title: Pregnancy and maternal iron deficiency stimulate hepatic CRBPII expression in rats.
abstract: Iron deficiency impairs vitamin A (VA) metabolism in the rat but the mechanisms involved are unknown and the effect during development has not been investigated. We investigated the effect of pregnancy and maternal iron deficiency on VA metabolism in the mother and fetus. 54 rats were fed either a control or iron deficient diet for 2weeks prior to mating and throughout pregnancy. Another 15 female rats followed the same diet and were used as non-pregnant controls. Maternal liver, placenta and fetal liver were collected at d21 for total VA, retinol and retinyl ester (RE) measurement and VA metabolic gene expression analysis. Iron deficiency increased maternal hepatic RE (P<.05) and total VA (P<.0001), fetal liver RE (P<.05), and decreased placenta total VA (P<.05). Pregnancy increased Cellular Retinol Binding Protein (CRBP)-II gene expression by 7 fold (P=.001), decreased VA levels (P=.0004) and VA metabolic gene expression (P<.0001) in the liver. Iron deficiency increased hepatic CRBPII expression by a further 2 fold (P=.044) and RBP4 by~20% (P=.005), increased RBPR2 and decreased CRBPII, LRAT, and TTR in fetal liver, while it had no effect on VA metabolic gene expression in the placenta. Hepatic CRBPII expression is increased by pregnancy and further increased by iron deficiency, which may play an important role in VA metabolism and homeostasis. Maternal iron deficiency also alters VA metabolism in the fetus, which is likely to have consequences for development.
authors.affiliation: Rowett Institute of Nutrition and Health, University of Aberdeen, Greenburn Road, Bucksburn, Aberdeen AB21 9SB, UK. Electronic address: sarah.cottin@abdn.ac.uk.
authors.forename: Sarah C
authors.initials: SC
authors.lastname: Cottin
authors.affiliation: Rowett Institute of Nutrition and Health, University of Aberdeen, Greenburn Road, Bucksburn, Aberdeen AB21 9SB, UK.
authors.forename: Lorraine
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Gambling
authors.affiliation: Rowett Institute of Nutrition and Health, University of Aberdeen, Greenburn Road, Bucksburn, Aberdeen AB21 9SB, UK.
authors.forename: Helen E
authors.initials: HE
authors.lastname: Hayes
authors.affiliation: Rowett Institute of Nutrition and Health, University of Aberdeen, Greenburn Road, Bucksburn, Aberdeen AB21 9SB, UK.
authors.forename: Valerie J
authors.initials: VJ
authors.lastname: Stevens
authors.affiliation: Rowett Institute of Nutrition and Health, University of Aberdeen, Greenburn Road, Bucksburn, Aberdeen AB21 9SB, UK.
authors.forename: Harry J
authors.initials: HJ
authors.lastname: McArdle
mesh_terms: D018798:Anemia, Iron-Deficiency / Q000196:embryology / Q000209:etiology / Q000378:metabolism / Q000503:physiopathology*; D000818:Animals; D004032:Diet / Q000009:adverse effects*; D004224:Diterpenes; D004951:Esterification; D005260:Female; D047109:Fetal Development; D018507:Gene Expression Regulation, Developmental; D007501:Iron / Q000097:blood / Q000378:metabolism; D000090463:Iron Deficiencies; D008099:Liver / Q000196:embryology / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000473:pathology; D039382:Maternal Nutritional Physiological Phenomena; D009929:Organ Size; D010920:Placenta / Q000378:metabolism / Q000473:pathology; D011247:Pregnancy; D012333:RNA, Messenger / Q000378:metabolism; D011897:Random Allocation; D011919:Rats, Inbred Strains; D054840:Retinol-Binding Proteins, Cellular / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism*; D000084562:Retinyl Esters; D014801:Vitamin A / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000031:analogs & derivatives / Q000097:blood / Q000378:metabolism; D014886:Weaning
chemical_list: D004224:Diterpenes; D012333:RNA, Messenger; C518461:Rbp2 protein, rat; D054840:Retinol-Binding Proteins, Cellular; D000084562:Retinyl Esters; D014801:Vitamin A; C009166:retinol acetate; D007501:Iron
keywords: cellular retinol binding protein (CRBP)-II; iron deficiency; pregnancy; retinol; retinylester; vitamin A