The Effect of Vitamin A Deficiency in Rabbits on the Elastic Properties of the Lung and Thoracic Aorta

1971 ◽  
Vol 49 (2) ◽  
pp. 127-133 ◽  
Author(s):  
J. S. Saksena ◽  
J. A. Mehta ◽  
A. Naimark

Weanling rabbits were fed a vitamin A deficient diet for 6 weeks. During this period they failed to gain weight normally and exhibited significantly lower serum vitamin A levels when compared with their littermates fed a vitamin A supplemented diet. These findings indicated that vitamin A deficiency was established, and the lungs and specimens of aorta were removed for study. The pressure–volume relationships of saline-filled lungs revealed that test lungs were more compliant than control lungs and this difference was associated with a decrease in elastin content in test lungs. The absence of such changes in pair-fed controls suggests that the effects are due to vitamin A deficiency per se rather than the general effects of retarded growth. A decrease was also noted in the elastance of the aorta, confirming that vitamin A deficiency has an effect on elasticity of tissues generally. When vitamin A deficient animals were given vitamin A supplemented diets the elastance of the aorta returned to control values but the compliance of the lung, although somewhat decreased, did not reach control values. The mechanism by which vitamin A deficiency affects tissue elasticity is not known.

2003 ◽  
Vol 6 (5) ◽  
pp. 447-452 ◽  
Author(s):  
Faruk Ahmed ◽  
Asfia Azim ◽  
Mohammad Akhtaruzzaman

AbstractAims:To investigate the prevalence of vitamin A deficiency among lactating women in a poor urban population of Bangladesh, and to examine the relationship between various factors and vitamin A status.Design:Cross-sectional study.Setting:Maternal and child health clinic in Dhaka City, Bangladesh.Subjects and methods:A total of 120 lactating women aged 17–37 years were randomly selected from women who attended a local maternal and child health clinic in Dhaka City for immunisation of their children. Various socio-economic, personal characteristics, dietary intakes of vitamin A and anthropometric data were collected. Serum retinol (vitamin A) concentration was determined as a measure of vitamin A status.Results:Of the subjects, 37% had low serum vitamin A levels (<30 μg dl−1), with 13.3% having sub-clinical vitamin A deficiency (<20 μg dl−1). Eighty-seven per cent had vitamin A intakes below the recommended dietary allowance. The lactating women who were either illiterate or received only informal education had significantly (P = 0.002) lower serum vitamin A levels compared with those who received formal education. The women whose husbands received formal education had significantly (P = 0.05) higher serum vitamin A levels than those whose husbands were either illiterate or received only informal education. The serum vitamin A levels of women in households with poor sanitation/latrine practice were significantly (P = 0.03) lower than those of women in households with good sanitation/latrine practice. The women with one child had significantly (P = 0.015) lower serum vitamin A levels than those with two or more children. Women with a lactation period of 6 months or more had significantly (P = 0.034) lower serum vitamin A levels than women with a lactation period of less than 6 months. The women who consumed less than the median vitamin A intake (274.8 μg day−1) had significantly (P = 0.01) lower serum vitamin A levels than those who consumed more than the median vitamin A intake. By multiple regression analysis, education level of the women, number of living children, duration of lactation and dietary intake of vitamin A were found to have significant independent relationships with serum vitamin A. The overall F-ratio (6.8) was highly significant (P = 0.000), the adjusted R2 was 0.16 (multiple R = 0.44).Conclusion:A significant proportion of poor, urban, lactating women in Bangladesh have vitamin A deficiency. Among the various factors, education level of the women, number of living children, duration of lactation and dietary intake of vitamin A appear to be important in influencing the vitamin A status of these women.


