dihydrotachysterol and maxacalcitol

New 'non-calcaemic' analogues of 1,25-dihydroxyvitamin D3 (1,25(OH)2D3) are entering the clinical arena and some of them have been shown to have differential effects in bone. This may have a bearing on the evolution of bone lesions in uraemic patients receiving vitamin D therapies. A potential mechanism for differential effects of analogues lies in their target cell inactivation.. Using a human osteoblastic cell line, MG-63, three analogues, 22-oxacalcitriol (OCT), 19-nor-1,25-dihydroxyvitamin D2 (paricalcitol) and 1alpha,25-dihydroxydihydrotachysterol2(1,25(OH)2DHT2), were compared with 1,25(OH)2D3 for (1) their affinity for the vitamin D receptor (VDR) by competitive displacement of tritiated 1,25(OH)2D3 from calf thymus VDR; (2) effects on 24-hydroxylase mRNA expression using comparative RT-PCR, and (3) rates of metabolism, using high performance liquid chromatography, over a 24-hour time course.. Relative VDR-binding affinities (IC50) were 1,25(OH)2D3 (100%), OCT (25%), paricalcitol (14%) and 1,25(OH)2DHT2 (0.3%). A > or =3-fold increase in 24-hydroxylase mRNA expression was observed for all compounds at 2 h peaking at 7- to 8-fold above control levels by 12 h, with no significant difference between the analogues and 1,25(OH)2D3. Differences in their rates of metabolism were observed [calculated t(1/2) values = OCT (1.2 h) > paricalcitol (2.3 h) > 1,25(OH)2D3 (2.6 h) > 1,25(OH)2DHT2 (3.4 h)], with OCT having a significantly shorter half-life.. In MG-63 cells these analogues up-regulate 24-hydroxylase mRNA expression with similar potency, in each case accelerating ligand inactivation, despite significant differences in VDR affinity. VDR affinity did not correspond to either 24-hydroxylase mRNA expression or the rates of ligand disappearance, suggesting cellular metabolism is one of several factors that determine the analogue specificity of these agents in bone.

Topics: Animals; Calcitriol; Cattle; Cell Line; Cytochrome P-450 Enzyme System; Dihydrotachysterol; Ergocalciferols; Gene Expression Regulation, Enzymologic; Humans; Hydroxylation; Mixed Function Oxygenases; Osteoblasts; Protein Binding; Receptors, Calcitriol; Steroid Hydroxylases; Thymus Gland; Vitamin D3 24-Hydroxylase

Dihydrotachysterol(2), a licensed pharmaceutical, is hydroxylated to 25-hydroxydihydrotachysterol(2) (25(OH)DHT(2)) and 1 alpha,25-dihydroxydihydrotachysterol(2) (1 alpha,25(OH)(2)DHT(2)) in man. We have compared the biological activity of these metabolites with calcitriol and the 'non-calcaemic' analogue, 22-oxacalcitriol (OCT) in bovine parathyroid cell cultures and in rats.. The effect of each sterol on parathyroid hormone (PTH) secreted by primary bovine parathyroid cells was measured. High-performance liquid chromotography and gas chromotography-mass spectrometry were used to investigate in vitro 25(OH)DHT(2) metabolism. Rats were given a single intraperitoneal injection or five daily injections of each sterol, and changes in ionized calcium and PTH were measured.. In vitro, all sterols suppressed PTH significantly. Calcitriol and OCT were of similar potency, but 1 alpha, 25(OH)(2)DHT(2) and 25(OH)DHT(2) required higher concentrations to suppress PTH equally. We were unable to detect metabolism of 25(OH)DHT(2) to 1 alpha,25(OH)(2)DHT(2) in vitro. In rats, a single dose of 0.5 microg/rat of calcitriol increased ionized calcium at 30 and 40 h (statistically significant at 48 h). 50 microg of OCT and 1 alpha,25(OH)(2)DHT(2) did not cause significant hypercalcaemia at 48 h, although 1 alpha,25(OH)(2)DHT(2) caused hypercalcaemia at 30 h. In contrast, 50 microg of 25(OH)DHT(2) caused hypercalcaemia at 48 h but not at 30 h. Five daily doses of 0.001 microg/rat of calcitriol caused a significant rise in calcium and a 50% fall in PTH. OCT and 1 alpha,25(OH)(2)DHT(2) at 0.025 and 0.5 microg/rat respectively caused similar suppression of PTH but without hypercalcaemia.. 1 alpha,25(OH)(2)DHT(2) and 25(OH)DHT(2) are potent suppressors of PTH in vitro and in vivo. 25(OH)DHT(2) may be active by virtue of its pseudo-1 alpha-hydroxyl group. Hypercalcaemia caused by a single dose of 1 alpha,25(OH)(2)DHT(2) appeared to be more transient than calcitriol. Five daily doses of 1 alpha, 25(OH)(2)DHT(2) and OCT could achieve 50% suppression of PTH without significant increments in ionized calcium. In contrast, suppression of PTH by calcitriol was associated with significant increments in ionized calcium. These data suggest that like OCT, 1 alpha, 25(OH)(2)DHT(2) can dissociate calcaemic actions from parathyroid-suppressing actions in a manner that may be therapeutically useful.

Topics: Animals; Calcitriol; Calcium; Calcium Channel Agonists; Cattle; Cells, Cultured; Dihydrotachysterol; Female; Hydroxylation; Parathyroid Glands; Parathyroid Hormone; Rats; Rats, Wistar; Vitamin D

The use of calcitriol in the treatment of uremic hyperparathyroidism and renal osteodystrophy is limited in many patients by hypercalcemic side-effects. New less calcemic analogues of calcitriol are being developed, and some are under clinical evaluation. To investigate whether these compounds possess important differences in their action on bone cells, we have studied their effects [with and without parathyroid hormone (PTH)] on the release and synthesis of the resorptive osteotropic cytokine, interleukin-6 (IL-6).. MG 63 and SaOS-2 human osteoblastic cell lines were cultured for 6 or 24 hours in media containing calcitriol, the sterols of interest, or 1-34 synthetic PTH. IL-6 release was assayed by commercially available enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay. IL-6 mRNA levels were assessed by reverse transcriptase-polymerase chain reaction.. We found that calcitriol and paricalcitol behaved in a similar fashion, resulting in increased IL-6 release only at higher concentrations (10(-7) to 10(-9) M). In contrast, 22-oxacalcitriol and 1,25-dihydroxydihydrotachysterol2 stimulated release to a similar extent but at concentrations three to four orders of magnitude lower (10(-11) to 10(-13) M), despite being less potent as suppressers of parathyroid function than calcitriol. Studies of IL-6 mRNA showed a similar pattern of concentration and cell line-dependent transcription.. Compounds stimulating IL-6 release at concentrations achievable during the treatment of uremic hyperparathyroidism might favor continuing linked bone formation and resorption and thereby avoid adynamic bone disease while still allowing profound suppression of PTH.

Topics: Bone Diseases; Calcitriol; Cell Line; Dihydrotachysterol; Ergocalciferols; Humans; Interleukin-1; Osteoblasts; Parathyroid Hormone; RNA, Messenger; Uremia; Vitamin D