Targeting 1,25(OH)2D-mediated calcium absorption machinery in proximal colon with calcitriol glycosides and glucuronides.

High intestinal calcium (Ca) absorption efficiency is associated with high peak bone mass in adolescents and reduced bone loss in adulthood. Transepithelial intestinal Ca absorption is mediated by 1,25-dihydroxyvitamin D (1,25(OH)2D, calcitriol) through the vitamin D receptor (VDR). Most research on Ca absorption focuses on the proximal small intestine but evidence shows that large intestine plays a crucial role in whole body Ca homeostasis. We directly assessed and compared Ca absorption capacity at the proximal colon and duodenum using in situ ligated loops (2 mM Ca, 10 min). In C57BL/6 J mice, the proximal colon (26.2 ± 3.7 %) had comparable ability to absorb Ca as the duodenum (30.0 ± 6.7 %). In VDR knockout (KO) mice, Ca absorption efficiency was reduced by 67 % in duodenum and 48 % in proximal colon. These data suggest that large intestine could be targeted to improve Ca absorption and protect bone in at risk-groups (e.g. bariatric patients). Glycoside forms of calcitriol found in Solanum Glaucophyllum (Sg) leaf are biologically inert but can be activated in the colon upon bacterial cleavage of the glycosides. We conducted a study to test whether Sg leaf, as well as a novel, synthetic 1,3-diglucuronide form of calcitriol (1,3-diG) could target the proximal colon and upregulate genes involved in Ca absorption (i.e. Trpv6, S100g). 13-week-old female C57BL6/J mice were fed AIN93 G diet containing increasing levels of one of the two compounds for 2 weeks (delivering 0, 0.25, 0.5, 1, or 2 ng calcitriol equivalent per day). Both compounds induced a dose-dependent upregulation of Cyp24a1 and Trpv6 gene expression in the proximal colon. 1,3-diG also induced S100g gene expression in the proximal colon. Duodenal expression of Trpv6 was upregulated at higher doses of 1,3-diG but not Sg leaf. These data suggest that both glycosylated and glucuronidated calcitriol could be used to target the proximal colon but that dosing must be optimized to limit systemic effects that could cause hypercalcemia. Future studies will test the translational potential of these compounds to determine if they can increase Ca absorption at proximal colon and whether this can help protect bone.