A growing body of literature indicates that vitamin D deficiency may be a risk factor: meta-analyses of observational studies reveal independent associations between PCOS and low serum concentrations of 25-hydroxyvitamin D (25[OH]D, the major circulating vitamin D metabolite) as well as single nucleotide polymorphisms [SNPs] in the gene encoding the vitamin D receptor (VDR)6–11. The gene discussed is VDR; the disease is polycystic ovary syndrome.