Effect of marginal vitamin A deficiency during pregnancy on retinoic acid receptors and N-methyl-D-aspartate receptor expression in the offspring of rats.

Abstract

This study examined whether pregnancy-related marginal vitamin A deficiency (MVAD) influences postnatal development of retinoic acid receptors (RARs) and N-methyl-D-aspartate (NMDA) receptor subunit 1 (NR1) in hippocampus of rat pups. Sixteen female rats were randomized equally into control and MVAD groups. Dams and pups were fed with either a normal control diet or one deficient in vitamin A. Eight female pups in each group were killed at 1 day, 2 weeks, 4 weeks and 8 weeks after birth, respectively. Serum retinol levels were monitored. The messenger RNA (mRNA) and protein expressions and subcellular localization of RARα, RARβ and NR1 in postnatal hippocampus were detected. At 1 day, 2 weeks and 8 weeks after birth, serum retinol levels in the MVAD group were significantly lower than those in the control group. Results of Morris water maze test at 7 weeks of age showed that spatial learning and memory in the MVAD group were affected. Vitamin A deficiency resulted in decreased mRNA levels of RARα, RARβ and NR1 (P<.05). The protein level of RARα and NR1 in the MVAD group was lower than that of the control group (P<.05). There was no significant difference in RARβ between the groups (P>.05). A mass of RARα and NR1 colocalized in hippocampal cell cytoplasm on postnatal day 1. Our data suggested that vitamin A deficiency in pregnancy may affect the postnatal expression of RARα and NR1, affecting learning and memory function in the hippocampus and synaptic plasticity of the calcium signaling pathway.

• Authors: Xuan Zhang, Ke Chen, Jie Chen, You-xue Liu, Ping Qu, Ting-yu Li
• Journal: The Journal of nutritional biochemistry (J Nutr Biochem) Vol. 22 Issue 12 Pg. 1112-20 (Dec 2011) ISSN: 1873-4847 [Electronic] United States
• PMID: 21292463 (Publication Type: Journal Article, Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't)
• Copyright: Copyright © 2011 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Chemical References

• NR1 NMDA receptor
• RNA, Messenger
• Rara protein, rat
• Receptors, N-Methyl-D-Aspartate
• Receptors, Retinoic Acid
• Retinoic Acid Receptor alpha
• retinoic acid receptor beta

Topics

• Animal Nutritional Physiological Phenomena
• Animals
• Animals, Newborn
• Female
• Maze Learning
• Microscopy, Confocal
• Pregnancy
• RNA, Messenger (metabolism)
• Rats
• Rats, Sprague-Dawley
• Receptors, N-Methyl-D-Aspartate (genetics, metabolism)
• Receptors, Retinoic Acid (genetics, metabolism)
• Retinoic Acid Receptor alpha
• Vitamin A Deficiency (complications, metabolism)