1970 ◽  
Vol 3 (1) ◽  
pp. 9-12
Author(s):  
Dipi Barua ◽  
TA Chowdhury ◽  
Ashim Ranjan Barua

Low birth weight (LBW) is a common problem in Bangladesh associated with poor survival, growth and development. Among many factors, Vitamin A deficiency is thought to be associated with LBW. To investigate this relation a study was conducted at Maternity and Child Health Training Institute at Azimpur, Dhaka during January 2000 - July 2002. One hundred pregnant women (38-40 wks of gestation) with their newborns were included. Weights of the newborns were recorded within 20 - 30 minutes of delivery. Vitamin A level was estimated in maternal and cord serum. The newborns having weight <2500gm showed Vitamin A level of 49.40 ± 3.04μg/dl in their maternal serum while those weighing ≥2500gm had a Vitamin A level of 60.18 ± 2.03μg/dl in their maternal serum. A trend of increased maternal serum Vitamin A level was observed with increasing birth weight. Thus neonates with higher birth weights were found to be associated with higher values of maternal serum Vitamin A, though not being statistically significant. Ibrahim Med. Coll. J. 2009; 3(1): 9-12 Key words: LBW, Vitamin A, cord blood, neonates     doi: 10.3329/imcj.v3i1.2911


1973 ◽  
Vol 51 (1) ◽  
pp. 6-11 ◽  
Author(s):  
G. C. Becking

The effect of vitamin A status on hepatic drug metabolism was studied in rats. Animals were fed diets with and without vitamin A for 20 and 25 days. Weight gains of control and deficient animals were not significantly different, whereas liver vitamin A levels had decreased to less than 10% of control animals after 20 days and were essentially zero after eating the deficient diet for 25 days. Aniline metabolism in vitro and aminopyrine metabolism in vitro and in vivo were significantly lower in male weanling rats fed a vitamin A deficient diet for 20 days. No alteration in in vitro p-nitrobenzoic acid metabolism was noted after 25 days on the test. Vitamin A deficiency did not alter microsomal protein levels or cytochrome c reductase activity but deficient animals did have a lower microsomal cytochrome P-450 content. Hepatic enzyme activities and cytochrome P-450 levels were restored to values approaching those found in control animals by feeding vitamin A deficient rats the vitamin A containing diet for 21 days. Liver vitamin A levels were markedly increased after re-feeding studies but were still significantly lower than control animals.


1980 ◽  
Vol 188 (3) ◽  
pp. 889-893 ◽  
Author(s):  
Z H Siddik ◽  
E G Mimnaugh ◽  
M A Trush ◽  
T E Gram

Feeding male weanling rats on a vitamin A-deficient diet for 6 weeks resulted in significant increases (44-57%) in glutathione S-aryl-, S-aralkyl- S-alkyl- and S-epoxidetransferase activities in the liver cytosol. Only the S-aralkyl- (27%) and S-alkyltransferase (14%) activities were significantly increased in the kidney as a result of deficiency. There was no effect on any of the pulmonary glutathione S-transferase activities. The increases in hepatic transferase activities were due primarily to increases (25-96%) in the apparent Vmax. There were no changes in the apparant Km of any of the four drug substrates employed. With 3,4-dichloronitrobenzene as the second substrate, the apparent Km for glutathione was increased by over 2-fold in vitamin A-deficient livers as compared with controls. The relationship between these results and enhanced susceptibility to chemical carcinogens in vitamin A deficiency is briefly discussed, and comparison is made between the effects of this nutritional state and pretreatment with drug inducers on the glutathione S-transferases.


2015 ◽  
Vol 2015 ◽  
pp. 1-9 ◽  
Author(s):  
Noa Zolberg Relevy ◽  
Dror Harats ◽  
Ayelet Harari ◽  
Ami Ben-Amotz ◽  
Rafael Bitzur ◽  
...  

Vitamin A is involved in regulation of glucose concentrations, lipid metabolism, and inflammation, which are major risk factors for atherogenesis. However, the effect of vitamin A deficiency on atherogenesis has not been investigated. Therefore, the objective of the current study was to examine whether vitamin A deficiency accelerates atherogenesis in apolipoprotein E-deficient mice (apoE−/−). ApoE−/−mice were allocated into the following groups: control, fed vitamin A-containing chow diet; BC, fed chow diet fortified withDunaliellapowder containingβc isomers; VAD, fed vitamin A-deficient diet; and VAD-BC group, fed vitamin A-deficient diet fortified with aDunaliellapowder. Following 15 weeks of treatment, liver retinol concentration had decreased significantly in the VAD group to about 30% that of control group. Vitamin A-deficient diet significantly increased both plasma cholesterol concentrations and the atherosclerotic lesion area at the aortic sinus (+61%) compared to the control group. Dietaryβc fortification inhibited the elevation in plasma cholesterol and retarded atherogenesis in mice fed the vitamin A-deficient diet. The results imply that dietary vitamin A deficiency should be examined as a risk factor for atherosclerosis and that dietaryβc, as a sole source of retinoids, can compensate for vitamin A deficiency.


