Title: The protection afforded by vitamin D against low radiation damage

Authors: Daniel P. Hayes

Addresses: Office of Radiological Health, New York City Department of Health and Mental Hygiene, 2 Lafayette Street, New York, New York 10007, USA

Abstract: Our general understanding and appreciation of the multifaceted protective actions of vitamin D have recently entered a new era. It is now becoming recognised that its most active molecular form, 1,25-dihydroxyvitamin D₃ (also known as calcitriol), may offer protection against a variety of radiation- and otherwise-induced damages. As will be discussed, vitamin D carries out its protective actions by a host of mechanisms, among these being cell cycle regulation and proliferation, cellular differentiation and communication, Programmed Cell Death (PCD) (apoptosis and autophagy) and antiangiogenesis. As will be proposed and developed, vitamin D, with its preventative/ameliorating actions, should be considered among the prime (if not the primary) nonpharmacological agents that offer protection against sublethal low radiation damage and, in particular, against radiation-induced cancer.

Keywords: low radiation; vitamin D; 1,25-dihydroxyvitamin D₃; apoptosis; autophagy; cell regulation; cellular communication; DNA damage; radiation-induced cancer; hormesis; radiation protectors; calcitriol; radiation damage; antiangiogenesis; cell cycle regulation; cellular differentiation.

DOI: 10.1504/IJLR.2008.020980

International Journal of Low Radiation, 2008 Vol.5 No.4, pp.368 - 394

Published online: 29 Oct 2008 *

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