In ovarian cancer cells, 1,25(OH)2D3 inhibits apoptosis that is mediated by death receptors.(34) In rat osteoblast-like osteosarcoma UMR 106 cells, 1,25(OH)2D3 elicited antiapoptotic effects by decreasing the Bax/Bcl-2 ratio.(11) There are other antiapoptotic signals, as was reported for nongenotropic mechanisms in osteoblasts and osteocytes.(35) In sum, the data indicate that the antiproliferative effects of 25(OH)D3 in hMSCshi-1α and of 1,25(OH)2D3 in both samples of hMSCs are explained by cell cycle arrest and not by increased apoptosis. This evidence concerns the gene BCL2 and osteosarcoma.