Perinatal vitamin A excess impacts vitamin A and lipid metabolism in rat offspring

Area of Science:

• Biochemistry
• Nutritional Science
• Developmental Biology

Background:

• Vitamin A (VA) supplementation is recommended for pregnant women at risk of deficiency and widely used in children under five in developing countries.
• The effects of excessive VA exposure during critical developmental periods (pregnancy, lactation, early life) on offspring metabolism are not fully understood.

Purpose of the Study:

• To investigate the impact of excessive vitamin A (VA) exposure during pregnancy, lactation, and early life on VA, vitamin E, and lipid metabolism in rat offspring.
• To determine how maternal and early-life VA overexposure affects VA storage, plasma retinol levels, triglyceride concentrations, and lipid absorption in offspring.

Main Methods:

• Sprague-Dawley rats were fed either a control or a vitamin A-supplemented diet (VAS) throughout pregnancy and lactation.
• Offspring were maintained on the same maternal diet until 8 weeks of age.
• VA levels, plasma retinol, fasting plasma triglycerides, and lipid absorption (using [1-13C]oleate) were assessed in offspring.

Main Results:

• VAS-fed offspring exhibited significantly higher VA accumulation in the liver (18-32 times more retinyl esters than controls).
• VAS-fed males showed increased plasma retinol concentrations (+42.8%).
• Both VAS-fed females and males had higher fasting plasma triglyceride concentrations (+44.6% and +58.8%, respectively), and VAS-fed males demonstrated increased lipid absorption (+60.9%).

Conclusions:

• Maternal and early-life overexposure to vitamin A detrimentally impacts offspring by causing significant VA accumulation in the liver.
• Excessive VA intake disrupts lipid metabolism in offspring, leading to elevated plasma triglycerides and altered lipid absorption.
• These findings highlight the potential risks of vitamin A overexposure during critical developmental windows and its adverse effects on metabolic health.