Evidence for interference of 25(OH)vitamin D3 with phosphaturic action of glucagon

The effect of 25(OH)vitamin D3 [25(OH)D3] on the phosphaturic action of glucagon was studied using clearance techniques in the following groups of rats: group 1, parathyroidectomized (PTX) glucagon-infused rats receiving intravenous 25(OH)D3; group 2, PTX 25(OH)D3-pretreated rats receiving intravenous glucagon; and group 3, the thyroparathyroidectomized glucagon-infused rats receiving intravenous 25(OH)D3. The effect of 25(OH)D3 on glucagon-induced increase of cAMP in kidney slices and glucagon-activated adenylate cyclase (AC) in kidney membrane fractions was studied in vitro. In group 1, 25(OH)D3 suppressed the glucagon-induced phosphaturia by reducing fractional excretion of phosphorus (CP/CIn) from 0.175 +/- 0.02 (mean +/- SE) to 0.112 +/- 0.12 (P less than 0.05); this was associated with a reduction of urinary cAMP from 1,830 +/- 230 to 660 +/- 120 pmol/min (P less than 0.01). In group 2, pretreatment with 25(OH)D3 reduced CP/CIn from 0.221 +/- 0.025 to 0.108 +/- 0.012 (P less than 0.005). In group 3, 25(OH)D3 reduced CP/CIn from 0.165 +/- 0.012 to 0.075 +/- 0.011 (P less than 0.005). In vitro, 25(OH)D3 blunted the glucagon-induced activation of the AC/cAMP system by reducing AC from 570 +/- 30 to 325 +/- 28 pmol cAMP.mg protein-1.h-1 (P less than 0.01) and the cAMP level from 11.2 +/- 0.9 to 8.5 +/- 0.7 pmol cAMP/g wet tissue (P less than 0.05). These results show that 25(OH)D3 blunts the phosphaturic action of glucagon and suggest that this response may be mediated through suppression of the AC/cAMP system.