Commentary
Kidney International (2008) 74, 141–143. doi:10.1038/ki.2008.219
Targeted ablation of the vitamin D 1
-hydroxylase gene: getting to the heart of the matter
Ravi Thadhani1
1Renal Unit and the Center for D-Receptor Activation Research, Massachusetts General Hospital, Harvard Medical School, Boston, Massachusetts, USA
Correspondence: Ravi Thadhani, Bullfinch 127, Massachusetts General Hospital, 55 Fruit Street, Boston, Massachusetts 02114, USA. E-mail: thadhani.ravi@mgh.harvard.edu
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Abstract
Targeted gene ablation technology has uncovered biological mechanisms that have led to important therapeutics in humans. In a study by Zhou et al., ablation of the 1
-hydroxylase gene led to hypertension, cardiac hypertrophy, and systolic dysfunction, and this cardiac phenotype was rescued with exogenous 1,25-dihydroxyvitamin D administration.
