Search results for "DEFICIENCY"

Changes in Serum and Lipoprotein Fatty Acids of Growing Rats Fed Protein-Deficient Diets with Low or Adequate Linolenic Acid Concentrations

1992

The effects of a protein-deficient diet associated with sunflower oil [adequate in 18:2(n-6), poor in 18:3(n-3)] or soybean oil [adequate in both 18:2(n-6) and 18:3(n-3)] on lipid serum and lipoprotein compositions were studied in growing rats. Four groups of rats were fed different diets: SFC (20% casein + 5% sunflower oil); SFd (2% casein + 5% sunflower oil); SC (20% casein + 5% soybean oil); Sd (2% casein + 5% soybean oil). After 28 d, both protein-deficient groups exhibited low concentrations of protein, phospholipid, triacylglycerol and total cholesterol in serum and VLDL. Compared with rats fed 20% casein diets, those fed low protein diets had lower 18:2(n-6) and 20:4(n-6) in phosphol…

Arginase activity in the blood of patients with visceral leishmaniasis and HIV infection.

2013

Background Visceral leishmaniasis is a parasitic disease associated with high mortality. The most important foci of visceral leishmaniasis in Ethiopia are in the Northwest and are predominantly associated with high rates of HIV co-infection. Co-infection of visceral leishmaniasis patients with HIV results in higher mortality, treatment failure and relapse. We have previously shown that arginase, an enzyme associated with immunosuppression, was increased in patients with visceral leishmaniasis and in HIV seropositive patients; further our results showed that high arginase activity is a marker of disease severity. Here, we tested the hypothesis that increased arginase activities associated wi…

Vitamin E deficiency induces liver nuclear factor-κB DNA-binding activity and changes in related genes

2005

The biological functions of vitamin E have been classically attributed to its property as a potent inhibitor of lipid peroxidation in cellular membranes. However, in 1991, Azzi's group first described that alpha-tocopherol inhibits smooth muscle cell proliferation in a protein kinase C (PKC)-dependent way, demonstrating a non-antioxidant cell signalling function for vitamin E. More recently, the capacity of alpha-tocopherol to modulate gene expression with the implication of different transcription factors, beyond its antioxidant properties, has also been established. This study was to determine the effect of vitamin E-deficiency on liver nuclear factor-kappa B (NF-kappaB) DNA-binding activ…

Vitamin A and ciliated cells I. Respiratory epithelia

1986

To estimate the role of vitamin A on ciliated cells we investigated whether ciliated cells undergo any alteration during vitamin A deficiency. The epithelia examined include the ciliated cells of the respiratory tract and the ciliated sensory cells of the inner ear, the tongue, and the olfactory cells. This part of the paper will describe the ciliated epithelium of the tracheobronchial tract and its relation to vitamin A status. During vitamin A deficiency a partial loss of ciliae can be observed before any squamous metaplasia (which usually occurs during longer lasting vitamin A deficiency) develops. The scanning electron microscopic data illustrate the altered surface of the epithelium du…

?-Carotene Supplements Cannot Meet All Vitamin A Requirements of Vitamin A-Deficient Rats

1993

Crystalloid Lysozyme Inclusions in Paneth Cells of Vitamin A-Deficient Rats

1992

The effect of vitamin A-deficiency on jejunal Paneth cells in rats was investigated. Crystalloid particles were observed in secretion granules of Paneth cells from 6 out of 8 rats with vitamin A-deficiency. The particles were similar to those found in Paneth cells under other experimental conditions. Using an immuno-electron-microscopic technique we demonstrated a clear lysozyme immunoreactivity of these particles. In 2 vitamin A-deficient rats tubular structures have been detected in addition to the crystalloid particles. Crystalloid particles or tubular structures were not detectable in a control group of 8 vitamin A-supplemented rats. The morphological alterations of Paneth cells may be …

Hypovitaminosis D and fat mass in healthy older people

2016

Prospective studies have suggested that hypovitaminosis D can predict the onset of obesity, but they relied mainly on body mass index, which could be scarcely reliable in older people. We investigated whether baseline hypovitaminosis D could predict higher fat mass (FM) levels using dual-energy X-ray absorptiometry in a sample of 116 fit and healthy older subjects. Although no significant differences in FM estimates emerged between subjects with and without hypovitaminosis D at the baseline, abdominal FM was found significantly higher in the former group (with hypovitaminosis D at the baseline) than in the latter after 3 years of follow-up. Adjusted logistic regression analysis confirmed th…

Vitamin A Deficiency Increases Protein Catabolism and Induces Urea Cycle Enzymes in Rats

2010

Chronic vitamin A deficiency induces a substantial delay in the rates of weight and height gain in both humans and experimental animals. This effect has been associated with an impaired nutrient metabolism and loss of body protein. Therefore, we analyzed the effect of vitamin A deficiency on endogenous proteolysis and nitrogen metabolism and its reversibility with all-trans retinoic acid (RA). Male weanling rats, housed in pairs, were pair-fed a vitamin A-deficient (VAD) or control diet until they were 60 d old. A group of deficient rats were further treated with daily intraperitoneal injections of all-trans RA for 10 d. Final body and tissue (i.e. liver and heart) weights were significantl…

Vitamin E deficiency and the susceptibility to lipid peroxidation of mouse cardiac and skeletal muscles

1984

Effects of a short-term vitamin E deficiency on some lipid peroxidative properties were investigated in mouse cardiac and skeletal muscles. The concentration of vitamin E decreased 35.8% in 5 weeks and 61.2% in 12 weeks in skeletal muscle. The corresponding decrease in cardiac muscle was 65.7% in 12 weeks. Simultaneously the susceptibility of muscle homogenates to in vitro lipid peroxidation increased with 48.6% (5 weeks) and 44.5% (12 weeks) in skeletal muscle and with 101.8% (12 weeks) in cardiac muscle. Highly significant negative correlations were observed between the concentration of vitamin E and in vitro lipid peroxidation in cardiac and skeletal muscles. Also the sensitivity to Fe2+…

Hypothalamic eIF2 alpha signaling regulates food intake

2014

International audience; The reversible phosphorylation of the a subunit of eukaryotic initiation factor 2 (eIF2 alpha) is a highly conserved signal implicated in the cellular adaptation to numerous stresses such as the one caused by amino acid limitation. In response to dietary amino acid deficiency, the brain-specific activation of the eIF2 alpha kinase GCN2 leads to food intake inhibition. We report here that GCN2 is rapidly activated in the mediobasal hypothalamus (MBH) after consumption of a leucine-deficient diet. Furthermore, knockdown of GCN2 in this particular area shows that MBH GCN2 activity controls the onset of the aversive response. Importantly, pharmacological experiments demo…