2015 ◽  
Vol 2015 ◽  
pp. 1-6 ◽  
Author(s):  
L. M. O. Caram ◽  
R. A. F. Amaral ◽  
R. Ferrari ◽  
S. E. Tanni ◽  
C. R. Correa ◽  
...  

Background.Vitamin A is essential for the preservation and integrity of the lung epithelium and exerts anti-inflammatory effects.Objective.Evaluating vitamin A in the serum and sputum and testing its correlation with inflammatory markers in individuals with or without COPD.Methods.We evaluated dietary intake, serum and sputum vitamin A, tumor necrosis factor alpha, interleukin- (IL-) 6, IL-8, and C-reactive protein in 50 COPD patients (age = 64.0 ± 8.8 y; FEV1(forced expiratory volume in the first second) (%) = 49.8 ± 16.8) and 50 controls (age = 48.5 ± 7.4 y; FEV1(%) = 110.0 ± 15.7).Results.COPD exhibited lower serum vitamin A (1.8 (1.2–2.1) versus 2.1 (1.8–2.4)μmol/L,P<0.001) and lower vitamin A intake (636.9 (339.6–1349.6) versus 918.0 (592.1–1654.6) RAE,P=0.05) when compared with controls. Sputum concentration of vitamin A was not different between groups. Sputum vitamin A and neutrophils were negatively correlated (R2=-0.26;P=0.03). Smoking (0.197,P=0.042) exhibited positive association with serum vitamin A. COPD was associated with lower serum concentrations of vitamin A without relationship with the systemic inflammation.Conclusions.Serum concentration of vitamin A is negatively associated with the presence of COPD and positively associated with smoking status. Sputum retinol is quantifiable and is negatively influenced by neutrophils. Although COPD patients exhibited increased inflammation it was not associated with serum retinol.


1989 ◽  
Vol 3 (4) ◽  
pp. 138-140
Author(s):  
Paul C. Adams ◽  
Christopher L. Canny

A 42-year-old man who developed severe night blindness 15 years following jejunoileal bypass surgery for morbid obesity is described. Ophthamological testing, including dark adaptation, electroretinography and serum vitamin A levels, confirmed a diagnosis of vitamin A deficiency. Oral vitamin A 25,000 iu/day for two months resulted in a full recovery of visual deficits. Nutritional vitamin A deficiency is discussed in the context of intestinal bypass surgery.


2021 ◽  
Vol 9 ◽  
Author(s):  
Xiaoyan Wang ◽  
Xingming Li ◽  
Chunhua Jin ◽  
Xinyuan Bai ◽  
Xinran Qi ◽  
...  

To evaluate the association between serum vitamin A levels and the prevalence of recurrent respiratory tract infections (RRTIs) in children and adolescents and to provide evidence that would help decrease the prevalence of respiratory tract infections (RTIs) in children. This cross-sectional study included 8034 children and adolescents in Beijing aged 6 months to 17 years. RRTI and RTI symptoms were diagnosed according to the Clinical Concept and Management of Recurrent Respiratory Tract Infections in Children. Multivariate logistic regression models were used to evaluate the association between serum vitamin A levels and RRTIs after adjusting for potential confounders. Among the included children, 721 (8.97%) were diagnosed with vitamin A deficiency, whereas 3,073 (38.25%) were diagnosed with subclinical vitamin A deficiency. Only 28.8% (208/721) of children with vitamin A deficiency and 53.1% (1,631/3,073) of children with subclinical vitamin A deficiency had no RRTI and RTI symptoms, respectively. Compared with children with normal vitamin A levels, those with vitamin A deficiency and subclinical vitamin A deficiency had a greater risk for RRTIs, with an odds ratio (OR) of 6.924 [95% confidence interval (CI): 5.433–8.824] and 2.140 (95% CI: 1.825–2.510), respectively]. Vitamin A levels were also positively associated with RTI symptoms, with those having vitamin A deficiency and subclinical vitamin A deficiency showing an OR of 1.126 (95% CI: 0.773–1.640) and 1.216 (95% CI: 1.036–1.427), respectively. The present cross-sectional study found that low serum vitamin A levels were significantly associated with RRTI or RTI prevalence in children and adolescents.


