title: Regulation of 1,25-dihydroxyvitamin D3 by calcium in the parathyroidectomized, parathyroid hormone-replete rat.
abstract: Parathyroid hormone (PTH) is a major stimulus for the renal production of 1,25-dihydroxyvitamin D3 [1,25-(OH)2D3]. Elevated arterial blood ionized calcium ([Ca2+]) depresses serum 1,25-(OH)2D3 in nonparathyroidectomized rats even when serum PTH is maintained at high levels by infusion. However, suppression by [Ca2+] of endogenous PTH, causing the fall in 1,25-(OH)2D, cannot be excluded. To determine whether [Ca2+] regulates 1,25-(OH)2D3 in the absence of a variation in PTH, we parathyroidectomized (PTX) rats (post-PTX calcium levels less than 7.0 mg/dl), inserted arterial and venous catheters, and then replaced PTH using an osmotic pump. We varied [Ca2+] by infusing either 75 mM sodium chloride (control), 0.61 mumol/min of EGTA (EGTA), or calcium chloride at 0.61 mumol/min (low calcium) or 1.22 mumol/min (high calcium) for 24 h 5 days after surgery. Blood was then drawn from the rat through the arterial catheter. Compared with the control, [Ca2+] fell with EGTA, remained constant with the low-calcium infusion, and rose with the high-calcium infusion. 1,25-(OH)2D3 was correlated inversely with [Ca2+] in all four groups together (r = -0.635, n = 34, p less than 0.001), within the control group alone (r = -0.769, n = 11, p less than 0.002), and within the EGTA group alone (r = -0.774, n = 10, p less than 0.003). Serum phosphorus, PTH, and arterial blood pH were not different in any group, and none correlated with serum 1,25-(OH)2D3. We conclude that 1,25-(OH)2D3 levels are regulated by [Ca2+] independently of serum PTH, phosphorus, and acid-base status, all of which support the hypothesis that [Ca2+] is a principal regulator of serum 1,25-(OH)2D3 in the rat.
authors.affiliation: Universidad Central de Venezuela, Caracas.
authors.forename: J R
authors.initials: JR
authors.lastname: Weisinger
authors.forename: M J
authors.initials: MJ
authors.lastname: Favus
authors.forename: C B
authors.initials: CB
authors.lastname: Langman
authors.forename: D A
authors.initials: DA
authors.lastname: Bushinsky
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D001784:Blood Gas Analysis; D002117:Calcitriol / Q000097:blood*; D002118:Calcium / Q000097:blood / Q000502:physiology*; D008297:Male; D010280:Parathyroid Glands / Q000502:physiology* / Q000601:surgery; D010281:Parathyroid Hormone / Q000097:blood / Q000494:pharmacology; D051381:Rats
chemical_list: D010281:Parathyroid Hormone; D002117:Calcitriol; D002118:Calcium