VDR in Salivary Gland Homeostasis and Cancer

Publication date: Available online 17 January 2020Source: The Journal of Steroid Biochemistry and Molecular BiologyAuthor(s): Kara A. DeSantis, Samantha L. Robilotto, Mark Matson, Noor M. Kotb, Cathryn M. Lapierre, Zenab Minhas, Alana A. Leder, Khushbakht Abdul, Emily M. Facteau, JoEllen WelshAbstractThe vitamin D receptor (VDR) and its ligand 1,25(OH)2D3 (1,25D) impact differentiation and exert anti-tumor effects in many tissues, but its role in salivary gland has yet to be defined. Using immunohistochemistry (IHC), we have detected strong VDR expression in murine and human salivary gland ducts. Compared to normal gland, VDR protein expression was retained in differentiated human pleomorphic adenoma (PA) but was undetectable in undifferentiated PA and in carcinomas, suggesting deregulation of VDR during salivary cancer progression. To gain insight into the potential role of VDR in salivary cancer, we assessed the effects of vitamin D in vivo and in vitro. Despite the presence of VDR in salivary gland, chronic dietary vitamin D restriction did not alter morphology of the salivary epithelium in C57/Bl6 mice. The localization of VDR in ductal epithelium prompted us to examine the effects of 1,25D in an established cell line (mSGc) derived from normal murine submandibular gland (SMG). This previously characterized cell line consists of multiple stem, progenitor and differentiated cell types as determined by mutually exclusive cellular expression of basal, ductal and myoepithelia...
Source: The Journal of Steroid Biochemistry and Molecular Biology - Category: Biochemistry Source Type: research