Maternal and fetal vitamin E concentrations and selenium-vitamin E interrelationships in dairy cattle.
Paired dam-fetus liver and serum samples were collected from 101 pregnant dairy cattle at slaughter to determine mean fetal and maternal liver and serum vitamin E concentrations, relationships between maternal and fetal vitamin E status and interrelationships between selenium and vitamin E status. Fetal age was estimated from fetal crown-to-rump length. Fetal alpha-tocopherol concentration ranged from 0 to 31.4 micrograms/g dry wt with a mean of 7.1 micrograms/g dry wt and from 0 to 0.92 micrograms/ml with a mean of 0.29 micrograms/ml for liver and serum, respectively. Mean maternal liver (12.5 micrograms/g dry wt) and serum (2.16 micrograms/ml) alpha-tocopherol concentrations and vitamin E to cholesterol ratio (1.45) were 1.8, 7.4 and 3.5 times greater (P less than 0.0001) than fetal means, indicating limited placental transfer of vitamin E to the fetus. Gestational age had no effect on maternal vitamin E concentration, however, fetal tissue alpha-tocopherol concentration declined (P less than 0.05) with fetal age. Maternal serum alpha-tocopherol concentration and fetal age were found to best predict fetal alpha-tocopherol concentration in serum. Interrelationships between selenium and vitamin E status were minimal. These data suggest inefficient placental transfer of vitamin E, resulting in minimal protection of the neonate from vitamin E-deficiency disease as a result of prepartal maternal supplementation.
Van Saun
R J
RJ
Department of Large Animal Clinical Sciences, College of Veterinary Medicine, Michigan State University, East Lansing 48824.
Herdt
T H
TH
Stowe
H D
HD
D000818:Animals; D002417:Cattle / Q000378:metabolism*; D002784:Cholesterol / Q000097:blood; D002851:Chromatography, High Pressure Liquid / Q000662:veterinary; D005260:Female; D005312:Fetal Blood / Q000032:analysis; D005333:Fetus / Q000378:metabolism*; D005865:Gestational Age; D008099:Liver / Q000378:metabolism; D008431:Maternal-Fetal Exchange; D008954:Models, Biological; D011247:Pregnancy; D011270:Pregnancy, Animal / Q000378:metabolism*; D012643:Selenium / Q000378:metabolism*; D014810:Vitamin E / Q000378:metabolism*
D014810:Vitamin E; D002784:Cholesterol; D012643:Selenium