Assessment of tissue distribution and concentration of beta-cryptoxanthin in response to varying amounts of dietary beta-cryptoxanthin in the Mongolian gerbil

作者：La Frano Michael R; Zhu Chenghao; Burri Betty J^*

来源：British Journal of Nutrition, 2014, 111(6): 968-978.

DOI：10.1017/S0007114513003371

• Retinol
• Tissue distribution
• Vitamin A
• beta-Cryptoxanthin
• Carotenoids
• Gerbils

There is a general lack of knowledge regarding the absorption and tissue storage of the provitamin A carotenoid beta-cryptoxanthin. The present study investigated the whole-body tissue distribution of beta-cryptoxanthin in an appropriate small animal model, the Mongolian gerbil (Meriones unguiculatus), for human provitamin A carotenoid metabolism. After 5d of carotenoid depletion, five gerbils were euthanised for baseline measurements. The remaining gerbils were placed in three weight-matched treatment groups (n 8). All the groups received 20 mu g/d of beta-cryptoxanthin from tangerine concentrate, while the second and third groups received an additional 20 and 40 mu g/d of pure beta-cryptoxanthin (CX40 and CX60), respectively, for 21d. During the last 2d of the study, urine and faecal samples of two gerbils from each treatment group were collected. beta-Cryptoxanthin was detected in the whole blood, and in twelve of the fourteen tissues analysed. Most tissues resembled the liver, in which the concentrations of beta-cryptoxanthin were significantly higher in the CX60 (17 center dot 8 (sem 0 center dot 7)mu g/organ; P=0 center dot 004) and CX40 (16 center dot 2 (sem 0 center dot 9)mu g/organ; P=0 center dot 006) groups than in the CX20 group (13 center dot 3 (sem 0 center dot 4)mu g/organ). However, in intestinal tissues, the concentrations of beta-cryptoxanthin increased only in the CX60 group. Despite elevated vitamin A concentrations in tissues at baseline due to pre-study diets containing high levels of vitamin A, beta-cryptoxanthin maintained those vitamin A stores. These results indicate that beta-cryptoxanthin is stored in many tissues, potentially suggesting that its functions are widespread.

• 出版日期2014-3-28