Age-related alteration of 1alpha,25(OH)2-vitamin D3-dependent activation of p38 MAPK in rat intestinal cells.

In intestinal cells, 1alpha,25(OH)(2)-vitamin D(3) (1alpha,25(OH)(2)D(3)) regulates gene expression via the specific intracellular vitamin D receptor and induces fast non-transcriptional responses involving stimulation of transmembrane signal transduction pathways. In the present study, we analyzed, for the first time, alterations in p38 MAPK response to 1alpha,25(OH)(2)D(3) in rat enterocytes with ageing. In enterocytes from young rats, the hormone increased, in a time- and dose-dependent fashion, the phosphorylation of p38 MAPK, peaking at 3 min (+2-fold). Basal levels of p38 MAPK phosphorylation were lower in enterocytes from old rats and the hormone response was greatly diminished (+0.5-fold at 3 min). p38 MAPK phosphorylation impairment in old animals was not related to significant changes of the kinase protein expression and do not explain the decreased response to 1alpha,25(OH)(2)D(3). Extracellular and intracellular Ca(2+) chelation or c-Src pharmacological inhibition suppressed hormone activation of p38 MAPK in both, young and aged rats, demonstrating that Ca(2+) and the non-receptor tyrosine kinase c-Src are required for full activation of p38 MAPK in cells stimulated with 1alpha,25(OH)(2)D(3). Two other vitamin D(3) metabolites, 25(OH)D(3) and 24,25(OH)(2)D(3, )also enhanced p38 phosphorylation, and to a similar extent than 1alpha,25(OH)(2)D(3), an ability that is lost with ageing. Enterocyte exposure to the hormone also resulted in the rapid induction of c-fos protein (peaking at 5 min, +3-fold) and to a greater extent than that of mRNA induction. With ageing, 1alpha,25(OH)(2)D(3)-dependent increase of c-fos protein level was diminished, but c-fos mRNA expression was not different from young animals. Impairment of 1alpha,25(OH)(2)D(3) activation of p38 MAPK upon ageing and abnormal hormone regulation of the c-fos oncoprotein synthesis may affect intestinal cell function.