Skip to main content
PMC home page
The Journal of Clinical Investigation logoLink to The Journal of Clinical Investigation
. 1986 Aug;78(2):456–461. doi: 10.1172/JCI112597

Evidence that calcitonin stimulates 1,25-dihydroxyvitamin D production and intestinal absorption of calcium in vivo.

P Jaeger, W Jones, T L Clemens, J P Hayslett
PMCID: PMC423580  PMID: 3755446

Abstract

Although it is well established that parathyroid hormone and phosphate are important regulators of 1,25-dihydroxyvitamin D [1,25(OH)2D] production, it remains unclear whether calcitonin affects vitamin D metabolism in vivo. Experiments were performed in the rat to determine the effect of chronic calcitonin infusion (0.2 U X h-1) on plasma levels of vitamin D metabolites and on calcium metabolism. Thyroparathyroidectomized animals fed a calcium-replete or calcium-free diet were studied for as long as 2 wk before they were killed. In control rats, a calcium-free diet alone for 12 d resulted in an increase in 1,25(OH)2D levels from 24 +/- 5 to 139 +/- 37 pg . ml-1, P = 0.025. The infusion of calcitonin also stimulated 1,25(OH)2D levels compared with controls on a regular diet (80 +/- 17 vs. 38 +/- 6 pg . ml-1, P less than 0.05) and on a calcium-free diet (460 +/- 50 vs. 139 +/- 37 pg . ml-1, P less than 0.001). In addition, calcitonin increased plasma calcium levels in animals on a regular diet by 50%; this effect was most likely due to increased intestinal absorption of calcium, because removal of calcium from the diet markedly blunted this effect. In contrast, calcitonin administration did not significantly affect 25(OH)D plasma levels. Collectively, these data suggest that calcitonin and calcium are independent regulators of 1,25(OH)2D production and that calcitonin stimulates intestinal absorption of calcium, by increasing circulating levels of 1,25(OH)2D.

Full text

PDF
456

Images in this article

457Image
on p.457
457Image
on p.457
457Image
on p.457
457Image
on p.457
458Image
on p.458
458Image
on p.458
458Image
on p.458
458Image
on p.458
458Image
on p.458
458Image
on p.458

Selected References

These references are in PubMed. This may not be the complete list of references from this article.

