In vivo effect of calcitriol on calcium transport and calcium binding proteins in the spontaneously hypertensive rat

The abnormal intestinal Ca²⁺ transport reported in spontaneously hypertensive rats (SHR) has been attributed to decreased responsiveness to calcitriol. We reexamined this hypothesis by studying the calcitriol regulation of SHR duodenal calbindin-D9K and calmodulin and the relation of calcitriol to Ca²⁺ uptake by isolated enterocytes. SHR and normotensive Wistar-Kyoto (WKY) rats were injected with either 50 ng/d calcitriol (vit-D) or vehicle alone (control) for 3 days. Decreased calbindin-D9K (P<.001) and cellular Ca²⁺ flux (P<.001) were observed in control SHR. Calcitriol increased total cell and brush border calbindin-D9K (P<.0001); this variation paralleled plasma calcitriol levels in both strains. In contrast, Ca²⁺ flux, which increased in vit-D animals, remained lower in SHR for plasma calcitriol levels similar to those in WKY rats. Immunoreactive calmodulin was similar in both strains whether assayed in total cell or brush border membranes. In contrast, when measured by ligand blotting (⁴⁵Ca), calmodulin was lower in SHR than in WKY rats (P<.01), suggesting the existence of a calmodulin pool with reduced Ca²⁺ binding capacity in the hypertensive strain. Calcitriol had no effect on calmodulin in either strain. In conclusion, Ca²⁺ binding protein regulation by calcitriol is normal in the SHR, and decreased hormone responsiveness cannot account for the defective duodenal calcium transport of this experimental model of hypertension.