Doxercalciferol, a pro-hormone of vitamin D, prevents the development of cardiac hypertrophy in rats.

Abstract

BACKGROUND:

Activated vitamin D analog, paricalcitol, has been shown to attenuate the development of cardiac hypertrophy in Dahl salt sensitive (DSS) rats. To determine whether an antihypertrophic effect is class specific, we tested if doxercalciferol (a pro-hormone vitamin D2 analog) could also attenuate the development of cardiac hypertrophy in DSS rats.

METHODS AND RESULTS:

Male DSS rats were fed a high salt (HS) diet for 6 weeks beginning at 6 weeks of age. Doxercalciferol was administered intraperitoneally at 150 ng, 3 times per week (Monday, Wednesday, Friday) for 6 weeks. Pathological and echocardiographic findings demonstrated that rats on HS diet with doxercalciferol administration had significant decrease in cardiac hypertrophy and improved cardiac function compared to the HS + vehicle. In addition, there was a significant decrease in plasma brain natriuretic peptide (BNP) level and tissue atrial natriuretic factor (ANF) mRNA level with doxercalciferol treatment. Doxercalciferol also significantly reduced the level of protein kinase C-α (PKCα) suggesting that PKC-mediated cardiac hypertrophy may be associated with vitamin D deficiency.

CONCLUSIONS:

Administration of doxercalciferol attenuated the development of HS diet induced cardiac hypertrophy and cardiac dysfunction in DSS rats.

• Authors: Jun H Choi, Qingen Ke, Soochan Bae, Ji Yoo Lee, Yu Jin Kim, Ui Kyoung Kim, Cynthia Arbeeny, Ravi Thadhani, Peter M Kang
• Journal: Journal of cardiac failure (J Card Fail) Vol. 17 Issue 12 Pg. 1051-8 (Dec 2011) ISSN: 1532-8414 [Electronic] United States
• PMID: 22123370 (Publication Type: Journal Article, Research Support, N.I.H., Extramural, Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't)
• Copyright: Copyright © 2011 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Chemical References

• Ergocalciferols
• RNA, Messenger
• Vitamins
• Natriuretic Peptide, Brain
• 1 alpha-hydroxyergocalciferol
• Atrial Natriuretic Factor

Topics

• Animals
• Atrial Natriuretic Factor
• Disease Models, Animal
• Ergocalciferols (pharmacology, therapeutic use)
• Heart Failure (diagnostic imaging, drug therapy)
• Hypertrophy, Left Ventricular (diagnostic imaging, drug therapy)
• Male
• Natriuretic Peptide, Brain
• RNA, Messenger
• Rats
• Rats, Inbred Dahl
• Signal Transduction
• Ultrasonography
• Vitamins (pharmacology, therapeutic use)