Transplacental effects of thyrocalcitonin on intestinal calcium binding protein, alkaline phosphatase activity and ossification of long bones in rat fetuses

Pregnant rats were treated with 44, 88 and 176 Medical Research Council munits of thyrocalcitonin (TCT) twice daily during days 10 to 21 of gestation. Nonpregnant rats received the same treatment for 12 days. Administration of TCT to the pregnant rats increased the ash and calcium content of fetal bones and decreased the phosphorus content. The diaphyses were short and contained many persisting enchondral trabeculae and a reduced number of osteoclasts. TCT reduced the fetal intestinal alkaline phosphatase activity but elevated the intestinal calcium binding protein content. In the pregnant and nonpregnant rats, treatment with TCT resulted in hypocalcemia and hypophosphatemia, and increased the calcium binding protein content of the duodenal mucosa. In the fetuses, the calcium binding protein content and alkaline phosphatase activity were higher in the jejunum and ileum than in the duodenum, and were much higher than the values found in adult animals. These findings indicate that TCT passes through the rat placenta and affects the fetal skeleton and calcium metabolism directly, resulting primarily in decreased bone resorption.