J. Biol. Chem., Vol. 261, Issue 20, 9250-9256, Jul, 1986
24-Hydroxylation of 1,25-dihydroxyergocalciferol. An unambiguous deactivation process
RL Horst, TA Reinhardt, CF Ramberg, NJ Koszewski and JL Napoli
1,24,25-Trihydroxyergocalciferol was isolated from bovine kidney
homogenates incubated with 1,25-dihydroxyergocalciferol and from chick
kidney homogenates incubated with 24,25-dihydroxyergocalciferol. The
identity was established by ultraviolet absorbance, sensitivity to
periodate, nuclear magnetic resonance, and mass spectrometry. The new
metabolite had an affinity equal to 1,24,25-trihydroxycholecalciferol for
the bovine-thymus and chick-intestinal 1,25-dihydroxyvitamin D receptor and
had an affinity twice that of 1,24,25- trihydroxycholecalciferol for the
rat-intestinal receptor. It was 3- and 6-fold less competitive than either
1,25-dihydroxycholecalciferol or 1,24,25-trihydroxycholecalciferol,
respectively, for the rat plasma vitamin D transport protein.
1,24,25-Trihydroxyergocalciferol was at least 10-fold less active than
1,25-dihydroxycholecalciferol, 1,25- dihydroxyergocalciferol, and
1,24,25-trihydroxycholecalciferol at stimulating intestinal-calcium
transport and was also relatively ineffective at stimulating bone-calcium
resorption in rats. Moreover, in rats, [3H]1,24,25-trihydroxyergocalciferol
was cleared from plasma approximately 40% faster than
[3H]1,24,25-trihydroxycholecalciferol. These data suggest that C-24
hydroxylation of 1,25- dihydroxyergocalciferol represents a significant in
vivo deactivation step, whereas equivalent deactivation of
1,25-dihydroxycholecalciferol seems to involve metabolic steps subsequent
to C-24 hydroxylation (C-24 ketonization). C-24 ketonization of
1,25-trihydroxyergocalciferol would not be anticipated due to the presence
of the 24(S)-methyl group. These results reveal further dissimilarities
between ergocalciferol and cholecalciferol metabolism in mammals and
suggest a mechanism for the lesser tendency of ergocalciferol to cause
hypercalcemia relative to cholecalciferol.