Abstract-Vitamin D is generally associated with calcium metabolism, especially in the context of uptake in the intestine and the formation and maintenance of bone. However, vitamin D influences a wide range of metabolic systems through both genomic and nongenomic pathways that have an impact on the properties of peripheral arteries. The genomic effects have wide importance for angiogenesis, elastogenesis, and immunomodulation; the nongenomic effects have mainly been observed in the presence of hypertension. Although some vitamin D is essential for cardiovascular health, excess may have detrimental effects, particularly on elastogenesis and inflammation of the arterial wall. Vitamin D is likely to have a role in the paradoxical association between arterial calcification and osteoporosis. This review explores the relationship between vitamin D and a range of physiological and pathological processes relevant to peripheral arteries. ( T he primary role of vitamin D and its active metabolites is maintaining calcium homeostasis by increasing intestinal calcium absorption and, depending on circulating calcium levels, influencing the balance between bone resorption and formation. The physiological role of vitamin D in skeletal and cellular health has been reviewed elsewhere. 1 Vitamin D also has effects on the microendocrine systems of the vasculature, some of which have only been appreciated recently. This review reflects on the possible influence of vitamin D on peripheral arterial disease, which includes diseases (both occlusive and dilating) of the abdominal aorta and the distal arteries supplying the lower limb. Atherosclerosis is a major contributor to peripheral arterial disease, but the risk factors are subtly different from those for coronary artery disease: smoking is the dominating risk factor for peripheral arterial disease. Does vitamin D have any influence on the disease process?
Vitamin D Metabolites and AnaloguesCholecalciferol is a prohormone that is synthesized in the skin by photochemical conversion of 7-dehydrocholesterol ( Figure 1). It is subsequently hydroxylated to
Nongenomic EffectsIn common with other steroid hormones, 1␣,25(OH) 2 D 3 induces a range of effects which occur too rapidly to involve gene expression. These include increases in intracellular calcium and cGMP levels, activation of protein kinase C and changes in phosphinositide metabolism 11 (Figure 2). The effects are known to be mediated by 1 or more plasma membrane receptors, but their role is unclear in most cell types. 2,11 An example relevant to the arterial wall includes the stimulation of vascular smooth muscle cell (VSMC) migration through activation of phosphatidylinositol 3-kinase. 12
Target Cells and Tissues for 1␣,25(OH) 2 D 3Classically, the action of 1␣,25(OH) 2 D 3 is to maintain calcium and phosphate homeostasis, with the intestine and bone being key targets. It also acts on a wide range of nonclassical target tissues, including the heart and arterial wall. 13 The influence of 1␣,25(OH) 2 D 3 on these tissues could...