title: The in vitro effect of 1 alpha,25-dihydroxyvitamin D3 on insulin production by neonatal rat islets.
abstract: The in vitro effect of 1 alpha,25-dihydroxyvitamin D3 on the function of beta cells of the endocrine pancreas was investigated. Neonatal islets maintained in serum-free medium, or medium supplemented with 0.5% fetal bovine serum achieved a 2.5-fold increase in medium insulin levels in response to 10(8) M 1 alpha,25-dihydroxyvitamin D3 (P less than 0.001). The effect of 1,25-dihydroxyvitamin D3 required at least 96 h treatment to become evident and was similar at medium glucose concentrations of 10 and 20 mM. Cell-associated insulin was increased in 1 alpha,25-dihydroxyvitamin D3-treated cultures maintained in 0.5% serum. These data suggest that 1 alpha,25-dihydroxyvitamin D3 may have a direct effect in the beta cell.
authors.affiliation: University of Melbourne Department of Medicine, Royal Melbourne Hospital, Victoria, Australia.
authors.forename: M C
authors.initials: MC
authors.lastname: d'Emden
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Dunlop
authors.forename: R G
authors.initials: RG
authors.lastname: Larkins
authors.forename: J D
authors.initials: JD
authors.lastname: Wark
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D000831:Animals, Newborn; D002117:Calcitriol / Q000494:pharmacology*; D066298:In Vitro Techniques; D007328:Insulin / Q000096:biosynthesis*; D007515:Islets of Langerhans / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000378:metabolism; D051381:Rats; D011919:Rats, Inbred Strains
chemical_list: D007328:Insulin; D002117:Calcitriol