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1α, 25-Dihydroxyvitamin D and corticosteroid regulate adipocyte nuclear vitamin D receptor

International Journal of Obesity volume 32, pages 1305–1311 (2008)Cite this article

Abstract

Objective:

We previously demonstrated that high calcium diets inhibit obesity in both mice and humans; this effect is mediated, in part, by dietary calcium suppression of 1α, 25-dihydroxyvitamin D, which exerts both non-genomic and genomic effects on adipocyte metabolism. However, the presence of the nuclear vitamin D receptor (nVDR) and its role in this regulation in adipocytes have not been investigated.

Methods and results:

The nVDR is expressed at low levels in preadipocytes, and differentiation induced a rapid 1150% increase within 3 h (P<0.001), which then declined rapidly to preadipocyte levels at differentiation day 3. However, this was not a differentiation event, as the components of the differentiation mixture (isobutylmethylxanthine and dexamethasone) also increased nVDR expression markedly by 1620 and 284%, respectively, in fully differentiated adipocytes (P<0.05). 1α, 25-Dihydroxyvitamin D and 11β-dehydrocorticosterone each stimulated nVDR expression at 48 h, but not 3 h, by ∼650% in fully differentiated adipocytes, whereas the combination augmented this effect (P<0.005). Knockdown of 11β-hydroxysteroid dehydrogenase I (11β-HSD I) markedly decreased adipocyte nVDR expression and attenuated 1α, 25-dihydroxyvitamin D stimulation of nVDR. Thus, 1α, 25-dihydroxyvitamin D stimulation of corticosteroid synthesis via the 11β-HSD appears to provide an indirect positive feedback on the nVDR. 1α, 25-Dihydroxyvitamin D also regulated short-term corticosterone release independently of either 11β-HSD I or nVDR. Knockdown 11β-HSD I did not affect short-term corticosterone release, whereas modulating calcium influx by KCl, BAYK8644 and the membrane 1α, 25-dihydroxyvitamin D receptor agonist lumisterol markedly increased corticosterone release.

Conclusion:

These data suggest a potential role of nVDR and corticosterone in the regulation in adipocyte responses to 1α, 25-dihydroxyvitamin D and dietary calcium.

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  1. Department of Nutrition, University of Tennessee, Knoxville, TN, USA

    X Sun & M B Zemel

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Correspondence to M B Zemel.

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Sun, X., Zemel, M. 1α, 25-Dihydroxyvitamin D and corticosteroid regulate adipocyte nuclear vitamin D receptor. Int J Obes 32, 1305–1311 (2008). https://doi.org/10.1038/ijo.2008.59

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