title: Vitamin A Supplementation Transiently Increases Retinol Concentrations in Extrahepatic Organs of Neonatal Rats Raised under Vitamin A-Marginal Conditions.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Vitamin A (VA; retinol) supplementation is recommended for children aged >6 mo in countries with high rates of malnutrition, but the distribution and retention of VA in body tissues have not been extensively explored.
  
  
  OBJECTIVE
  We sought to determine the distribution and retention of VA in tissues of neonatal rats raised under VA-marginal conditions.
  
  
  METHODS
  Sprague-Dawley neonatal rats (n = 104; 63 males) nursed by mothers fed a VA-marginal diet (0.35 mg retinol equivalents/kg diet) were randomized and treated on postnatal day 4 with an oral dose of either VA (6 μg retinyl palmitate/g body weight) or canola oil as control. Pups (n = 4/group) were killed at 13 time points from 30 min to 24 d after dose administration. The total retinol concentration and mass were determined in all collected organs.
  
  
  RESULTS
  In the control group, plasma VA was marginal (0.8 μmol/L), whereas liver VA was deficient (<70 nmol/g). Nonetheless, the liver contained most (∼76%) of the total VA mass in the body, whereas extrahepatic nondigestive organs together contained ∼13%. White adipose tissue (WAT), which was nearly absent before postnatal day 12, contained only ∼1%. In VA-supplemented neonates, the mean total retinol concentrations in all organs were significantly greater than in control pups. However, this increase lasted for only ∼1 d in most extrahepatic tissues, with the exception of WAT, in which it lasted 18 d.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Extrahepatic organs in neonatal rats raised under VA-marginal conditions store relatively little VA, and the scarcity of adipose tissue may predispose neonates to a low-VA status. The effect of VA supplementation on VA content in most extrahepatic organs is transient. A more frequent supplementation along with other nutritional interventions may be necessary for maintaining a steady supply of retinol to the rapidly developing extrahepatic organs.
authors.affiliation: Department of Nutritional Sciences, Pennsylvania State University, University Park, PA.
authors.forename: Joanna K
authors.identifier: http://orcid.org/0000-0002-9187-9473
authors.initials: JK
authors.lastname: Hodges
authors.affiliation: Department of Nutritional Sciences, Pennsylvania State University, University Park, PA.
authors.forename: Libo
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Tan
authors.affiliation: Department of Nutritional Sciences, Pennsylvania State University, University Park, PA.
authors.forename: Michael H
authors.initials: MH
authors.lastname: Green
authors.affiliation: Department of Nutritional Sciences, Pennsylvania State University, University Park, PA acr6@psu.edu.
authors.forename: A Catharine
authors.initials: AC
authors.lastname: Ross
mesh_terms: D052436:Adipose Tissue, White / Q000378:metabolism; D000818:Animals; D000831:Animals, Newborn; D001835:Body Weight; D004032:Diet; D019587:Dietary Supplements; D004224:Diterpenes; D004305:Dose-Response Relationship, Drug; D005260:Female; D007668:Kidney / Q000187:drug effects / Q000378:metabolism; D008099:Liver / Q000187:drug effects / Q000378:metabolism; D008168:Lung / Q000187:drug effects / Q000378:metabolism; D008297:Male; D010938:Plant Oils / Q000008:administration & dosage; D011897:Random Allocation; D000074262:Rapeseed Oil; D051381:Rats; D017207:Rats, Sprague-Dawley; D000084562:Retinyl Esters; D014801:Vitamin A / Q000008:administration & dosage* / Q000031:analogs & derivatives / Q000097:blood*
chemical_list: D004224:Diterpenes; D010938:Plant Oils; D000074262:Rapeseed Oil; D000084562:Retinyl Esters; D014801:Vitamin A; C014794:retinol palmitate
keywords: adipose; brain; extrahepatic; neonate; rat; retinol; skin; tissue distribution; vitamin A supplementation