title: Dietary and pharmacological compounds altering intestinal calcium absorption in humans and animals.
abstract: The intestine is the only gate for the entry of Ca to the body in humans and mammals. The entrance of Ca occurs via paracellular and intracellular pathways. All steps of the latter pathway are regulated by calcitriol and by other hormones. Dietary and pharmacological compounds also modulate the intestinal Ca absorption process. Among them, dietary Ca and P are known to alter the lipid and protein composition of the brush-border and basolateral membranes and, consequently, Ca transport. Ca intakes are below the requirements recommended by health professionals in most countries, triggering important health problems. Chronic low Ca intake has been related to illness conditions such as osteoporosis, hypertension, renal lithiasis and incidences of human cancer. Carbohydrates, mainly lactose, and prebiotics have been described as positive modulators of intestinal Ca absorption. Apparently, high meat proteins increase intestinal Ca absorption while the effect of dietary lipids remains unclear. Pharmacological compounds such as menadione, dl-butionine-S,R-sulfoximine and ursodeoxycholic acid also modify intestinal Ca absorption as a consequence of altering the redox state of the epithelial cells. The paracellular pathway of intestinal Ca absorption is poorly known and is under present study in some laboratories. Another field that needs to be explored more intensively is the influence of the gene × diet interaction on intestinal Ca absorption. Health professionals should be aware of this knowledge in order to develop nutritional or medical strategies to stimulate the efficiency of intestinal Ca absorption and to prevent diseases.
authors.affiliation: 1Laboratorio 'Dr. Cañas',Cátedra de Bioquímica y Biología Molecular, Facultad de Ciencias Médicas,INICSA (CONICET-Universidad Nacional de Córdoba),Córdoba,Argentina.
authors.forename: Vanessa
authors.initials: V
authors.lastname: Areco
authors.affiliation: 1Laboratorio 'Dr. Cañas',Cátedra de Bioquímica y Biología Molecular, Facultad de Ciencias Médicas,INICSA (CONICET-Universidad Nacional de Córdoba),Córdoba,Argentina.
authors.forename: María Angélica
authors.initials: MA
authors.lastname: Rivoira
authors.affiliation: 1Laboratorio 'Dr. Cañas',Cátedra de Bioquímica y Biología Molecular, Facultad de Ciencias Médicas,INICSA (CONICET-Universidad Nacional de Córdoba),Córdoba,Argentina.
authors.forename: Valeria
authors.initials: V
authors.lastname: Rodriguez
authors.affiliation: 1Laboratorio 'Dr. Cañas',Cátedra de Bioquímica y Biología Molecular, Facultad de Ciencias Médicas,INICSA (CONICET-Universidad Nacional de Córdoba),Córdoba,Argentina.
authors.forename: Ana María
authors.initials: AM
authors.lastname: Marchionatti
authors.affiliation: 2Cátedra de Química Biológica, Facultad de Odontología,INICSA (CONICET-Universidad Nacional de Córdoba),Córdoba,Argentina.
authors.forename: Agata
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Carpentieri
authors.affiliation: 1Laboratorio 'Dr. Cañas',Cátedra de Bioquímica y Biología Molecular, Facultad de Ciencias Médicas,INICSA (CONICET-Universidad Nacional de Córdoba),Córdoba,Argentina.
authors.forename: Nori
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Tolosa de Talamoni
keywords:  1;  AP alkaline phosphatase;  Al aluminium ions;  BMD bone mineral density;  BSO dl-buthionine-(S;  CB calbindin;  CPP caseinophosphopeptides;  ER oestrogen receptor;  FCA fractional Ca absorption;  FGF-23 fibroblast growth factor-23;  GC glucocorticoid;  GSH glutathione;  IGF-1 insulin-like growth factor-1;  KO knockout;  MEL melatonin;  MEN menadione;  NCX1 intestinal Na+/Ca2+ exchanger;  NaDOC sodium deoxycholate;  OVX ovariectomised;  PMCA plasma membrane Ca2+ ATPase;  PTH parathyroid hormone;  TRP transient receptor potential;  TRPV transient receptor potential vanilloid;  UDCA ursodeoxycholic acid;  VDD vitamin D deficiency;  VDR vitamin D receptor; 25(OH)2D3
                  1; 25-dihydroxycholecalciferol; Hormonal effects; Intestinal calcium absorption; Nutritional factors; R)-sulfoximine; Transcellular and paracellular pathways