Hostname: page-component-78c5997874-j824f Total loading time: 0 Render date: 2024-11-02T21:20:54.522Z Has data issue: false hasContentIssue false

Ascorbic acid deficiency in guinea pigs: contrasting effects of tissue ascorbic acid depletion and of associated inanition on status indices related to collagen and vitamin D

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  06 August 2007

Harumi Tsuchiya
Affiliation:
M RC Dunn Nutrition Unit, Milton Road, Cambridge CB4 1XJ
C. J. Bates
Affiliation:
M RC Dunn Nutrition Unit, Milton Road, Cambridge CB4 1XJ
Rights & Permissions [Opens in a new window]

Abstract

Core share and HTML view are not available for this content. However, as you have access to this content, a full PDF is available via the ‘Save PDF’ action button.

To investigate the sensitivity of guinea pig tissues to ascorbic acid depletion, as distinct from inanition, young male guinea pigs were maintained with either ascorbic acid restriction or total diet restriction for 8 weeks. One group (A) received no ascorbic acid for 3 weeks, then 0·5 mg/d for 5 weeks; one group (B) was weight-matched by restricted food intake to the first group; a third (marginally deficient) group (C) received 1 mg ascorbic acid/d throughout; a fourth was weight-matched to this group (D); and a fifth group received the control diet ad lib. (E). Both of the groups with restricted ascorbic acid intakes (A and C) developed very low tissue ascorbic acid contents, but only the first group (severely deficient group A) also exhibited a severely reduced growth rate. This group also exhibited reduced femur calcium and hydroxyproline contents and reduced skin hydroxyproline content. These changes were not seen in the corresponding weight-matched group (B). Neither plasma alkaline phosphatase (EC 3.1.3.1) activity, nor a variety of indices of vitamin D status exhibited changes which could be attributed specifically to reduced ascorbic acid intake and hence to lowered tissue ascorbic acid content. It is concluded that low tissue ascorbic acid levels in guinea pigs clearly alter the connective tissue composition of growing femur and skin, but do not necessarily produce a major, specific effect on vitamin D status. Moreover, the control of inanition is crucial to permit interpretation of the changes in metabolism that are caused by ascorbic acid deficiency.

Type
Effects of ascorbic acid depletion
Copyright
Copyright © The Nutrition Society 1994

References

REFERENCES

Barnes, M. J. & Kodicek, E. (1972) Biological hydroxylations and ascorbic acid with special regard to collagen metabolism. Vitamins and Hormones 30, 143.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Bates, C. J. (1979) Vitamin C deficiency in guinea pigs: variable sensitivity of collagen at different sites. International Journal of Vitamin and Nutrition Research 49, 7786.Google ScholarPubMed
Bjorkhem, I., Kallner, A. & Karlmar, H. E. (1987) Effects of ascorbic acid deficiency on adrenal mitochondrial hydroxylation in guinea pigs. Journal of Lipid Research 19, 695704.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Crivello, J. P. (1988) Oxidative stress limits vitamin D metabolism by bovine proximal tubule cells in vitro. Archives of Biochemistry and Biophysics 262, 471480.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Franceschi, R. T. (1992) The role of ascorbic acid in mesenchymal differentiation. Nutrition Reviews 50, 6570.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Fraser, D. R. & Kodicek, E. (1970) Unique biosynthesis by kidney of a biologically active vitamin D metabolite. Nature 228, 764766.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Fraser, D. R. & Kodicek, E. (1973) Regulation of 25-hydroxy-cholecalciferol-l-hydroxylase activity in kidney by parathyroid hormone. Nature New Biology 241, 163166.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Gindler, E. M. & King, J. D. (1972) Rapid colorimetric determination of calcium in biological fluids with methylthymol blue. American Journal of Clinical Pathology 58, 376382.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Ginter, E., Bobek, P. & Ovecka, M. (1968) Model of chronic hypovitaminosis C in guinea pigs. International Journal of Vitamin and Nutrition Research 38, 104113.Google ScholarPubMed
Ginter, E., Bobek, P. & Vargova, D. (1979) Tissue levels and optimum dosage of vitamin C in guinea pigs. Nutrition and Metabolism 23, 217226.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Goodwin, J. F. (1968) The colorimetric estimation of plasma amino nitrogen with DNFB. Clinical Chemistry 14, 10801090.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Greenfield, H., Briggs, G. M., Watson, R. H. J. & Yudkin, J. (1969) An improved diet for carbohydrate preference studies with rats: some criticisms of experimental diets. Proceedings of the Nutrition Society 28, 43A.Google ScholarPubMed
Henry, H. L. & Norman, A. W. (1974) Studies on calciferol metabolism. IX. Renal 25-hydroxy-vitamin D3-l- hydroxylase. Involvement of cytochrome P-450 and other properties. Journal of Biological Chemistry 249, 75297535.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Ho, K.-C. & Pang, C. P. (1989) Automated analysis of urinary hydroxyproline. Clinica Chimica Acta 85, 191195.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Hollis, B. W. (1986) Assay of circulating 1,25-dihydroxy vitamin D involving a novel single cartridge extraction and purification procedure. Clinical Chemistry 32, 20602063.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Hollis, B. W. & Napoli, J. L. (1985) Improved radioimmunoassay for vitamin D and its use in assessing vitamin D status. Clinical Chemistry 31, 18151819.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Levine, J. B. (1974) Determination in blood with automated analysers. In Methods of Enzymatic Analysis, 2nd ed., Vol. 2, pp. 856870 [Bergmeyer, H. U. editor]. New York: Academic Press.Google Scholar
Peterkofsky, B. (1991) Ascorbate requirement for hydroxylation and secretion of pro-collagen. relationship to inhibition of collagen synthesis in scurvy. American Journal of Clinical Nutrition 54, 1135S1140S.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Sergeev, I. N., Arkhapchev, Y. P. & Spirichev, V. B. (1990) Ascorbic acid effects on vitamin D hormone metabolism and binding in guinea pigs. Journal of Nutrition 120, 11851190.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Shapiro, I. M., Leboy, P. S., Tokuoka, T., Forbes, E., DeBolt, K., Adams, S. L. & Pacifici, M. (1991) Ascorbic acid regulates multiple metabolic activities of cartilage cells. American Journal of Clinical Nutrition 54, 1209S1213S.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Turnbull, J. D. & Omaye, S. T. (1980) Synthesis of cytochrome P-450 heme in ascorbic acid deficient guinea pigs. Biochemical Pharmacology 29, 12551260.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Vuilleumier, J. P. & Keck, E. (1989) Fluorimetric assay of vitamin C in biological materials using a centrifugal analyser with fluorescence attachment. Journal of Micronutrient Analysis 5, 2534.Google Scholar
Weiser, J., Schlachter, M., Probst, H. P., Bachmann, H. & Kormann, A.-W. (1991) Vitamin C optimizes transformation of vitamin D3 l,25-(OH)2-D3 and bone metabolism in chicks. In Proceedings of the First International Conference on Vitamins and Biofactors in Life Sciences, Kobe, Japan, pp. 12231224 [Kobayashi, T., editor]. Tokyo: Centre for Academic Publications, Japan.Google Scholar