Vitamin D--related modification of enzyme activities in synaptosomes and mitochondria isolated from rat cerebral cortex.

We previously demonstrated that feeding rats the Steenbock and Black rickets-inducing diet produces remarkable changes in the metabolic pattern of intestinal mucosa, kidney, liver, cerebral cortex and heart. We have now determined the levels of calcium, phosphorus and citrate in cerebral cortex and the activity of some enzymes in synaptosomes and cerebral cortex mitochondria of three rat groups: control (Group A), fed a vitamin D-deficient diet (Group B), fed a vitamin D-deficient diet and treated with 1,25-dihydroxyvitamin D3 (Group C). While calcium content increased in Groups B and C, phosphorus concentration increased only in Group C and citrate in Group B in comparison with control. The increase in acetylcholinesterase and citrate synthase registered in Group B was restored to control values by 1,25-dihydroxyvitamin D3 treatment, while, neither the decrease in cytochrome c oxidase, nor the increase in glucose-6-phosphate dehydrogenase, acid phosphatase and NADP+(-)isocitrate dehydrogenase observed in Group B were corrected by 1,25-dihydroxyvitamin D3 supply. Acyl phosphatase showed a remarkable increase in consequence of 1,25-dihydroxyvitamin D3 administration.