Endocrinology, Vol 119, 2148-2154, Copyright © 1986 by Endocrine Society

ARTICLES

Effects of dietary sodium chloride loading on parathyroid function, 1,25-dihydroxyvitamin D, calcium balance, and bone metabolism in female rats during chronic prednisolone administration

A Goulding and E Gold

The effects of dietary sodium chloride supplements (8 g/100 g diet) on parathyroid function, serum 1,25-dihydroxyvitamin D [1,25-(OH)2D], calcium balance, bone metabolism, and bone composition were studied in rats treated with prednisolone (2 mg/kg w X day) for 12 weeks. Animals on a low calcium diet (0.1% Ca) received the following treatments: group 1, control; group 2, NaCl; group 3, prednisolone; group 4, NaCl plus prednisolone. Parathyroid function was assessed indirectly from urinary cAMP excretion: bone resorption was estimated by studying urinary hydroxyproline excretion and mobilization of 45Ca from bone. Dietary salt loading increased the urinary excretion of calcium, 45Ca, cAMP, and hydroxyproline and raised serum 1,25-(OH)2D and net calcium absorption, but lowered calcium retention, femoral calcium, and total body calcium. Prednisolone slowed body growth and lowered net calcium absorption, calcium retention, femoral calcium, and total body calcium. Urinary calcium excretion was higher in rats receiving salt and prednisolone in combination than in animals taking salt without prednisolone, but other responses to salt and prednisolone were independent. Thus, salt and prednisolone each elicit osteopenia, and salt causes bone loss in rats receiving prednisolone. The osteopenic effect of salt is attributed to primary augmentation of urinary calcium excretion and secondary increases in PTH-medicated bone resorption. Although salt-treated rats have higher blood levels of 1,25-(OH)2D, bone loss occurs because alimentary calcium absorption is not elevated sufficiently to offset urinary calcium losses. Prednisolone lowers bone formation and net calcium absorption without lowering serum 1,25-(OH)2D values. The parathyroid-vitamin D axis remains intact in prednisolone- treated rats, as they show increases in PTH and 1,25-(OH)2D after salt treatment.

This article has been cited by other articles:

				M M Conradie, H de Wet, D D R Kotze, J M Burrin, F S Hough, and P A Hulley Vanadate prevents glucocorticoid-induced apoptosis of osteoblasts in vitro and osteocytes in vivo J. Endocrinol., November 1, 2007; 195(2): 229 - 240. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]

				J. Z. Ilich and J. E. Kerstetter Nutrition in Bone Health Revisited: A Story Beyond Calcium J. Am. Coll. Nutr., June 1, 2000; 19(6): 715 - 737. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]