The negative effect of dexamethasone on calcium-processing gene expressions is associated with a glucocorticoid-induced calcium-absorbing disorder.

AIMS: Although dexamethasone (Dex) is used widely as an anti-inflammatory and immunosuppressive drug, Dex appears to have severe side-effects, including osteoporosis. This study determined the effects of Dex on duodenal and renal expressions of the calcium-processing genes transient receptor potential cation channel, subfamily V, member 5/6 (TRPV5/6), calbindin-D9k/-D28k (CaBP-9k/28k), Na+/Ca2+ exchanger 1 (NCX1), and plasma membrane Ca(2+)-ATPase (PMCA) 1b. MAIN METHODS: Mice were injected subcutaneously with Dex for 1 or 5 days. The mRNA and protein expression levels of these calcium-processing genes were measured by real-time PCR and immunohistochemistry/immunoblot analysis, respectively. In addition, serum parathyroid hormone (PTH) levels were measured following Dex treatments. KEY FINDINGS: Treatment with Dex for 24 h resulted in the inductions of duodenal TRPV6, CaBP-9k and PMCA1b transcripts and renal TRPV5, CaBP-9k, and NCX1 transcripts, while it reduced the transcription of renal TRPV6. Although the expressional changes were weak, duodenal expressions of glucocorticoid receptor (GR), the vitamin D receptor (VDR), and renal expressions of the parathyroid hormone receptor (PTHR) and VDR were increased following 24 h treatment with Dex. A five-day treatment with Dex reduced the transcriptional levels of duodenal TRPV6 and CaBP-9k by 60%. Transcripts for VDR and GR in the duodenum increased marginally. SIGNIFICANCE: These results suggest that the expressions of TRPV6 and CaBP-9k in the duodenum appear to be a major regulatory target for glucocorticoids (GCs), and may be involved in the negative regulation of calcium absorption in GC-induced osteoporosis (GIO). The transcriptional regulation of TRPV6 and CaBP-9k in the duodenum seems complex given that there is an increase at 1-day treatment followed by a decrease at 5-day treatment.

Dexamethasone differentially regulates renal and duodenal calcium-processing genes in calbindin-D9k and -D28k knockout mice.

Glucocorticoids (GCs) appear to downregulate active calcium-transporting genes in the duodenum, resulting in GC-induced calcium-absorbing disorder. In this study, we examined the effects of GCs on calcium-processing genes in the duodenum and kidney and the compensatory mechanism in calbindin-D9k (CaBP-9k) and calbindin-D28k (CaBP-28k) knockout (KO) mice. In the duodenum, we observed compensatory increases in transient receptor potential vanilloid 6 (TRPV6) mRNAs in both calbindin KO mice and CaBP-9k transcripts in CaBP-28k KO mice, and their expressions were decreased by addition of a synthetic GC, dexamethasone (Dex, 10 mg kg(-1)). In addition, the expression of plasma membrane calcium ATPase 1b (PMCA1b) underwent a compensatory increase in CaBP-9k KO mice, and was blocked by Dex, while the mRNA level of duodenal sodium-calcium exchanger 1 was not altered by KO status or Dex. The renal transcriptional levels of TRPV5 in CaBP-9k KO and CaBP-9k in CaBP-28k KO mice were upregulated in a compensatory manner, while the TRPV6 gene was downregulated following treatment with Dex in the kidney of CaBP-28k KO mice. The immunological location of these duodenal proteins as a primary target of Dex-involved regulation was not altered by Dex or KO status. To elucidate potential mechanism(s) of Dex-induced compensatory gene expression, the levels of GC receptor (GR), vitamin D receptor (VDR) and parathyroid hormone receptor (PTHR) mRNA was also measured in these tissues. Duodenal VDR transcripts were induced in a compensatory manner in both types of KO mice, and were decreased by Dex. In addition, serum corticosterone levels in both KO mice were lower than in wild-type mice. In conclusion, these results suggest that duodenal TRPV6 and CaBP-9k genes appear to be a primary target for GC-induced calcium-absorbing disorder, through direct regulation of duodenal VDR transcription.

The beneficial effect of the sap of Acer mono in an animal with low-calcium diet-induced osteoporosis-like symptoms.

The sap of Acer mono has been called 'bone-benefit-water' in Korea because of its mineral and sugar content. In particular, the calcium concentration of the sap of A. mono is 37.5 times higher than commercial spring water. In the current study, we examined whether A. mono sap could improve or prevent osteoporosis-like symptoms in a mouse model. Male mice (3 weeks old) were fed a low-calcium diet supplemented with 25, 50 or 100 % A. mono sap, commercial spring water or a high calcium-containing solution as a beverage for 7 weeks. There were no differences in weekly weight gain and food intake among all the groups. Mice that were given a low-calcium diet supplemented with commercial spring water developed osteoporosis-like symptoms. To assess the effect of sap on osteoporosis-like symptoms, we examined serum calcium concentration, and femur density and length, and carried out a histological examination. Serum calcium levels were significantly lower in mice that received a low-calcium diet supplemented with commercial spring water (the negative control group), and in the 25 % sap group compared to mice fed a normal diet, but were normal in the 50 and 100 % sap and high-calcium solution groups. Femur density and length were significantly reduced in the negative control and 25 % sap groups. These results indicate that a 50 % sap solution can mitigate osteoporosis-like symptoms induced by a low-calcium diet. We also examined the regulation of expression of calcium-processing genes in the duodenum and kidney. Duodenal TRPV6 and renal calbindin-D9k were up-regulated dose-dependently by sap, and the levels of these factors were higher than those attained in the spring water-treated control. The results demonstrate that the sap of A. mono ameliorates the low bone density induced by a low-calcium diet, most likely by increasing calcium ion absorption.