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Endocrine Abstracts (2015) 37 EP1117 | DOI: 10.1530/endoabs.37.EP1117

1Department of Endocrinology, Red Cross Hospital, Athens, Greece; 2Department of Experimental Physiology, Medical School, University of Athens, Athens, Greece.


Introduction: Vitamin D is a hormone related to calcium homeostasis and normal function of the musculoskeletal system. Recently, the extraskeletal actions of vitamin D are the focus of scientific interest. The hormone is thought to possess anticancer properties, these properties being especially related to cancer of the prostate.

Aim: The aim was to study the effect of vitamin D on PC3 prostate cancer cells in vitro.

Methods: The effect of 1,25(OH)2D3, 25(OH)D3, 1α(OH)D3 and paricalcitol at initial concentrations of 200, 40, 20 and 20 nM, respectively, on PC3 prostate cancer cells was studied in vitro. PC3 cells were incubated for 48 h at 37  °C with progressively decreasing concentrations of 1,25(OH)2D3, 25(OH)D3, 1α(OH)D3 and paricalcitol. Experiments were also performed with 1,25(OH)2D3 at concentrations of 500 nM and 1 μM. PC3 cells were also incubated with progressively decreasing concentrations of 1,25(OH)2D3, the initial concentration being 200 nM, in the presence of the antimitotic agent docetaxel 50 nM.

Results: The proliferation of PC3 prostate cancer cells was not affected by 25(OH)D3, 1α(OH)D3 and paricalcitol. High concentrations of 1,25(OH)2D3 mildly inhibited PC3 proliferation whereas lower concentrations had no effect. The proliferation of PC3 cells was inhibited in the presence of both 1,25(OH)2D3 and docetaxel.

Conclusions: In conclusion, 25(OH)D3 and analogues of vitamin D had no effect on the proliferation of PC3 prostate cancer cells. However, relatively high concentrations of the active hormone 1,25(OH)2D3 was shown to inhibit PC3 cells proliferation. It appears, that vitamin D may possess anticancer properties especially related to prostate cancer.

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