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Tissue α-tocopherol status during late fetal and early neonatal life of the guinea-pig

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  09 March 2007

Frank J. Kelly ,
Morteza Safavi  and
Kevin H. Cheeseman
Frank J. Kelly
Affiliation:
Department of Human Nutrition, University of Southampton, Southampton SO9 3TU Brunel University, Uxbridge UB8 3PH
Morteza Safavi
Affiliation:
Department of Biology and Biochemistry, Brunel University, Uxbridge UB8 3PH
Kevin H. Cheeseman
Affiliation:
Department of Biology and Biochemistry, Brunel University, Uxbridge UB8 3PH
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Abstract

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The α-tocopherol content of a number of different fetal, neonatal and maternal guinea-pig tissues was determined and compared with plasma and erythrocyte α-tocopherol values. During late gestation, the fetal liver appears to act as a storage site for α-tocopherol, the majority of which is released immediately following birth. In contrast, lung and brain vitamin E levels are relatively constant over the final period of gestation and during early neonatal life. The ontogeny of α-tocopherol in brain and lung was similar to that for erythrocytes while plasma α-tocopherol content varied considerably and did not accurately reflect tissue α-tocopherol status. Surprisingly, fetal and maternal lung α-tocopherol concentrations were similar at all time-points considered, whereas fetal liver α-tocopherol status was always considerably greater than maternal liver α-tocopherol content. These results, if representative of the human fetus, suggest that preterm infants may not have tissue α-tocopherol concentrations as low as previously assumed and that during the perinatal period erythrocyte α-tocopherol content is a more accurate indicator of tissue α-tocopherol concentration than plasma α-tocopherol content.

Keywords

Vitamin EFetusChronic lung diseasePrematurityGuinea-pig
Type
Fetal and Neonatal Nutritional Status
Information
British Journal of Nutrition , Volume 67 , Issue 3 , May 1992 , pp. 457 - 462
Copyright
Copyright © The Nutrition Society 1992

References

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