title: Upregulation of parathyroid VDR expression by extracellular calcium is mediated by ERK1/2-MAPK signaling pathway.
abstract: We have previously demonstrated that the activation of rat parathyroid calcium-sensing receptor (CaSR) upregulates VDR expression in vivo (Garfia B, Cañadillas S, Luque F, Siendones E, Quesada M, Almadén Y, Aguilera-Tejero E, Rodríguez M. J Am Soc Nephrol 13: 2945-2952, 2002; Rodriguez ME, Almaden Y, Cañadillas S, Canalejo A, Siendones E, Lopez I, Aguilera-Tejero E, Martin D, Rodriguez M. Am J Physiol Renal Physiol 292: F1390-F1395, 2007). The present study was designed to characterize the signaling system that mediates the stimulation of parathyroid VDR gene expression by extracellular calcium. Experiments were performed in vitro by the incubation of rat parathyroid glands and in vivo with normal and uremic (Nx) rats receiving injections of CaCl(2) or EDTA to obtain hypercalcemic or hypocalcemic clamps. A high calcium concentration increased VDR expression. The addition of arachidonic acid (AA) to the low-calcium medium produced an increase in VDR mRNA of the same magnitude as that observed with high calcium. The addition of ionophore to the low-calcium medium also increased VDR mRNA expression. High calcium or the addition of AA to the low-calcium medium induced the activation (phosphorylation) of ERK1/2-MAPK. The specific inhibition of the ERK1/2-MAPK activity prevented the stimulation of VDR expression by high calcium or AA. These results suggest that AA regulates parathyroid VDR gene expression through the activation of the ERK1/2-MAPK. CaSR activation induced the activation of transcription factor Sp1, but not of NF-κB p50 or p65 or activator protein-1. The addition of AA to the low-calcium medium increased specific DNA-binding activity of Sp1 to almost the same level as high calcium, which was prevented by the inhibition of ERK1/2. Furthermore, mithramycin A (a Sp1 inhibitor) prevented the upregulation of VDR mRNA by high calcium. Finally, both sham and Nx hypercalcemic rats showed similar increased levels of VDR mRNA compared with sham and Nx hypocalcemic rats. Our results demonstrate that extracellular calcium stimulates VDR expression in parathyroid glands through the elevation of the cytosolic calcium level and the stimulation of the PLA(2)-AA-dependent ERK1/2-pathway. Furthermore, the transcription factor Sp1 mediates this effect.
authors.affiliation: Unidad de Investigacion, Servicio de Nefrologia, Red in ren, Instituto Maimónides de Investigación Biomédica de Córdoba (IMIBIC), Hospital Universitario Reina Sofia, Córdoba, Spain.
authors.forename: Sagrario
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Cañadillas
authors.forename: Rocio
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Canalejo
authors.forename: Maria Encarnacion
authors.initials: ME
authors.lastname: Rodriguez-Ortiz
authors.forename: Julio Manuel
authors.initials: JM
authors.lastname: Martinez-Moreno
authors.forename: Jose Carlos
authors.initials: JC
authors.lastname: Estepa
authors.forename: Rafael
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Zafra
authors.forename: Jose
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Perez
authors.forename: Juan Rafael
authors.initials: JR
authors.lastname: Muñoz-Castañeda
authors.forename: Antonio
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Canalejo
authors.forename: Mariano
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Rodriguez
authors.forename: Yolanda
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Almaden
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D016718:Arachidonic Acid / Q000494:pharmacology; D002118:Calcium / Q000494:pharmacology*; D004305:Dose-Response Relationship, Drug; D066298:In Vitro Techniques; D020935:MAP Kinase Signaling System / Q000187:drug effects / Q000502:physiology*; D008297:Male; D020929:Mitogen-Activated Protein Kinase Kinases / Q000187:drug effects / Q000502:physiology*; D023421:Models, Animal; D016328:NF-kappa B / Q000378:metabolism; D010280:Parathyroid Glands / Q000378:metabolism*; D012333:RNA, Messenger / Q000378:metabolism; D051381:Rats; D017208:Rats, Wistar; D018167:Receptors, Calcitriol / Q000378:metabolism*; D015398:Signal Transduction / Q000187:drug effects / Q000502:physiology*; D016329:Sp1 Transcription Factor / Q000378:metabolism; D018808:Transcription Factor AP-1 / Q000378:metabolism; D015854:Up-Regulation / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000502:physiology
chemical_list: D016328:NF-kappa B; D012333:RNA, Messenger; D018167:Receptors, Calcitriol; D016329:Sp1 Transcription Factor; D018808:Transcription Factor AP-1; D016718:Arachidonic Acid; D020929:Mitogen-Activated Protein Kinase Kinases; D002118:Calcium