O estudo investigou a influência do tratamento de 10 semanas com paricalcitol (0,1µg/kg 5x/semana) e calcitriol (0,03µg/kg 5x/semana) em modelo de aterosclerose espontânea utilizando camundongos ApoE -/- sham e uninefrectomizados (UNX). Resultados: a densidade capilar por comprimento no tecido cardíaco foi significativamente mais baixa nos animais UNX Controle quando comparados aos shams, o que não ocorreu nos animais UNX tratados com paricalcitol e calcitriol. Nas aortas, a relação parede/lúmen foi significativamente menor no grupo Sham Controle quando comparada à dos grupos UNX Controle e UNX Calcitriol, sendo que nesses últimos, foram evidenciadas calcificações vasculares acompanhadas por células positivas para Runx-2 (cbfa-1). Além disso, foi evidenciada uma menor expressão de TGFß nas aortas dos animais do grupo UNX Paricalcitol em relação aos grupos UNX Controle e UNX Calcitriol. Conclusões: Ambos os tratamentos preveniram alterações na capilarização cardíaca induzidas pela UNX. O tratamento com calcitriol na dose empregada induziu significativas calcificações vasculares, o que não ocorreu com o paricalcitol. / The study investigated the influence of a 10-week treatment with Paricalcitol (0.1µg/kg, 5x/week) or Calcitriol (0.03µg/kg, 5x/week) on cardiovascular disease in spontaneously atherosclerotic ApoE -/- mice submitted to uninephrectomy (UNX). Results: capillary length density of the heart was significantly lower in UNX Control, but not in UNX Paricalcitol and UNX Calcitriol animals, when compared to shams. In the aortas, a significantly lower wall/lumen ratio was observed in the Sham Control group when compared to UNX Control and UNX Calcitriol groups. In the latter, vascular calcifications accompanied by a significant presence of Runx-2 (cbfa-1) positive cells was observed. TGFß aorta expression was significantly higher in UNX Control and UNX Calciriol groups when compared to UNX Paricalcitol. Conclusions: Both treatments were able to prevent the reduction in heart capillarization induced by the UNX model. Treatment with Calcitriol at the employed dose and duration, though, induced significant vascular calcifications.

<p>In hyperparathyroidism (HPT) raised serum concentrations of ionized calcium is caused by increased secretion of parathyroid hormone (PTH) by parathyroid tumors. Active vitamin D, 1α,25-dihydroxyvitamin D₃, is known to suppress PTH secretion and to reduce proliferation of parathyroid tumor cells.</p><p>The aim of this thesis was to examine expression of vitamin D hydroxylating enzymes, regulating the activation and inactivation of vitamin D and to study effects of vitamin D analogues, in parathyroid tumors and breast cancer.</p><p>The vitamin D activating enzyme, CYP27B1/25-hydroxyvitamin D₃ 1α-hydroxylase (1α-hydroxylase) and the vitamin D inactivating enzyme CYP24A1/25-hydroxyvitamin D₃ 24-hydroxylase (24-hydroxylase) were expressed in parathyroid tumors and breast cancer. </p><p>The parathyroid tumors had raised expression levels of 1α-hydroxylase and reduced levels of 24-hydroxylase in comparison to normal parathyroid glands, indicating ability for endogenous activation of vitamin D. The expression of 1α-hydroxylase may be of therapeutic advantage for local activation of non-1α-hydroxylated vitamin D analogues in tumor cells, thereby reducing unwanted hypercalcemic effects. </p><p>Three of five selected low calcemic vitamin D analogues had as efficient PTH suppressing effect, in bovine parathyroid cells, as three vitamin D analogues used clinically for treatment of secondary HPT.</p><p>The non-1α-hydroxylated vitamin D analogue EB1285 showed antiproliferative and PTH suppressive effects as well as transcriptional activity in parathyroid and breast tumor cells, respectively.</p><p>Ketoconazole, an inhibitor of vitamin D hydroxylating enzymes, suppressed PTH secretion and potentiated the effect of vitamin D analogues. Combined treatment with vitamin D analogues and specific 24-hydroxylase inhibitors may be important for future therapy. </p>

