Differences between the effects of phosphate deficiency and vitamin D deficiency on bone metabolism

It has been widely believed that phosphate deficiency causes osteomalacia. Based on this belief, the rickets of familial hypophosphatemia has been attributed to phosphate deficiency associated with the hypophosphatemia. The present studies on rats have, however, demonstrated significant differences between the effects of phosphate deficiency on bone metabolism and the characteristic features of rickets. Weanling rats, maintained on a mildly phosphate deficient diet, had hypercalcemia and hypophosphatemia, and impairment of body growth, bone growth, and bone mineralization. The maximum effect was observed at 5 wk; between 5 and 20 wk the rats improved despite persistent hypophosphatemia. Histologically, at 5 wk the bone showed thick unmineralized osteoid seams covering most bone surfaces, but the epiphyseal cartilage was normal. In addition, the excess osteoid readily incorporated tetracycline indicating normal mineralization and, based on a new sequential pulse labeling technique, the linear bone apposition rate (LBA) was significantly ( p < 0.001) increased above control values. This increase was observed within the initial 4 days of phosphate (P) deficiency and persisted up to 15 wk. This effect of P deficiency on LBA was dependent on vitamin D activity. At 4 wk, the mean LBA was 0.106 ± 0.003 (1 SE) in control rats, 0.149 ± 0.008 μm/hr in P deficient rats, 0.083 ± 0.004 μm/hr in vitamin D deficient rats and 0.086 ± 0.006 μm/hr in rats deficient in both P and vitamin D. We have reported a similar increase in LBA with parathyroid hormone activity. With vitamin D deficiency, phosphate deficient rats showed all the characteristic features of rickets; disorganization of epiphyseal cartilage, excessive unmineralized osteoid, and reduced mineralization based on the incorporation of tetracycline. We conclude that the effects of phosphate deficiency on bone metabolism more closely resembles the effects of PTH activity than the characteristic effects of osteomalacia and rickets.