Responsiveness of osteoblastic and osteolytic bone metastases to vitamin D analogs

Crit Rev Eukaryot Gene Expr. 2007;17(2):149-58. doi: 10.1615/critreveukargeneexpr.v17.i2.40.

Abstract

Bone is the primary site of metastases in advanced androgen-independent prostate cancer. These metastases are primarily bone-forming, although the presence of osteolytic response has also been reported. Bone-homing therapy is a strategy based on the popular seed-and-soil relationship between the epithelial malignant cells and the bone stroma. Calcitriol (1,25-dihydroxyvitamin D3) and its synthetic analogs (deltanoids) are drugs that have a direct effect on both the skeleton and the invading metastatic cells and, therefore, are considered useful in the treatment of advanced prostate cancer. In this article, I review the nature of the response induced by the malignant cells in the bone (bone formation or bone resorption) and how it affects the outcome of a vitamin D analog treatment in preclinical models of metastatic bone disease.

Publication types

  • Review

MeSH terms

  • Animals
  • Bone Neoplasms / drug therapy*
  • Bone Neoplasms / metabolism
  • Bone Neoplasms / pathology
  • Bone Neoplasms / secondary*
  • Calcitriol / analogs & derivatives
  • Calcitriol / therapeutic use
  • Cell Line, Tumor
  • Humans
  • Male
  • Mice
  • Models, Biological
  • Osteoblasts / drug effects
  • Osteoblasts / metabolism
  • Osteoblasts / pathology
  • Osteolysis / drug therapy
  • Osteolysis / metabolism
  • Osteolysis / pathology
  • Prostatic Neoplasms / drug therapy
  • Prostatic Neoplasms / metabolism
  • Receptors, Calcitriol / metabolism
  • Vitamin D / analogs & derivatives*
  • Vitamin D / therapeutic use

Substances

  • Receptors, Calcitriol
  • Vitamin D
  • Calcitriol