title: 1,25-Dihydroxyvitamin D3 restores fertility of vitamin D-deficient female rats.
abstract: Vitamin D deficiency reduces mating success and fertility in female rats, but it is not known if the reduction in reproductive performance is a direct action of vitamin D or the hypocalcemia associated with vitamin D deficiency. The effect of vitamin D deficiency with normocalcemia on fertility and reproductive capacity in female rats was investigated. Female weanling rats were maintained on vitamin D-deficient or vitamin D-replete diets until maturity and mated to age-matched, normal, vitamin D-replete males. Three groups of vitamin D-deficient females were maintained on diets varying in calcium and Pi concentrations to test the effect of vitamin D deficiency with different serum calcium and Pi concentrations on reproductive performance. Vitamin D-deficient females were capable of reproduction, but successful matings by all groups of vitamin D-deficient females were markedly reduced regardless of serum calcium concentration, when compared with matings with vitamin D-replete females. Fertility was also drastically reduced in litters from all groups of vitamin D-deficient females regardless of serum calcium concentration, when compared with litters from vitamin D-replete females. Vitamin D-deficient female rats that received vitamin D or 1,25-dihydroxyvitamin D3 were capable of successfully mating and giving rise to normal, healthy litters. These results indicate that vitamin D and not hypocalcemia is directly responsible for reduced reproductive capacity and fertility in vitamin D-deficient female rats.
authors.affiliation: Department of Biochemistry, College of Agricultural and Life Sciences, University of Wisconsin-Madison 53706.
authors.forename: G G
authors.initials: GG
authors.lastname: Kwiecinksi
authors.forename: G I
authors.initials: GI
authors.lastname: Petrie
authors.forename: H F
authors.initials: HF
authors.lastname: DeLuca
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D002112:Calcifediol / Q000097:blood; D002117:Calcitriol / Q000097:blood / Q000494:pharmacology*; D002118:Calcium / Q000097:blood; D005260:Female; D005298:Fertility / Q000187:drug effects*; D008098:Litter Size; D008297:Male; D010710:Phosphates / Q000097:blood; D011247:Pregnancy; D051381:Rats; D011919:Rats, Inbred Strains; D012098:Reproduction; D014808:Vitamin D Deficiency / Q000503:physiopathology*
chemical_list: D010710:Phosphates; D002117:Calcitriol; D002112:Calcifediol; D002118:Calcium