title: Differential effects of high dietary levels of vitamin A on the vitamin E-selenium nutrition of young and adult chickens.
abstract: Experiments were conducted to determine the nature of the interaction of high levels of vitamin A and vitamin E-selenium nutrition in the chicken. Results showed that chicks were protected from the vitamin E-selenium deficiency disease exudative diathesis (ED) by a high dietary level of vitamin A (1.0 X 10(6) IU/kg) which moderately depressed growth. A greater concentration (1.5 X 10(6) IU/kg) of vitamin A in the diets of hens fed a low vitamin E diet hastened their depletion of plasma tocopherols and increased plasma glutathione peroxidase (GSH-px) activity. At hatching the progeny of vitamin A-fed hens were severely depleted of plasma tocopherols but had normal plasma GSH-px activities. They showed increased susceptibility to ED when fed selenium-deficient, vitamin E-free diets for 2 weeks. Absorption studies using ligated duodenal loops or oral doses indicated that high-level dietary vitamin A promoted the enteric absorption of selenium but interfered with the absorption of vitamin E. The dual nature of these effects was related to the ED-protective influence of vitamin A when fed to chicks, and the ED-stimulative influence on progeny when vitamin A was fed to dams.
mesh_terms: D000367:Age Factors; D000818:Animals; D001835:Body Weight; D002645:Chickens / Q000378:metabolism*; D004305:Dose-Response Relationship, Drug; D005260:Female; D005979:Glutathione Peroxidase / Q000097:blood; D010058:Oviposition / Q000187:drug effects; D012643:Selenium / Q000378:metabolism / Q000494:pharmacology; D014801:Vitamin A / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000378:metabolism; D014810:Vitamin E / Q000378:metabolism / Q000494:pharmacology; D014811:Vitamin E Deficiency / Q000209:etiology / Q000378:metabolism / Q000503:physiopathology
chemical_list: D014801:Vitamin A; D014810:Vitamin E; D005979:Glutathione Peroxidase; D012643:Selenium