Improved cholecalciferol nutrition in rats is noncalcemic, suppresses parathyroid hormone and increases responsiveness to 1,25-dihydroxycholecalciferol

We examined how cholecalciferol (vitamin D) nutrition affected serum 25-hydroxycholecalciferol (25(OH)D) and 1,25-dihydroxycholecalciferol (1,25(OH)(2)D). Rats were fed conventional diet (vitamin D, 4.5 IU/g, or 7 nmol/d) or the same diet plus 18 nmol/d of extra vitamin D for 3 wk. The extra vitamin D resulted in greater serum 25(OH)D (51 +/- 3, vs. control of 21 +/- 2 nmol/L), and kidney mRNA for vitamin D receptor [VDR mRNA] (P = 0.026) and lower serum 1,25(OH)(2)D (72 +/- 16 VS. control of 161 +/- 10 pmol/L, P = 0.001), and parathyroid hormone (PTH) (89 +/- 4 vs. control of 160 +/- 15 ng/L, P = 0.001). Kidney VDR mRNA relative to GAPDH mRNA correlated inversely with serum 1,25(OH)(2)D (r = -0.714, P = 0.006). There were no differences in serum calcium, phosphate, alkaline phosphatase, or weight gain. Experiment 2 compared groups supplemented with 0.2, 2 or 20 nmol/d of vitamin D orally, or 20 nmol/d dermally to see how vitamin D nutrition influenced the response of 1,25(OH)(2)D to changes in diet calcium. Vitamin D did not affect urinary calcium or pyridinoline excretion, serum calcium, phosphate, vitamin D binding protein or alkaline phosphatase. In groups given 20 nmol/d of vitamin D, renal mitochondrial 25(OH)D 1 alpha-hydroxylase was lower (P < 0.01) and 25(OH)D-24-hydroxylase was higher (P < 0.05). Higher 25(OH)D concentration was related to proportionally lower 1,25(OH),D at every calcium intake, indicating greater tissue sensitivity to 1,25(OH)(2)D. We conclude suppression of 1,25(OH)(2)D and PTH, and higher renal VDR mRNA and 24-hydroxylase did not involve higher free 1,25(OH)(2)D concentration or a first pass effect at the gut. Thus, 25(OH)D or a metabolite other than 1,25(OH)(2)D is a physiological, transcriptionally and biochemically active, noncalcemic vitamin D metabolite.