of Vitamin D.- Evolution and Function of Vitamin D.- Current Understanding of the Function of the Nuclear Vitamin D Receptor in Response to Its Natural and Synthetic Ligands.- Approaches to Evaluating the Association of Vitamin D Receptor Gene Polymorphisms with Breast Cancer Risk.- Ligand StructureFunction Relationships in the Vitamin D Endocrine System from the Perspective of Drug Development (Including Cancer Treatment).- Antiproliferative Signalling by 1,25(OH)2D3 in Prostate and Breast Cancer Is Suppressed by a Mechanism Involving Histone Deacetylation.- Mechanisms Implicated in the Growth Regulatory Effects of Vitamin D Compounds in Breast Cancer Cells.- Squamous Cell Carcinomas Fail to Respond to the Prodifferentiating Actions of 1,25(OH)2D: Why?.- A Novel Vitamin D-Regulated Immediate-Early Gene, IEX-1, Alters Cellular Growth and Apoptosis.- Extrarenal Sites of Calcitriol Synthesis: The Particular Role of the Skin.- Cultured Rat Growth Plate Chondrocytes Express Low Levels of 1a-Hydroxylase.- Gene Amplification and Splice Variants of 25-Hydroxyvitamin D3 1, ?-Hydroxylase (CYP27B1) in Glioblastoma MultiformeA Possible Role in Tumor Progression?.- Regulation of the 25-Hydroxyvitamin D-1?-Hydroxylase Gene and Its Splice Variant.- Combination of Vitamin D Metabolites with Selective Inhibitors of Vitamin D Metabolism.- Importance Of Cytochrome P450-Mediated Metabolism in the Mechanism of Action of Vitamin D Analogs.- 2 The Vitamin D System in Cancer.- The Role of Vitamin D in Prostate Cancer.- Vitamin D Autocrine System and Prostate Cancer.- Analysis of the Vitamin D System in Cervical Carcinomas, Breast Cancer and Ovarian Cancer.- Short-Chain Fatty Acids and Colon Cancer Cells: The Vitamin D Receptor-Butyrate Connection.- Analysis of theVitamin D system in Cutaneous Malignancies.- 3 Antitumor Effects of Vitamin D Analogs.- Evaluation of Vitamin D Analogs as Therapeutic Agents for Prostate Cancer.- Design, Synthesis, and Biological Studies of the A-Ring-Modified 1,25-Dihydroxyvitamin D3 Analogs.- Induction of Apoptosis by Vitamin D Metabolites and Analogs in a Glioma Cell Line.- Vitamin D Analogs and Breast Cancer.- A Low-Calcemic Vitamin D Analog (Ro 25-4020) Inhibits the Growth of LNCaP Human Prostate Cancer Cells with Increased Potency by Producing an Active 24-Oxo Metabolite (Ro 299970).- Prospects for Vitamin D receptor Modulators as Candidate Drugs for Cancer and (Auto)immune Diseases.- The Role of Reactive Oxygen Species in the Anticancer Activity of Vitamin D.- 4 Vitamin D in Cancer Prevention.- Ecologic Studies of Solar UV-B Radiation and Cancer Mortality Rates.- Phytoestrogens and 17b-Estradiol Influence Vitamin D Metabolism and Receptor Expression-Relevance for Colon Cancer Prevention.- Efficacy and Mechanism of Action of 1a-hydroxy-24-ethyl-Cholecalciferol (1a[OH]D5) in Breast Cancer Prevention and Therapy.- Regulation of Extrarenal Vitamin D Metabolism as a Tool for Colon and Prostate Cancer Prevention.- Modulation of X-ray-Induced Apoptosis in Human Keratinocytes (HaCaT) by 1, 25-Dihydroxyvitamin D3.