2017 ◽  
Vol 8 (3) ◽  
pp. 30-34 ◽  
Author(s):  
Alakh Ram Verma ◽  
Prafulla Kumar Khodiar ◽  
Debapriya Rath ◽  
Seema Dhurandhar ◽  
Pradeep Kumar Patra

Background: Beside calorie and protein consumption micronutrients like folic acid, vitamin D and vitamin A have been postulated to play major role in intrauterine growth of neonates. Vitamin A compounds are critical for vision, reproduction, embryonic development, immune function and regulation of cell proliferation and differentiation.Aims and Objectives: To determine the relationship of maternal serum vitamin A levels with birth weight of babies.Material and Methods: Study group consisted of 58 randomly selected mothers who delivered at term small for gestational age babies (birth weight less than 2.5kg.). The control group comprises of 52 matched mothers, who delivered normal babies. Biochemical estimation of serum vitamin A was done by HPLC method using sigma reagent of all subjects.Results: Significantly high (p<0.05) number of mothers in study group had low serum vitamin A level compared to mothers in control group. There was a linear relationship between vitamin A status and mean birth weight of the babies.Conclusion: Although the low serum vitamin A level of mothers was significantly associated with intrauterine growth retardation, the exact effect of a vitamin A deficiency on the birth weight of babies remain unclear, but the finding suggests the importance of adequate vitamin A supplementation to pregnant mothers in India.Asian Journal of Medical Sciences Vol.8(3) 2017 30-34


2002 ◽  
Vol 9 (3) ◽  
pp. 616-621 ◽  
Author(s):  
Janine Jason ◽  
Lennox K. Archibald ◽  
Okey C. Nwanyanwu ◽  
Anne L. Sowell ◽  
Ian Buchanan ◽  
...  

ABSTRACT In animal studies, vitamin A deficiency induces a shift from type 2 (humoral) to type 1 (cellular) cytokines; there are no similar data for humans. Control of human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) and Mycobacterium tuberculosis infections requires type 1 cytokine (cellular) immunity. These infections and vitamin A deficiency are highly prevalent in Africa. We therefore examined the interactions among serum vitamin A levels, immune parameters, HIV infection status, Mycobacterium bovis BCG vaccine scarring (as an indicator of a type 1 cytokine profile), and clinical findings for 70 hospitalized children in Malawi, Africa. Directly conjugated monoclonal antibodies and flow cytometry were used to assess cell-specific cytokine production by peripheral blood monocytes and lymphocyte subpopulations. The statistical techniques employed included nonparametric statistics and logistic regression analyses. Thirty percent of the participants had severe vitamin A deficiency (<10 μg/dl), 34% had moderate deficiency (10 to <20 μg/dl), and 36% had normal levels (≥20 μg/dl). Vitamin A levels were lower for HIV-positive than for HIV-negative children (median, 10 and 17 μg/dl, respectively). Vitamin A-deficient children (<20 μg/dl) were more likely than non-vitamin A-deficient children to have higher proportions of natural killer (NK) cells (median, 8.3 and 5.2%, respectively) and lower ratios of interleukin-10-producing monocytes to tumor necrosis factor alpha-producing monocytes after induction (median, 1.0 and 2.3, respectively). Vitamin A-deficient children were also more likely than non-vitamin A-deficient children to exhibit respiratory symptoms (47% versus 12%) and visible BCG vaccine scars (83% versus 48%), which are indicative of a type 1 response to vaccination. Vitamin A status did not vary with gender, age, incidence of malaria parasitemia, blood culture positivity, or rates of mortality (6% of vitamin A-deficient children died versus 20% of non-vitamin A-deficient children). Lower vitamin A levels were associated with a relative type 1 cytokine dominance and proportionately more NK cells, both of which may be somewhat beneficial to persons who are exposed to HIV, M. tuberculosis, or other type 1 pathogens.


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