INFLUENCES OF LONG-TERM ADMINISTRATION OF 24R, 25-DIHYDROXYVITAMIN D₃, A VITAMIN D₃ DERIVATIVE, IN RATS

Abstract

In order to examine the influences by long-term feeding of 24R, 25 dihydroxyvitamin D3_[24R, 25(OH)₂D₃], an active form of vitamin D, Wistar rats (14-week-old, male, 20 rats/group) were fed a powder diet containing 0 or 5 ppm 24R, 25(OH)₂D₃ for 57 weeks. Final body weights and total food consumption were comparable between the groups. Urinary calcium levels were significantly (p<0.05 or 0.01) increased by the administration of 24R, 25(OH)₂D₃ at weeks 3, 22 and 56, although the levels of serum calcium did not differ between the groups at the termination of week 57. In the 24R, 25(OH)₂D₃ group, weights of the adrenals and femurs were significantly (p<0.01) increased. Histopathologically this was found due to thickening of cortical bone in the femurs, and medullary hyperplasia and pheochromocytoma of the adrenals. Immunohistochemically, proliferating cell nuclear antigen (PCNA)-labeling indices for intact adrenal medulla, medullary hyperplasia and pheochromocytoma in the 24R, 25(OH)₂D₃ group were respectively 1.82±1.21, 5.88±4.13 and 16, all higher than that for the adrenal medulla in the control group (0.87±0.67). These results indicate that 24R, 25(OH)₂D₃ at a dose with which serum calcium is not chronically increased causes thickening of the cortex of the femur, and development of adrenal proliferative lesions, suggesting that rats may be too sensitive for results to be relevant to human risk assessment.