Vitamin A deficiency causes oxidative damage to liver mitochondria in rats

Mitochondrial damage in rat liver induced by chronic vitamin A-deficiency was studied using three different groups of rats: (i) control rats, (ii) rats fed a vitamin A-free diet until 50 d after birth and (iii) vitamin A-deficient rats re-fed a control diet for 30 d. No statistical difference in body weight and food intake was found between control and vitamin A-deficient rats. Liver GSH concentration was similar in both groups. However, in vitamin A-deficient rats, the mitochondrial GSH/GSSG ratio was significantly lower and the levels of malondialdehyde (MDA) and 8-oxo-7,8-dihydro-2′-deoxyguanosine (oxo8dG) were higher when compared to control rats. These values were partially restored in re-fed rats. The mitochondrial membrane potential of vitamin A-deficient rats was significantly lower than in control rats and returned to normal levels in restored vitamin A rats. Two populations of mitochondria were found in vitamin A-deficient rats according to the composition of membrane lipids. One population showed a similar pattern to the control mitochondria and the second population had a higher membrane lipid content. This report emphasizes the protective role of vitamin A in liver mitochondria under physiological circumstances.