Intestinal Calcium Transporter Genes Are Upregulated by Estrogens and the Reproductive Cycle Through Vitamin D Receptor-Independent Mechanisms

Abstract

Estrogens or hormonal changes during pregnancy or lactation have distinct, vitamin D-independent effects at the genomic level on active duodenal calcium absorption mechanisms, mainly through a major upregulation of the calcium influx channel CaT1. The estrogen effects seem to be mediated solely by ERalpha.