Genomic and metabolomic patterns segregate with responses to calcium and vitamin D supplementation

Abstract

Inter-individual response differences to vitamin D and Ca supplementation may be under genetic control through vitamin D and oestrogen receptor genes, which may influence their absorption and/or metabolism. Metabolomic studies on blood and urine from subjects supplemented with Ca and vitamin D reveal different metabolic profiles that segregate with genotype. Genotyping was performed for oestrogen receptor 1 gene (ESR1) and vitamin D receptor gene (VDR) in fifty-six postmenopausal women. Thirty-six women were classified as low bone density as determined by a heel ultrasound scan and twenty women had normal bone density acting as controls. Those with low bone density (LBD) were supplemented with oral Ca and vitamin D and were classified according to whether they were responders or non-responders according to biochemical results before and after therapy compared to controls receiving no supplementation. Metabolomic studies on serum and urine were done for the three groups at 0 and 3 months of therapy using NMR spectroscopy with pattern recognition. The non-responder group showed a higher frequency of polymorphisms in the ESR1 (codons 10 and 325) and VDR (Bsm1 and Taq1), compared with to the responders. The wild-type genotype for Fok1 was more frequent in those with LBD (70%) compared with the control group (10%). Distinctive patterns of metabolites were displayed by NMR studies at baseline and 3 months of post-treatment, segregating responders from non-responders and controls. Identification of potential non-responders to vitamin D and Ca, before therapy, based on a genomic and/or metabolomic profile would allow targeted selection of optimal therapy on an individual basis. © 2010 The Authors.