Maternal-perinatal interrelationships of vitamin D metabolism in rats

In pregnant rats it has been possible to show that the distribution of cholecalciferol metabolites in their fetuses reflects the distribution of these metabolites in the blood. In these experiments, pregnant rats were maintained on a vitamin D deficient diet but were supplemented with radiolabelled cholecalciferol. The metabolites found were 25-hydroxycholecalciferol and 24,25-dihydroxycholecalciferol and, to a lesser extent, cholecalciferol. 1,25-Dihydroxycholecalciferol was not detected in fetal tissues, despite the ability of fetal kidney homogenates to hydroxylate 25-hydroxycholecalciferol in C-1. Kidney homogenates of newborn pups were found to possess marked activity of 25-hydroxycholecalciferol-24-hydroxylase, which was retained even in hypocalcemic pups born to pregnant rats that were fed a low-calcium diet. Injection of radiolabeled cholecalciferol to newborn pups resulted in the formation of 25-hydroxycholecalciferol and 24,25-dihydroxycholecalciferol. 1,25-Dihydroxycholecalciferol was not detected. Tissues thought of as target organs for vitamin D (in pregnant rats), namely, intestine, kidney and bone, were found to contain none or very little 1,25-dihydroxycholecalciferol. Mammary glands obtained from lactating rats were found to contain mainly the unchanged vitamin.