Low vitamin D and megalin may raise prostate hormones and aggressive cancer risk in men of African ancestry
Men of African Ancestry are primed for aggressive prostate cancer by high prostate androgens driven by vitamin D deficiency and megalin
This work looks at whether low vitamin D increases prostate dihydrotestosterone through megalin and raises aggressive prostate cancer risk in men of African ancestry.
Quick facts
| Grant type | R01 grant |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | University of Illinois at Chicago NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (Chicago, UNITED STATES) |
| Project ID | NIH-11321621 on NIH RePORTER |
What this research studies
If you are a man of African ancestry with prostate concerns, researchers will examine prostate tissue, patient-derived models, and clinical samples to follow local hormone levels inside the prostate. The team will combine laboratory experiments in mouse models and analyses of human samples to see how vitamin D status and the protein megalin change tissue testosterone and dihydrotestosterone. By comparing samples from different vitamin D states, they aim to explain why vitamin D deficiency may be linked to more aggressive prostate cancer. Results could point to ways to prevent or treat aggressive disease by targeting vitamin D pathways or megalin.
Who could benefit from this research
Good fit: Ideal candidates would be men of African ancestry, particularly those with prostate cancer or those undergoing prostate biopsy or surgery who can provide tissue or blood samples.
Not a fit: Men without prostate disease, those not of African ancestry, or those unwilling to provide clinical samples are unlikely to receive direct benefit from this project.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, this work could point to vitamin D–related prevention strategies or new targets to reduce aggressive prostate cancer in men of African ancestry.
How similar studies have performed: Previous laboratory and clinical studies have linked low vitamin D to higher prostate androgens and more aggressive cancer, and this project builds on preliminary data but applies a new focus on megalin that requires further testing.
Where this research is happening
Chicago, UNITED STATES
- University of Illinois at Chicago — Chicago, United States (Active)
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Nonn, Larisa — University of Illinois at Chicago
- Study coordinator: Nonn, Larisa
About this research
- This is an active NIH-funded research project — typically early-stage science, not a clinical trial accepting patient enrollment.
- Some NIH-funded labs run parallel clinical studies or seek volunteers for related work. To check, contact the principal investigator or institution listed above.
- For full project details, budget, and progress reports, visit the official NIH RePORTER page below.