“VITAMIN A DEFICIENCY AND OXIDATIVE STRESS IN RAT KIDNEYS”

BIAGGIO VS, GATICA LV, ALVAREZ SM, OLIVEROS LB, GIMÉNEZ M.S.

San Luis - Capital

Otro; XIX Reunión Anual de la Sociedad de Biología de Cuyo; 2001

Universidad Nacional de San Luis

Abstract Vitamin A is involved in the maintenance, growth and differentiation of tissues. Vitamin A deficiency modifies lipid metabolism in male rat kidneys. The objective of this work was to study the effect of vitamin deficiency on the antioxidant defense system of rat kidneys. Male Wistar rats (age21days) were divided into two groups: the vitamin deficient group (-A)which received a free vitamin A diet and the control group (Co) which received the same diet with 8 mg of retynil palmitate/Kg diet. Rats were killed, blood was collected and kidneys were obtained and stored at –70 ºC until studied. Kidneys were separated into medulla, cortex and papilla. We analyzed the lipoperoxidation level measuring TBAR`S in serum and in the different fractions of kidneys, and determined the activity of superoxide dismutase (SOD). Proteins were measured by Biuret. No serum TBAR`S changes were found of kidneys in the  -A group. SOD showed an increased activity in –A rats (in medulla and cortex). We conclude that vitamin A deficiency induces an increase in lipid peroxidation and in the activity of the antioxidant defense system in the rat kidney.