1,25-Dihydroxyvitamin D3 in teeth of rats and humans: receptors and nuclear localization.

Autoradiographic and biochemical studies were used to demonstrate 1,25 (OH)2 vitamin D3 target cells in teeth. Incisor pulp of rats and molar pulp of humans were incubated in vitro with 3H-1,25 (OH)2 vitamin D3. Subsequent frozen-section autoradiography revealed a large population of cells in the pulp of both incisors and molars which selectively concentrated radioactivity in their nuclei. Extracts of incisor pulp from mature rats were found to bind 3H-1,25 (OH)2 vitamin D3 and this binding was displaceable with excess 1,25 (OH)2 vitamin D3. Sucrose density analysis revealed that the protein in tooth pulp which binds 1,25 (OH)2 vitamin D3 sediments at 3.2-3.5S. The 1,25 (OH)2 vitamin D3 receptor of intestine and kidney also sediments in this region, indicating that the 1,25 (OH)2 vitamin D3 binding protein of tooth pulp is similar to that found in other target organs. These autoradiographic and biochemical data indicate that pulpal cells of mature rat and human teeth contain receptors for 1,25 (OH)2 vitamin D3.