Vitamin D3 regulates beta-catenin protein expression in human fibroid cells: implications for MED12 role in fibroid pathogenesis

Abstract

Uterine fibroids are the most common benign tumors in the reproductive age women and hysterectomy is the main effective treatment for uterine fibroids till now. African American women have four times higher risk of uterine fibroids and they have ten times more hypovitaminosis D than their counterpart white women. We recently found that the mediator complex 12 (Med12) gene exon 2 somatic mutations in more than 70% cases in USA women with uterine fibroids. Med12 gene exon 2 somatic mutations are associated with uterine fibroid tumorigenicity and activation of Med12 gene regulates Wnt/beta-catenin pathways.