Vitamin A deficiency induces morphometric changes and decreased functionality in chicken small intestine

Abstract

The effect of vitamin A on chicken intestinal mucosal morphology and functionality was tested in relation to severe and mild vitamin A deficiency and vitamin A repletion. Compared with rats and mice, chickens have a very quick response to a deficient dietary intake. Severe vitamin A deficiency altered the small intestine of chickens at both the biochemical and the morphological levels. It caused the loss of mucosal protein, reduced villus height and crypt depth and diminished activities of disaccharidases, transpeptidase and alkaline phosphate (EC 3.1.3.1). The ratios RNA-.DNA, RNA:protein and protein:DNA, and the DNA concentrations in 1 g intestinal tissue, together with morphological measurements, provided knowledge about the pattern of lesion. The results indicated that (1) lack of vitamin A influenced cellular hyperplasia as it caused an increase in DNA content and in the number of enterocytes per villus; (2) lack of vitamin A influenced cellular hypertrophy as it decreased the protein:DNA ratio. There was no difference in mucosal enzyme activity between the two deficient groups. The repletion group exhibited a remarkable increase in mucosal enzyme activity only 4 d after switching to the control diet. The evidence presented in our paper suggests that the low vitamin A supply interferes with the normal activity of chicken intestinal mucosa as it influences the processes of proliferation and maturation of enterocytes.

Bacterial population and innate immunity-related genes in rat gastrointestinal tract are altered by vitamin A-deficient diet

“…Consistent with our previous findings in rats and chicks [5,6], no overt clinical symptoms were observed other than the body weight plateau. Deficiency state in the experimental animals was confirmed by the demonstration of reduced concentrations of both hepatic and serum vitamin A.…”

“…In previous studies, we reported that VAD induces morphological and functional changes in chicken and rat small intestines [5][6][7].…”

Vitamin A deficiency enhances docosahexaenoic and Osbond acids in liver of rats fed an α‐linoleic acid‐adequate diet

“…Consistent with our previous findings in rats (18) and chicks (19), the vitamin A-deficient groups, regardless of the ALA content of their diet, consumed less food compared with their vitamin A-sufficient counterparts. The reduction of food intake and consequent lower weight gain of the vitamin A-deficient animals were most likely due to vitamin A deficiency-induced atrophy of the gustatory apparatus (20,21) and a loss of taste (20)(21)(22).…”

Nutrition meets the microbiome: micronutrients and the microbiota

“…In low‐income countries with poor hygiene and malnutrition, small children in particular are at risk of developing EE, with changes in the intestinal tract including impaired barrier function, reduced height of small intestinal villi, and increased formation of intraepithelial lymphocytes and T H 1 cells. Similar changes have been also described as a consequence of deficiencies in vitamins A and D …”