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Author Spotlight: Investigating Physiological Functions of Vitamin A Transporters Using HPLC-Based Vitamin A Profiling
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β-apo-10'-carotenoids support normal embryonic development during vitamin A deficiency
Elizabeth Spiegler1, Youn-Kyung Kim1, Beatrice Hoyos2
1Department of Food Science, Rutgers Center for Lipid Research, and New Jersey Institute for Food, Nutrition, and Health, Rutgers University, New Brunswick, New Jersey, 08901, United States.
Scientific Reports
|June 13, 2018
Summary
Beta-carotene 9
Area of Science:
- Biochemistry
- Developmental Biology
- Nutritional Science
Background:
- Vitamin A deficiency remains a significant global health issue, particularly impacting pregnant women and children.
- Retinoic acid, the active metabolite of vitamin A, is essential for embryonic development.
- Embryos synthesize retinoic acid from maternal beta-carotene via beta-carotene 15,15'-oxygenase (BCO1).
- Beta-carotene 9',10'-oxygenase (BCO2) cleaves beta-carotene in adults to prevent toxicity, producing beta-apo-10'-carotenal.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate the role of BCO2 during mammalian embryogenesis.
- To determine if BCO2 prevents beta-carotene toxicity in developing embryos.
- To explore the potential of beta-apo-10'-carotenal as a supplement for embryonic development.
Main Methods:
- Utilized a mouse model with genetic deficiencies in BCO2 and Rbp4 (a vitamin A deficiency-susceptible background).
- Administered maternal beta-carotene supplementation to assess its impact on embryonic development.
- Supplemented with beta-apo-10'-carotenal to evaluate its rescue effects on embryonic development.
Main Results:
- Mice lacking BCO2 exhibited severely malformed, vitamin A-deficient embryos.
- Maternal beta-carotene supplementation did not rescue embryonic development in Bco2-/-Rbp4-/- mice.
- Beta-apo-10'-carotenal supplementation dose-dependently restored normal embryonic development in Bco2-/-Rbp4-/- mice, but not in Bco1-/-Bco2-/-Rbp4-/- mice.
- BCO2 prevents beta-carotene toxicity during embryogenesis under vitamin A deficiency.
Conclusions:
- BCO2 plays a critical role in preventing beta-carotene toxicity during mammalian embryogenesis.
- Beta-apo-10'-carotenal serves as a substrate for BCO1, facilitating retinoid formation essential for embryonic development.
- Beta-apo-10'-carotenal shows potential as a nutritional supplement to support embryonic development in vitamin A-deprived pregnancies.
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