Effect of vitamin D deficiency on urinary excretion of connective tissue derivatives (hydroxyproline and glycosaminoglycans) in rats.

The urinary excretion of two connective tissue metabolites was studied in both control and vitamin D deficient rats. Hydroxyproline (HyPRO) excretion was determined after 2, 13 and 22 months (experiment I). It decreased with aging in animals receiving the control diet. On the contrary, this excretion increased as a function of age in vitamin D deficient animals. At the age of 22 months, HyPRO excretion was respectively 31 and 1708 micrograms a day in control and deficient animals. HyPRO and glycosaminoglycans (GAG) excretion was measured on a group of both control and vitamin D deficient rats at the age of 21 months (experiment II). These results confirm the high excretion of HyPRO in deficient animals. On the contrary, the GAG excretion was higher in control animals than in deficient ones, the mean excretion being respectively 412 and 234 micrograms a day.