title: Ventricular remodeling induced by tissue vitamin A deficiency in rats.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  Experimental studies suggest that vitamin A plays a role in regulating cardiac structure and function. We tested the hypothesis that cardiac vitamin A deficiency is associated with adverse myocardial remodeling in young adult rats.
  
  
  METHODS
  Two groups of young female rats, control (C - n = 29) and tissue vitamin A deficient (RVA - n = 31), were subjected to transthoracic echocardiography exam, isolated rat heart study and biochemical study.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The RVA rats showed a reduced total vitamin A concentration in both the liver and heart [vitamin A in heart, micromol/kg (C = 0.95 +/- 0.44 and RVA = 0.24 +/- 0.16, p = 0.01)] with the same serum retinol levels (C = 0.73 +/- 0.29 micromol/L e RVA = 0.62 +/- 0.17 micromol/L, p = 0.34). The RVA rats showed higher left ventricular diameters and reduced systolic function. The RVA rats also demonstrated increased lipid hydroperoxide/total antioxidant capacity ratio and cardiac levels of IFN-gamma and TNF-alpha but not of metalloproteinase (MMP)-2 and -9 activity. On the other hand, the RVA rats had decreased levels of beta-hydroxyacylcoenzyme A dehydrogenase and lactate dehydrogenase.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Tissue vitamin A deficiency stimulated cardiac remodeling and ventricular dysfunction. Additionally, the data support the involvement of oxidative stress, energy metabolism, and cytokine production in this remodeling process.
authors.affiliation: Internal Medicine Department, Botucatu Medical School, UNESP - São Paulo State University, Botucatu, Brazil. paulasa@fmb.unesp.br
authors.forename: Paula S
authors.initials: PS
authors.lastname: Azevedo
authors.forename: Marcos F
authors.initials: MF
authors.lastname: Minicucci
authors.forename: Fernanda
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Chiuso-Minicucci
authors.forename: Luis A
authors.initials: LA
authors.lastname: Justulin
authors.forename: Luiz S
authors.initials: LS
authors.lastname: Matsubara
authors.forename: Beatriz B
authors.initials: BB
authors.lastname: Matsubara
authors.forename: Ethel
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Novelli
authors.forename: Fabio
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Seiva
authors.forename: Giovanna
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Ebaid
authors.forename: Alvaro O
authors.initials: AO
authors.lastname: Campana
authors.forename: Leonardo A M
authors.initials: LA
authors.lastname: Zornoff
authors.forename: Sergio A R
authors.initials: SA
authors.lastname: Paiva
mesh_terms: D015094:3-Hydroxyacyl CoA Dehydrogenases / Q000378:metabolism; D000818:Animals; D004195:Disease Models, Animal; D005260:Female; D007371:Interferon-gamma / Q000378:metabolism; D007770:L-Lactate Dehydrogenase / Q000378:metabolism; D032383:Myocytes, Cardiac / Q000378:metabolism; D051381:Rats; D014409:Tumor Necrosis Factor-alpha / Q000378:metabolism; D020257:Ventricular Remodeling / Q000502:physiology*; D014801:Vitamin A / Q000032:analysis; D014802:Vitamin A Deficiency / Q000378:metabolism*
chemical_list: D014409:Tumor Necrosis Factor-alpha; D014801:Vitamin A; D007371:Interferon-gamma; D015094:3-Hydroxyacyl CoA Dehydrogenases; D007770:L-Lactate Dehydrogenase