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Elevated serum levels of 1α, 25-dihydroxycholecalciferol in lactating rats

Nature volume 267, pages 630–632 (1977)Cite this article

Abstract

LACTATION represents a challenge to regulation of calcium metabolism. Because of the high rate of calcium transfer to the milk, the lactating rat consuming a commercial stock diet maintains a reduced serum Ca level1. The increased need for Ca seems to be met primarily by increased intestinal absorption of Ca (ref. 1). Since vitamin D is important for regulation of Ca metabolism, particularly during lactation2, and since the circulating level of the active metabolite lα,25-dihydroxyvitamin D3 (1α,25-(OH)2D3) seems to be regulated according to Ca needs3, we determined by radioreceptor binding assay the serum levels of 1α,25-(OH)2D3 in vitamin D-fed lactating rats. We report here that these levels are two- to fourfold higher than those of non-lactating controls. Rats deprived of vitamin D during lactation fail to show elevated metabolite blood levels and develop marked hypocalcaemia, thus indicating the importance of the elevated blood level of 1α,25-(OH)2D3 for Ca metabolism during lactation.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Dental Research Center and Department of Pharmacology, University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill, North Carolina, 27514

    A. BOASS & S. U. TOVERUD

  2. Department of Biochemistry, University of Arizona College of Medicine, Tuscon, Arizona, 85721

    T. A. MCCAIN, J. W. PIKE & M. R. HAUSSLER

Authors
  1. A. BOASS
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  2. S. U. TOVERUD
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  3. T. A. MCCAIN
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  4. J. W. PIKE
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  5. M. R. HAUSSLER
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BOASS, A., TOVERUD, S., MCCAIN, T. et al. Elevated serum levels of 1α, 25-dihydroxycholecalciferol in lactating rats. Nature 267, 630–632 (1977). https://doi.org/10.1038/267630a0

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