  1. Brickman A. S., Coburn J. W., Massry S. G., Norman A. W. 1,25 Dihydroxy-vitamin D3 in normal man and patients with renal failure. Ann Intern Med. 1974 Feb;80(2):161–168. doi: 10.7326/0003-4819-80-2-161. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  2. Connerty H. V., Briggs A. R. Determination of serum calcium by means of orthocresolphthalein complexone. Am J Clin Pathol. 1966 Mar;45(3):290–296. doi: 10.1093/ajcp/45.3.290. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  3. Cramer C. F. Effect of salmon calcitonin on in vivo calcium absorption in rats. Calcif Tissue Res. 1973 Oct 23;13(3):169–172. doi: 10.1007/BF02015407. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  4. Daly J. A., Ertingshausen G. Direct method for determining inorganic phosphate in serum with the "CentrifiChem". Clin Chem. 1972 Mar;18(3):263–265. [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  5. Di Stefano A., Elalouf J. M., Garel J. M., de Rouffignac C. Modulation by calcitonin of magnesium and calcium urinary excretion in the rat. Kidney Int. 1985 Feb;27(2):394–400. doi: 10.1038/ki.1985.22. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  6. Elalouf J. M., Roinel N., de Rouffignac C. Stimulation by human calcitonin of electrolyte transport in distal tubules of rat kidney. Pflugers Arch. 1983 Oct;399(2):111–118. doi: 10.1007/BF00663905. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  7. Emmertsen K., Melsen F., Mosekilde L., Lund B., Lund B., Sørensen O. H., Nielsen H. E., Sølling H., Hansen H. H. Altered vitamin D metabolism and bone remodelling in patients with medullary thyroid carcinoma and hypercalcitoninemia. Metab Bone Dis Relat Res. 1982;4(1):17–23. doi: 10.1016/0221-8747(82)90004-2. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  8. Fraher L. J., Adami S., Clemens T. L., Jones G., O'Riordan J. L. Radioimmunoassay of 1,25-dihydroxy vitamin D2: studies on the metabolism of vitamin D2 in man. Clin Endocrinol (Oxf) 1983 Aug;19(2):151–165. doi: 10.1111/j.1365-2265.1983.tb02977.x. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  9. Friedman J., Au W. Y., Raisz L. G. Responses of fetal rat bone to thyrocalcitonin in tissue culture. Endocrinology. 1968 Jan;82(1):149–156. doi: 10.1210/endo-82-1-149. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  10. Galante L., Colston K. W., MacAuley S. J., MacIntyre I. Effect of calcitonin on vitamin D metabolism. Nature. 1972 Aug 4;238(5362):271–273. doi: 10.1038/238271a0. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  11. Garabedian M., Holick M. F., Deluca H. F., Boyle I. T. Control of 25-hydroxycholecalciferol metabolism by parathyroid glands. Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A. 1972 Jul;69(7):1673–1676. doi: 10.1073/pnas.69.7.1673. [DOI] [PMC free article] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  12. Gray T. K., Bieberdorf F. A., Fordtran J. S. Thyrocalcitonin and the jejunal absorption of calcium, water, and electrolytes in normal subjects. J Clin Invest. 1973 Dec;52(12):3084–3088. doi: 10.1172/JCI107507. [DOI] [PMC free article] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  13. Horiuchi N., Takahashi H., Matsumoto T., Takahashi N., Shimazawa E., Suda T., Ogata E. Salmon calcitonin-induced stimulation of 1 alpha,25-dihydroxycholecalciferol synthesis in rats involving a mechanism independent of adenosine 3':5'-cyclic monophosphate. Biochem J. 1979 Nov 15;184(2):269–275. doi: 10.1042/bj1840269. [DOI] [PMC free article] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  14. Hughes M. R., Brumbaugh P. F., Hussler M. R., Wergedal J. E., Baylink D. J. Regulation of serum 1alpha,25-dihydroxyvitamin D3 by calcium and phosphate in the rat. Science. 1975 Nov 7;190(4214):578–580. doi: 10.1126/science.1188357. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  15. Jaeger P., Bonjour J. P., Karlmark B., Stanton B., Kirk R. G., Duplinsky T., Giebisch G. Influence of acute potassium loading on renal phosphate transport in the rat kidney. Am J Physiol. 1983 Nov;245(5 Pt 1):F601–F605. doi: 10.1152/ajprenal.1983.245.5.F601. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  16. Kanis J. A., Russell R. G. Rate of reversal of hypercalcaemia and hypercalciuria induced by vitamin D and its 1alpha-hydroxylated derivatives. Br Med J. 1977 Jan 8;1(6053):78–81. doi: 10.1136/bmj.1.6053.78. [DOI] [PMC free article] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  17. Katz A. I., Lindheimer M. D. Actions of hormones on the kidney. Annu Rev Physiol. 1977;39:97–133. doi: 10.1146/annurev.ph.39.030177.000525. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  18. Kawashima H., Torikai S., Kurokawa K. Calcitonin selectively stimulates 25-hydroxyvitamin D3-1 alpha-hydroxylase in proximal straight tubule of rat kidney. Nature. 1981 May 28;291(5813):327–329. doi: 10.1038/291327a0. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  19. Keeler R., Walker V., Copp D. H. Natriuretic and diuretic effects of salmon calcitonin in rats. Can J Physiol Pharmacol. 1970 Dec;48(12):838–841. doi: 10.1139/y70-122. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  20. Kisloff B., Moore E. W. Effects of intravenous calcitonin on water, electrolyte, and calcium movement across in vivo rabbit jejunum and ileum. Gastroenterology. 1977 Mar;72(3):462–468. [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  21. Levine B. S., Singer F. R., Bryce G. F., Mallon J. P., Miller O. N., Coburn J. W. Pharmacokinetics and biologic effects of calcitriol in normal humans. J Lab Clin Med. 1985 Feb;105(2):239–246. [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  22. Lorenc R., Tanaka Y., DeLuca H. F., Jones G. Lack of effect of calcitonin on the regulation of vitamin D metabolism in the rat. Endocrinology. 1977 Feb;100(2):468–472. doi: 10.1210/endo-100-2-468. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  23. Olson E. B., Jr, Deluca H. F., Potts J. T., Jr Calcitonin inhibition of vitamin D-induced intestinal calcium absorption. Endocrinology. 1972 Jan;90(1):151–157. doi: 10.1210/endo-90-1-151. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  24. Rasmussen H., Wong M., Bikle D., Goodman D. B. Hormonal control of the renal conversion of 25-hydroxycholecalciferol to 1,25-dihydroxycholecalciferol. J Clin Invest. 1972 Sep;51(9):2502–2504. doi: 10.1172/JCI107065. [DOI] [PMC free article] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  25. Rosen J. F., Fleischman A. R., Finberg L., Eisman J., DeLuca H. F. 1,25-Dihydroxycholecalciferol: its use in the long-term management of idiopathic hypoparathyroidism in children. J Clin Endocrinol Metab. 1977 Sep;45(3):457–468. doi: 10.1210/jcem-45-3-457. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  26. Schon D. A., Silva P., Hayslett J. P. Mechanism of potassium excretion in renal insufficiency. Am J Physiol. 1974 Dec;227(6):1323–1330. doi: 10.1152/ajplegacy.1974.227.6.1323. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  27. Swaminathan R., Ker J., Care D. Calcitonin and intestinal calcium absorption. J Endocrinol. 1974 Apr;61(1):83–94. doi: 10.1677/joe.0.0610083. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  28. Tanaka Y., Deluca H. F. Role of 1,25-dihydroxyvitamin D3 in maintaining serum phosphorus and curing rickets. Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A. 1974 Apr;71(4):1040–1044. doi: 10.1073/pnas.71.4.1040. [DOI] [PMC free article] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  29. Walling M. W., Brasitus T. A., Kimberg D. V. Effects of calcitonin and substance P on the transport of Ca, Na and Cl across rat ileum in vitro. Gastroenterology. 1977 Jul;73(1):89–94. [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  30. Woodhouse N. J., Bordier P., Fisher M., Joplin G. F., Reiner M., Kalu D. N., Foster G. V., MacIntyre I. Human calcitonin in the treatment of Paget's bone disease. Lancet. 1971 Jun 5;1(7710):1139–1143. doi: 10.1016/s0140-6736(71)91657-6. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]

Articles from Journal of Clinical Investigation are provided here courtesy of American Society for Clinical Investigation

RESOURCES