title: Implication of vitamin A deficiency on vascular injury related to inflammation and oxidative stress. Effects on the ultrastructure of rat aorta.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Vitamin A deficiency induces activation of NF-kB and impairs activities of antioxidant enzymes in aorta.
  
  
  OBJECTIVE
  We study the effect of vitamin A deficiency on the aorta histoarchitecture and the possibly contribution of its prooxidant and inflammatory effects to artery alterations.
  
  
  METHODS
  Twenty-one-day-old Wistar male rats were fed during 3 months with vitamin A-deficient diet (-A, n = 8) or the same diet containing 8 mg of retinol palmitate/kg of diet (+A, control, n = 8). In aortas, thiobarbituric reactive substances and reduced glutathione levels were measured by spectrophotometry. Expressions of TNF-alpha, NOX-2, VCAM-1, and TGF-beta1 were assessed by RT-PCR and Western Blot. The morphology of aorta was examined by light and transmission electron microscopy.
  
  
  RESULTS
  In -A rats, high levels of TBARS in serum and aorta and low levels of GSH in aorta were found. An increased expression of TNF-alpha, NOX-2, VCAM-1, and TGF-beta1 in aorta from -A rats was observed. Examination of the intimal layer by light microscopy indicated the presence of an irregular surface in -A aortas. TEM studies showed large vacuoles and multivesicular bodies along the endothelium and also multivesicular bodies in the subendothelial space of aortas from -A rats. Furthermore, the histological appearance of internal elastic lamina was different from control. Small vesicles in the medial layer were observed in aortas from vitamin A-deficient rats.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Vitamin A deficiency produces histoarchitectural alterations in aorta, which can be associated, at least in part, to the oxidative stress and inflammation induced by vitamin A deficiency.
authors.affiliation: Department of Biochemistry and Biological Sciences, Faculty of Chemistry, Biochemistry and Pharmacy, National University of San Luis, Chacabuco 917, 5700 San Luis, Argentina.
authors.forename: Laura V
authors.initials: LV
authors.lastname: Gatica
authors.forename: Liliana B
authors.initials: LB
authors.lastname: Oliveros
authors.forename: Matías F
authors.initials: MF
authors.lastname: Pérez Díaz
authors.forename: Nora S
authors.initials: NS
authors.lastname: Domínguez
authors.forename: Miguel W
authors.initials: MW
authors.lastname: Fornes
authors.forename: María S
authors.initials: MS
authors.lastname: Gimenez
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D001011:Aorta / Q000276:immunology* / Q000378:metabolism / Q000648:ultrastructure*; D016207:Cytokines / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism; D005786:Gene Expression Regulation; D005978:Glutathione / Q000378:metabolism; D008297:Male; D008562:Membrane Glycoproteins / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism; D057146:Multivesicular Bodies / Q000648:ultrastructure; D000074662:NADPH Oxidase 2; D019255:NADPH Oxidases / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism; D010084:Oxidation-Reduction; D018384:Oxidative Stress; D012333:RNA, Messenger / Q000378:metabolism; D011897:Random Allocation; D051381:Rats; D017208:Rats, Wistar; D017392:Thiobarbituric Acid Reactive Substances / Q000378:metabolism; D017539:Tunica Intima / Q000648:ultrastructure; D014617:Vacuoles / Q000648:ultrastructure; D019010:Vascular Cell Adhesion Molecule-1 / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism; D014657:Vasculitis / Q000209:etiology*; D014802:Vitamin A Deficiency / Q000276:immunology / Q000378:metabolism / Q000473:pathology* / Q000503:physiopathology*
chemical_list: D016207:Cytokines; D008562:Membrane Glycoproteins; D012333:RNA, Messenger; D017392:Thiobarbituric Acid Reactive Substances; D019010:Vascular Cell Adhesion Molecule-1; C500593:Cybb protein, rat; D000074662:NADPH Oxidase 2; D019255:NADPH Oxidases; D005978:Glutathione