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First published online August 1, 2011

Molecular Mechanism of Vitamin D in the Cardiovascular System

Yan Chun Li, PhDView all authors and affiliations
Volume 59, Issue 6
https://doi.org/10.2310/JIM.0b013e31820ee448

Abstract

Vitamin D deficiency is a global health problem that has various adverse consequences. Vitamin D is mainly synthesized in the skin by sunlight (UV light) irradiation; therefore, vitamin D status is influenced by geographic locations, seasonal changes, and skin pigmentations. The kidney is involved in the biosynthesis of 1,25-dihydroxyvitamin D and the reuptake of filtered 25-hydroxyvitamin D from the proximal tubules, thus, vitamin D deficiency is highly prevalent in patients with kidney disease who have renal insufficiency. There is a growing body of epidemiological and clinical evidence in the literature that links vitamin D deficiency to cardiovascular disease. The discovery of the vitamin D hormone functioning as an endocrine inhibitor of the renin-angiotensin system provides an explanation for this association. This review will discuss the mechanism underlying the connection between vitamin D and cardiovascular disease and its physiological and therapeutic implications.

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Published In

Volume 59, Issue 6
Pages: 868 - 871
Article first published online: August 1, 2011
Issue published: August 2011

Keywords

  1. vitamin D
  2. cardiovascular system
  3. renin-angiotensin system

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© 2011 American Federation for Medical Research.
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Authors

Affiliations

Yan Chun Li, PhD
Department of Medicine, The University of Chicago, Chicago, IL.
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Notes

Reprints: Yan Chun Li, PhD, Department of Medicine, The University of Chicago, 900 E 57th St, KCBD, Mailbox 9-9110, Chicago, IL 60637. E-mail: [email protected].
Supported in part by a grant from the National Center for Research Resources (R13 RR023236).

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