Synthetic vitamin D helps prevent some breast cancers.

When studying animals, researchers at Rutgers University discovered that a synthetic form of activated Vitamin D has a great preventative effect on the development of estrogen receptor breast cancer ( ER) positive and ER negative. Unlike other synthetic forms of vitamin D that have been tested in humans, this compound, named Gemini 0097, shows no toxicity.

The team found that daily injections of Gemini 0097 severed the development of ER-positive cancer by 60% and reduced ER-negative breast cancer by half in experimental mice.

Scientist Hong Jin Lee, a graduate student at Rutgers, said 'This is a promising discovery because of the non-toxicity of the test substance'. Lee currently works at the lab of Dr. Nanjoo, associate professor at Susan Lehman Cullman Cancer Research Laboratory at Rutgers, New Jersey State University. Dr. Suh said that Gemini 0097 does not cause poisoning like regular vitamin D , does not cause hypercalcaemia when the calcium level in the blood exceeds the limit, because the compound is attached to the formula. structure.

Lee also added that it is very different from the natural shape of activated vitamin D, because the force linking Gemini 0097 with low vitamin D receptors can contribute to lower toxicity but the effect remains the same. So or even much higher.

Epidemiological studies have shown that the use of vitamin D is beneficial in preventing colon cancer, but studies of prostate cancer and breast cancer show mixed results, Dr. Suh said. said.

Vitamin D is a pre-hormone that is produced under the skin after exposure to sunlight. Vitamin D supplementation in the diet is transformed into a useful active form by metabolism in the liver and kidneys. Although the active form of vitamin D has been tested as a cure for cancer, the higher dose required for prevention or treatment causes very large side effects in clinical trials.

In this study, the researchers examined 60 new Gemini vitamin compounds with Gemini 0097 for the best results.

In part of the study, the researchers exposed mice to breast cancer, then injected Gemini 0097 into a group of 15 different doses. They found that the lowest dose had little effect, but the higher dose slowed the growth of ER-positive tumors to 60% compared to the control group. Some mice treated with small breast growth and some did not develop any tumors. 'The results are very convincing.'

In a second similar trial in a mouse model with ER negative breast cancer, vitamin D treated mice made Gemini tumors by 50% compared to control mice.

The researchers analyzed tumor samples from mice and found that Gemini 0097 prevented the formation of tumors by increasing the expression of p21 proteins that stopped the cell cycle, and by creating IGFBP-3, slowing down the growth of cells.

Dr Suh said: 'These data come from animal studies and we need more data before we do human trials. But, hopefully, we have found a way to create non-toxic vitamin D that can effectively prevent cancer. "