Vitamin D receptor gene expression in human pituitary gland

1,25-dihydroxyvitamin D3 has important physiological effects such as calcium transport and cell growth and differentiation. These biological effects are mediated by their binding to specific intracellular receptor termed vitamin D receptor (VDR). VDR mRNA expression has been demonstrated in several tissues, but to date, there is no information about its presence in the human pituitary gland. In this report, we demonstrate VDR mRNA expression using the reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR), as well as the cellular expression of VDR by immunohistochemistry, both in the human pituitary gland. These results suggest the possibility that, like in the rat pituitary, VDR may regulate the human pituitary gene expression and hormone secretion.