Biochemistry and Molecular Biology of Vitamin D and Its Analog, 3rd Edition
A special issue of Biomolecules (ISSN 2218-273X). This special issue belongs to the section "Chemical Biology".
Deadline for manuscript submissions: 31 October 2025 | Viewed by 782
Special Issue Editors
Interests: structure–function analysis and application of cytochromes P450; metabolism and molecular mechanism of vitamin D; production of functional foods; gene therapy; genome editing
Special Issues, Collections and Topics in MDPI journals
Interests: vitamin D
Special Issues, Collections and Topics in MDPI journals
Special Issue Information
Dear Colleagues,
Following the successful publication of the second edition, we are pleased to announce the third edition of our Special Issue on “Biochemistry and Molecular Biology of Vitamin D and Its Analog”.
Previous studies have shown that vitamin D exerts vitamin D receptor (VDR)-mediated genomic and non-genomic actions, as well as VDR-independent effects. Recently, VDR-independent effects of 25(OH)D3 on lipid metabolism by inducing the degradation of SREBP/SCAP have been reported, as have ligand-independent effects of the VDR on the hair cycle. Thus, at least five types of effects of vitamin D and/or the VDR should be considered, namely (1) VDR-dependent effects of 1,25D (VDR-1,25(OH)2D3), (2) VDR-independent effects of 1,25D (non VDR-1,25(OH)2D3), (3) VDR-dependent effects of 25D (VDR-25(OH)D3), (4) VDR-independent effects of 25D (non VDR-25(OH)D3), and (5) ligand-independent effects of VDR (VDR-no ligand).
Several thousand vitamin D analogs have been synthesized, and many have been studied in clinical trials, including for treating type I rickets, osteoporosis, psoriasis, renal osteodystrophy, leukemia, and pancreatic, prostate, and breast cancers. However, in many cases, their precise molecular mechanisms, which may include VDR-dependent and/or -independent pathways, are not fully understood.
In this Special Issue, we focus on the molecular mechanisms of vitamin D, its analogs and/or VDR actions leading to drug discovery, and nutritional supplements for disease prevention in the future.
Prof. Dr. Toshiyuki Sakaki
Prof. Dr. Naoko Tsugawa
Guest Editors
Manuscript Submission Information
Manuscripts should be submitted online at www.mdpi.com by registering and logging in to this website. Once you are registered, click here to go to the submission form. Manuscripts can be submitted until the deadline. All submissions that pass pre-check are peer-reviewed. Accepted papers will be published continuously in the journal (as soon as accepted) and will be listed together on the special issue website. Research articles, review articles as well as short communications are invited. For planned papers, a title and short abstract (about 100 words) can be sent to the Editorial Office for announcement on this website.
Submitted manuscripts should not have been published previously, nor be under consideration for publication elsewhere (except conference proceedings papers). All manuscripts are thoroughly refereed through a single-blind peer-review process. A guide for authors and other relevant information for submission of manuscripts is available on the Instructions for Authors page. Biomolecules is an international peer-reviewed open access monthly journal published by MDPI.
Please visit the Instructions for Authors page before submitting a manuscript. The Article Processing Charge (APC) for publication in this open access journal is 2700 CHF (Swiss Francs). Submitted papers should be well formatted and use good English. Authors may use MDPI's English editing service prior to publication or during author revisions.
Keywords
- vitamin D
- vitamin D receptor
- vitamin D analog
- genomic action
- non-genomic action
- bone formation
- immune response
- cancer
- rickets
- osteoporosis
- psoriasis
- drug discovery
- disease prevention
- nutrition improvement metabolism of vitamin D or its analogs cytochrome P450
Benefits of Publishing in a Special Issue
- Ease of navigation: Grouping papers by topic helps scholars navigate broad scope journals more efficiently.
- Greater discoverability: Special Issues support the reach and impact of scientific research. Articles in Special Issues are more discoverable and cited more frequently.
- Expansion of research network: Special Issues facilitate connections among authors, fostering scientific collaborations.
- External promotion: Articles in Special Issues are often promoted through the journal's social media, increasing their visibility.
- Reprint: MDPI Books provides the opportunity to republish successful Special Issues in book format, both online and in print.
Further information on MDPI's Special Issue policies can be found here.
