Polymorphisms in vitamin D-related genes and risk of uterine leiomyomata

Abstract

The incidence of uterine leiomyomata (UL) is 2-3 times higher in black women than white women. Lower vitamin D levels have been hypothesized to contribute to the racial disparity, but data to support this hypothesis are scarce. Vitamin D receptors are found in uterine tissue and vitamin D inhibits proliferation of UL cells in vitro. A recent cross-sectional study found lower serum vitamin D3 levels in UL cases than controls. We examined the risk of UL in relation to twenty polymorphisms in genes involved in vitamin D metabolism: six in VDR, five in GC, four in CYP2R1, two in NADSYN1, two in CYP24A1, and one in CYP27B.