The vitamin D receptor in dopamine neurons; its presence in human substantia nigra and its ontogenesis in rat midbrain
Abstract
There is growing evidence that vitamin D is a neuroactive steroid capable of regulating multiple pathways important for both brain development and mature brain function. In particular, there is evidence from rodent models that prenatal vitamin D deficiency alters the development of dopaminergic pathways and this disruption is associated with altered behavior and neurochemistry in the adult brain. Although the presence of the vitamin D receptor (VDR) has been noted in the human substantia nigra, there is a lack of direct evidence showing that VDR is present in dopaminergic cells. Here we confirm that the VDR is present in the nucleus of tyrosine hydroxylase (TH)-positive neurons in both the human and rat substantia nigra, and it emerges early in development in the rat, between embryonic day 12 (E12) and E15. Consistent evidence based on immunohistochemistry, real-time PCR and western blot confirmed a pattern of increasing VDR expression in the rat midbrain until weaning. The nuclear expression of VDR in TH-positive neurons during critical periods of brain development suggests that alterations in early life vitamin D status may influence the orderly development of dopaminergic neurons.
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VDR increases during development.
“VDR has been shown to be present early in development, to increase during development, and to be present in the adult brain—all indicative of a role for vitamin D in the developing and adult brain [145].”
From Vitamin D and Autism Spectrum Disorder: A Literature Review (2016) · cites this paper as [145]
VDR is present in the adult brain.
“VDR has been shown to be present early in development, to increase during development, and to be present in the adult brain—all indicative of a role for vitamin D in the developing and adult brain [145].”
From Vitamin D and Autism Spectrum Disorder: A Literature Review (2016) · cites this paper as [145]
VDR is present early in development.
“VDR has been shown to be present early in development, to increase during development, and to be present in the adult brain—all indicative of a role for vitamin D in the developing and adult brain [145].”
From Vitamin D and Autism Spectrum Disorder: A Literature Review (2016) · cites this paper as [145]
The presence of VDR early in development, increasing during development, and in the adult brain indicates a role for vitamin D in the developing and adult brain.
“VDR has been shown to be present early in development, to increase during development, and to be present in the adult brain—all indicative of a role for vitamin D in the developing and adult brain [145].”
From Vitamin D and Autism Spectrum Disorder: A Literature Review (2016) · cites this paper as [145]
Vitamin D receptors have been identified in dopamine neurones in human substantia nigra.
“Vitamin D receptors have been identified in dopamine neurones in humans substantia nigra [145], and vitamin D response elements on genes involved in serotonin and oxytocin synthesis [189].”
From Vitamin D and Autism Spectrum Disorder: A Literature Review (2016) · cites this paper as [145]
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- Authors
- Cui, X., Pelekanos, M., Liu, P.-Y., Burne, T. H. J., McGrath, J. J., & Eyles, D. W.
- Affiliations
- The University of Queensland (AU)
- Corresponding author
- Eyles, D.W.
- Venue
- Neuroscience
- Publisher
- Elsevier BV
- Published
- 2013-04
- Volume
- 236
- Pages
- 77-87
- ISSN
- 0306-4522 (ISSN-L)
- OpenAlex
- W2077251596
- Cited by
- 182
- References
- 62
- Citations by year
- 2026: 9 · 2025: 8 · 2024: 13 · 2023: 22 · 2022: 16 · 2021: 14 · 2020: 21 · 2019: 10 · 2018: 14 · 2017: 16 · 2016: 7 · 2015: 12 · 2014: 13 · 2013: 7
- FWCI
- 9.70
- Type
- journal article
- Language
- en
- Open access
- closed
- Locations
- Neuroscience (publishedVersion)
- PubMed (publishedVersion)
- Funders
- National Health and Medical Research Council of Australia
- Queensland Dept. of Health
- Topics
- Health Sciences › Medicine › Pathology and Forensic Medicine › Vitamin D Research Studies
- Life Sciences › Neuroscience › Cellular and Molecular Neuroscience › Neurotransmitter Receptor Influence on Behavior
- Life Sciences › Neuroscience › Cellular and Molecular Neuroscience › Nuclear Receptors and Signaling
- Keywords
- vitamin D receptor, dopaminergic neurons, substantia nigra, tyrosine hydroxylase, midbrain development, prenatal vitamin D deficiency, neurosteroids, brain development, ontogeny, human brain, rat embryo
- MeSH terms
- Adolescent, Adult, Animals, Female, Humans, Immunohistochemistry, Male, Mesencephalon, Middle Aged, Substantia Nigra, Blotting, Western, Rats, Sprague-Dawley, Receptors, Calcitriol, Rats, Young Adult, Dopaminergic Neurons, Real-Time Polymerase Chain Reaction
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