Effects of a prolonged vitamin E deficiency in the rat.
Rats fed a vitamin E-deficient diet containing 10% "stripped" corn oil had reduced growth rate and elevated platelet count by 12 weeks of age, and a normocytic anemia with elevated reticulocytes by 16 weeks of age. After 5 months, rats became emaciated and developed kyphoscoliosis. Some rats developed skin ulcers and tremors, and mortality was high. Neuromuscular lesions included a chronic necrotizing myopathy and localized axonal dystrophy. There was also a selective activation of lysosomes in the central nervous system microcirculation. Liver ascorbic acid of deficient rats was the same as in those receiving vitamin E. Urinary excretion of p-hydroxyphenylpyruvate after a tyrosine load was also the same in deficient and control rats. It was concluded that neither vitamin C synthesis or utilization was affected the E-deficient rats.
D000367:Age Factors; D000740:Anemia / Q000209:etiology; D000818:Animals; D001205:Ascorbic Acid / Q000378:metabolism; D005260:Female; D007738:Kyphosis / Q000209:etiology; D008297:Male; D009135:Muscular Diseases / Q000209:etiology; D009336:Necrosis; D009422:Nervous System Diseases / Q000209:etiology; D051381:Rats / Q000378:metabolism*; D012600:Scoliosis / Q000209:etiology; D012883:Skin Ulcer / Q000209:etiology; D013922:Thrombocytosis / Q000150:complications; D014811:Vitamin E Deficiency / Q000150:complications / Q000378:metabolism / Q000473:pathology
D001205:Ascorbic Acid