Vitamin A Deficiency Modifies Antioxidant Defenses And Essential Element Contents In Rat Heart

OLIVEROS L; VEGA V.; ANZULOVICH A.C.; RAMÍREZ D.; GIMÉNEZ MS

NUTRITION RESEARCH

Ed. Elsevier Science Inc.

Año: 2000 vol. 20 p. 1139 - 1150

0271-5317

Oxidative stress in the heart of male rats fed on a vitamin A-deficient diet for three months from 21 days of age was evaluated. Vitamin A restriction produced subclinical plasma retinol concentration (0.7 umol/l), negligible liver retinol stores and a significant decrease of heart retinol concentration, as determined by HPLC, compared with the control group receiving the same diet with 4000 IU of vitamin A (8 mg retinol as retinyl palmitate) per kg of diet. Vitamin A-deficient rats had lower body weight than control rats. No change in the heart weights was observed. In serum of rats fed the vitamin A-deficient diet the concentrations of thiobarbituric acid-reactive substances (TBARS) and reduced glutathione (GSH) increased by -65% and 60%, respectively, compared with those fed on the control diet. In hearts of vitamin A-deficient rats the concentration of TBARS and the glutathione peroxidase activity significantly increased. The activity of catalase decreased by - 30%, while the superoxide dismutase did not change. Additionally, vitamin A-deficient rats showed lower heart concentrations of the trace elements selenium, manganese and chromium. Heart iron, copper and zinc concentrations were not affected. Vitamin A deprivation for 3 months decreased the plasma and heart retinol concentrations associated with changes in non-enzymatic and enzymatic antioxidant defense system components.