title: Oral administration of 1,25-dihydroxyvitamin D3 completely protects NOD mice from insulin-dependent diabetes mellitus.
abstract: 1,25-dihydroxyvitamin D(3) (1,25(OH)(2)D(3)), the biologically active form of vitamin D, is widely recognized as a modulator of the immune system as well as a regulator of mineral metabolism. The objective of this study was to determine the effects of vitamin D status and treatment with 1,25(OH)(2)D(3) on diabetes onset in non-obese diabetic (NOD) mice, a murine model of human type I diabetes. We have found that vitamin D-deficiency increases the incidence of diabetes in female mice from 46% (n=13) to 88% (n=8) and from 0% (n=10) to 44% (n=9) in male mice as of 200 days of age when compared to vitamin D-sufficient animals. Addition of 50 ng of 1,25(OH)(2)D(3)/day to the diet prevented disease onset as of 200 days and caused a significant rise in serum calcium levels, regardless of gender or vitamin D status. Our results indicate that vitamin D status is a determining factor of disease susceptibility and oral administration of 1,25(OH)(2)D(3) prevents diabetes onset in NOD mice through 200 days of age.
authors.affiliation: Department of Biochemistry, University of Wisconsin-Madison, Madison, WI 53706, USA.
authors.forename: Julia B
authors.initials: JB
authors.lastname: Zella
authors.forename: Laura C
authors.initials: LC
authors.lastname: McCary
authors.forename: Hector F
authors.initials: HF
authors.lastname: DeLuca
mesh_terms: D000284:Administration, Oral; D017668:Age of Onset; D000818:Animals; D001786:Blood Glucose / Q000032:analysis; D002117:Calcitriol / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D002118:Calcium / Q000097:blood / Q000378:metabolism; D003922:Diabetes Mellitus, Type 1 / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism / Q000517:prevention & control*; D005260:Female; D006934:Hypercalcemia / Q000139:chemically induced; D015994:Incidence; D008297:Male; D051379:Mice; D016688:Mice, Inbred NOD; D014808:Vitamin D Deficiency / Q000150:complications / Q000503:physiopathology
chemical_list: D001786:Blood Glucose; D002117:Calcitriol; D002118:Calcium