In hyperparathyroidism (HPT) raised serum concentrations of ionized calcium is caused by increased secretion of parathyroid hormone (PTH) by parathyroid tumors. Active vitamin D, 1α,25-dihydroxyvitamin D3, is known to suppress PTH secretion and to reduce proliferation of parathyroid tumor cells. The aim of this thesis was to examine expression of vitamin D hydroxylating enzymes, regulating the activation and inactivation of vitamin D and to study effects of vitamin D analogues, in parathyroid tumors and breast cancer. The vitamin D activating enzyme, CYP27B1/25-hydroxyvitamin D3 1α-hydroxylase (1α-hydroxylase) and the vitamin D inactivating enzyme CYP24A1/25-hydroxyvitamin D3 24-hydroxylase (24-hydroxylase) were expressed in parathyroid tumors and breast cancer. The parathyroid tumors had raised expression levels of 1α-hydroxylase and reduced levels of 24-hydroxylase in comparison to normal parathyroid glands, indicating ability for endogenous activation of vitamin D. The expression of 1α-hydroxylase may be of therapeutic advantage for local activation of non-1α-hydroxylated vitamin D analogues in tumor cells, thereby reducing unwanted hypercalcemic effects. Three of five selected low calcemic vitamin D analogues had as efficient PTH suppressing effect, in bovine parathyroid cells, as three vitamin D analogues used clinically for treatment of secondary HPT. The non-1α-hydroxylated vitamin D analogue EB1285 showed antiproliferative and PTH suppressive effects as well as transcriptional activity in parathyroid and breast tumor cells, respectively. Ketoconazole, an inhibitor of vitamin D hydroxylating enzymes, suppressed PTH secretion and potentiated the effect of vitamin D analogues. Combined treatment with vitamin D analogues and specific 24-hydroxylase inhibitors may be important for future therapy.

O estudo investigou a influência do tratamento de 10 semanas com paricalcitol (0,1µg/kg 5x/semana) e calcitriol (0,03µg/kg 5x/semana) em modelo de aterosclerose espontânea utilizando camundongos ApoE -/- sham e uninefrectomizados (UNX). Resultados: a densidade capilar por comprimento no tecido cardíaco foi significativamente mais baixa nos animais UNX Controle quando comparados aos shams, o que não ocorreu nos animais UNX tratados com paricalcitol e calcitriol. Nas aortas, a relação parede/lúmen foi significativamente menor no grupo Sham Controle quando comparada à dos grupos UNX Controle e UNX Calcitriol, sendo que nesses últimos, foram evidenciadas calcificações vasculares acompanhadas por células positivas para Runx-2 (cbfa-1). Além disso, foi evidenciada uma menor expressão de TGFß nas aortas dos animais do grupo UNX Paricalcitol em relação aos grupos UNX Controle e UNX Calcitriol. Conclusões: Ambos os tratamentos preveniram alterações na capilarização cardíaca induzidas pela UNX. O tratamento com calcitriol na dose empregada induziu significativas calcificações vasculares, o que não ocorreu com o paricalcitol. / The study investigated the influence of a 10-week treatment with Paricalcitol (0.1µg/kg, 5x/week) or Calcitriol (0.03µg/kg, 5x/week) on cardiovascular disease in spontaneously atherosclerotic ApoE -/- mice submitted to uninephrectomy (UNX). Results: capillary length density of the heart was significantly lower in UNX Control, but not in UNX Paricalcitol and UNX Calcitriol animals, when compared to shams. In the aortas, a significantly lower wall/lumen ratio was observed in the Sham Control group when compared to UNX Control and UNX Calcitriol groups. In the latter, vascular calcifications accompanied by a significant presence of Runx-2 (cbfa-1) positive cells was observed. TGFß aorta expression was significantly higher in UNX Control and UNX Calciriol groups when compared to UNX Paricalcitol. Conclusions: Both treatments were able to prevent the reduction in heart capillarization induced by the UNX model. Treatment with Calcitriol at the employed dose and duration, though, induced significant vascular calcifications.