title: Neurochemical effects of chronic administration of calcitriol in rats.
abstract: Despite accumulating data showing the various neurological actions of vitamin D (VD), its effects on brain neurochemistry are still far from fully understood. To further investigate the neurochemical influence of VD, we assessed neurotransmitter systems in the brain of rats following 6-week calcitriol (1,25-dihydroxyvitamin D) administration (50 ng/kg/day or 100 ng/kg/day). Both the two doses of calcitriol enhanced VDR protein level without affecting serum calcium and phosphate status. Rats treated with calcitriol, especially with the higher dose, exhibited elevated γ-aminobutyric acid (GABA) status. Correspondingly, the mRNA expression of glutamate decarboxylase (GAD) 67 was increased. 100 ng/kg of calcitriol administration also increased glutamate and glutamine levels in the prefrontal cortex, but did not alter glutamine synthetase (GS) expression. Additionally, calcitriol treatment promoted tyrosine hydroxylase (TH) and tryptophan hydroxylase 2 (TPH2) expression without changing dopamine and serotonin status. However, the concentrations of the metabolites of dopamine and serotonin were increased and the drug use also resulted in a significant rise of monoamine oxidase A (MAOA) expression, which might be responsible to maintain the homeostasis of dopaminergic and serotonergic neurotransmission. Collectively, the present study firstly showed the effects of calcitriol in the major neurotransmitter systems, providing new evidence for the role of VD in brain function.
authors.affiliation: Institute of Clinical Pharmacy & Pharmacology, Second Xiangya Hospital, Central South University, Changsha 410011, China. jpoet89@126.com.
authors.forename: Pei
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Jiang
authors.affiliation: Institute of Clinical Pharmacy & Pharmacology, Second Xiangya Hospital, Central South University, Changsha 410011, China. zhanglihong0612@163.com.
authors.forename: Li-Hong
authors.initials: LH
authors.lastname: Zhang
authors.affiliation: Institute of Clinical Pharmacy & Pharmacology, Second Xiangya Hospital, Central South University, Changsha 410011, China. ghostspecialist@163.com.
authors.forename: Hua-Lin
authors.initials: HL
authors.lastname: Cai
authors.affiliation: Institute of Clinical Pharmacy & Pharmacology, Second Xiangya Hospital, Central South University, Changsha 410011, China. lihuande1953@126.com.
authors.forename: Huan-De
authors.initials: HD
authors.lastname: Li
authors.affiliation: Institute of Clinical Pharmacy & Pharmacology, Second Xiangya Hospital, Central South University, Changsha 410011, China. yipingliu1973cn@yahoo.com.cn.
authors.forename: Yi-Ping
authors.initials: YP
authors.lastname: Liu
authors.affiliation: Institute of Clinical Pharmacy & Pharmacology, Second Xiangya Hospital, Central South University, Changsha 410011, China. tangmimi1989@126.com.
authors.forename: Mi-Mi
authors.initials: MM
authors.lastname: Tang
authors.affiliation: Institute of Clinical Pharmacy & Pharmacology, Second Xiangya Hospital, Central South University, Changsha 410011, China. ruilidang@gmail.com.
authors.forename: Rui-Li
authors.initials: RL
authors.lastname: Dang
authors.affiliation: Institute of Clinical Pharmacy & Pharmacology, Second Xiangya Hospital, Central South University, Changsha 410011, China. zhuwenyewawbmg@126.com.
authors.forename: Wen-Ye
authors.initials: WY
authors.lastname: Zhu
authors.affiliation: Institute of Clinical Pharmacy & Pharmacology, Second Xiangya Hospital, Central South University, Changsha 410011, China. xueying091@126.com.
authors.forename: Ying
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Xue
authors.affiliation: Institute of Clinical Pharmacy & Pharmacology, Second Xiangya Hospital, Central South University, Changsha 410011, China. hexin526@126.com.
authors.forename: Xin
authors.initials: X
authors.lastname: He
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D002117:Calcitriol / Q000494:pharmacology*; D002118:Calcium / Q000097:blood; D004298:Dopamine / Q000378:metabolism; D005968:Glutamate Decarboxylase / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism; D005974:Glutamate-Ammonia Ligase / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism; D018698:Glutamic Acid / Q000378:metabolism; D005973:Glutamine / Q000378:metabolism; D006624:Hippocampus / Q000187:drug effects*; D006706:Homeostasis / Q000187:drug effects; D008297:Male; D008995:Monoamine Oxidase / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism; D018377:Neurotransmitter Agents / Q000097:blood / Q000494:pharmacology; D010758:Phosphorus / Q000097:blood; D017397:Prefrontal Cortex / Q000187:drug effects*; D012333:RNA, Messenger / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism; D051381:Rats; D017207:Rats, Sprague-Dawley; D018167:Receptors, Calcitriol / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism; D012701:Serotonin / Q000378:metabolism; D014365:Tryptophan Hydroxylase / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism; D005680:gamma-Aminobutyric Acid / Q000378:metabolism
chemical_list: D018377:Neurotransmitter Agents; D012333:RNA, Messenger; D018167:Receptors, Calcitriol; D005973:Glutamine; D010758:Phosphorus; D012701:Serotonin; D018698:Glutamic Acid; D005680:gamma-Aminobutyric Acid; D014365:Tryptophan Hydroxylase; C504569:tph2 protein, rat; D008995:Monoamine Oxidase; D005968:Glutamate Decarboxylase; C402565:glutamate decarboxylase 1; D005974:Glutamate-Ammonia Ligase; D002117:Calcitriol; D002118:Calcium; D004298:Dopamine