Next Article in Journal
Polystyrene Microplastic Exposure Adversely Affects Oocyte Quality and Ovary Health Status in Mytilus galloprovincialis
Previous Article in Journal
Serum Pharmacochemistry-Guided DARTS-MS Profiling Reveals Potential Mechanisms of Caragana jubata Against Hypoxic Pulmonary Hypertension
 
 
Search for Articles:
Title / Keyword
Author / Affiliation / Email
Journal
Article Type
 
 
Advanced Search
 
Section
Special Issue
Volume
Issue
Number
Page
 
Journals
IJMS
Volume 27
Issue 13
10.3390/ijms27135816
ijms-logo
Submit to this Journal Review for this Journal Propose a Special Issue
► Article Menu

Article Menu

share Share announcement Help format_quote Cite question_answer Discuss in SciProfiles
first_page
settings
Order Article Reprints
Font Type:
Arial Georgia Verdana
Font Size:
Aa Aa Aa
Line Spacing:
Column Width:
Background:
Article

Vitamin D Receptor rs731236 Polymorphism Modulates Cancer Cachexia Susceptibility and Overall Survival: A Real-World Study on Context-Dependent Vitamin D Signalling

by
Valéria Tavares
1,2,3,
Ana Carolina Leão Silva
1,4,
Anna Flávia Xavier
1,4,
Inês Guerra de Melo
1,2,
Tiago Ferreira
1,2,5,
Mariana Moreira Pires
1,4,
Cláudia Silva
6,
Virgínia Rocha Dias
6,
Maria Paula Silva
7,
Joana M. O. Santos
1,2 and
Rui Medeiros
1,2,3,8,9,10,*
1
Molecular Oncology and Viral Pathology Group, IPO Porto Research Centre (CI-IPOP), Portuguese Oncology Institute of Porto (IPO Porto)/Department of Pathology and Laboratory Medicine/RISE-Associate Laboratory (Health Research Network)/Porto Comprehensive Cancer Centre Raquel Seruca (Porto.CCC), 4200-072 Porto, Portugal
2
Research Department, Portuguese League Against Cancer (NRNorte), 4200-172 Porto, Portugal
3
School of Medicine and Biomedical Sciences (EMCB), Fernando Pessoa University, 4420-096 Gondomar, Portugal
4
Faculty of Medicine, University of Porto (FMUP), 4200-072 Porto, Portugal
5
Centre for the Research and Technology of Agro-Environmental and Biological Sciences (CITAB), University of Trás-os-Montes and Alto Douro (UTAD), 5000-801 Vila Real, Portugal
6
Day Hospital, Portuguese Oncology Institute of Porto (IPO Porto), 4200-072 Porto, Portugal
7
Palliative Care Service, Portuguese Oncology Institute of Porto (IPO Porto), 4200-072 Porto, Portugal
8
Faculty of Health Sciences, Fernando Pessoa University, 4200-150 Porto, Portugal
9
Instituto de Ciências Biomédicas Abel Salazar (ICBAS), University of Porto, 4050-313 Porto, Portugal
10
European Cancer Organisation (ECO), 1040 Brussels, Belgium
*
Author to whom correspondence should be addressed.
Int. J. Mol. Sci. 2026, 27(13), 5816; https://doi.org/10.3390/ijms27135816
Submission received: 9 June 2026 / Revised: 25 June 2026 / Accepted: 25 June 2026 / Published: 27 June 2026
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Advances in Molecular Biology of Haematology)
Browse Figures
Versions Notes

Abstract

Cancer-associated cachexia (CAC) is a complex metabolic syndrome characterised by progressive skeletal muscle loss, systemic inflammation, reduced treatment tolerance, and poor survival. Marked interindividual variability in CAC susceptibility suggests that host genetic factors may contribute to its development. Vitamin D plays an important role in muscle metabolism and inflammatory control through activation of the vitamin D receptor (VDR). VDR signalling influences myogenesis, mitochondrial function, insulin-like growth factor pathways, and pro-inflammatory cytokine expression, all of which are implicated in CAC pathogenesis. Hence, VDR variants, including the rs731236 (A>G) polymorphism, which modifies receptor activity, may affect CAC pathogenesis. Thus, this study investigated the association between the polymorphism and susceptibility to CAC as well as patient survival in a cohort of 140 adult cancer patients. Briefly, the rs731236 GG genotype was significantly associated with a lower prevalence of CAC across disease diagnostic approaches (chi-square tests, p < 0.05). Furthermore, GG genotype carriers demonstrated significantly improved survival compared with carriers of AA/AG genotypes (Log-rank and Tarone–Ware tests, p < 0.05). In summary, these findings suggest that the rs731236 polymorphism influences both susceptibility to CAC and survival outcomes in patients with cancer, further supporting a clinically relevant role for vitamin D signalling in supportive oncology care.
Keywords: VDR; cachexia; neoplasms; polymorphism; single nucleotide; biomarkers VDR; cachexia; neoplasms; polymorphism; single nucleotide; biomarkers

Share and Cite

MDPI and ACS Style

Tavares, V.; Silva, A.C.L.; Xavier, A.F.; de Melo, I.G.; Ferreira, T.; Pires, M.M.; Silva, C.; Dias, V.R.; Silva, M.P.; Santos, J.M.O.; et al. Vitamin D Receptor rs731236 Polymorphism Modulates Cancer Cachexia Susceptibility and Overall Survival: A Real-World Study on Context-Dependent Vitamin D Signalling. Int. J. Mol. Sci. 2026, 27, 5816. https://doi.org/10.3390/ijms27135816

AMA Style

Tavares V, Silva ACL, Xavier AF, de Melo IG, Ferreira T, Pires MM, Silva C, Dias VR, Silva MP, Santos JMO, et al. Vitamin D Receptor rs731236 Polymorphism Modulates Cancer Cachexia Susceptibility and Overall Survival: A Real-World Study on Context-Dependent Vitamin D Signalling. International Journal of Molecular Sciences. 2026; 27(13):5816. https://doi.org/10.3390/ijms27135816

Chicago/Turabian Style

Tavares, Valéria, Ana Carolina Leão Silva, Anna Flávia Xavier, Inês Guerra de Melo, Tiago Ferreira, Mariana Moreira Pires, Cláudia Silva, Virgínia Rocha Dias, Maria Paula Silva, Joana M. O. Santos, and et al. 2026. "Vitamin D Receptor rs731236 Polymorphism Modulates Cancer Cachexia Susceptibility and Overall Survival: A Real-World Study on Context-Dependent Vitamin D Signalling" International Journal of Molecular Sciences 27, no. 13: 5816. https://doi.org/10.3390/ijms27135816

APA Style

Tavares, V., Silva, A. C. L., Xavier, A. F., de Melo, I. G., Ferreira, T., Pires, M. M., Silva, C., Dias, V. R., Silva, M. P., Santos, J. M. O., & Medeiros, R. (2026). Vitamin D Receptor rs731236 Polymorphism Modulates Cancer Cachexia Susceptibility and Overall Survival: A Real-World Study on Context-Dependent Vitamin D Signalling. International Journal of Molecular Sciences, 27(13), 5816. https://doi.org/10.3390/ijms27135816

Note that from the first issue of 2016, this journal uses article numbers instead of page numbers. See further details here.

Article Metrics

Back to TopTop