Novel aspects of vitamin A metabolism in the dog: distribution of lipoprotein retinyl esters in vitamin A-deprived and cholesterol-fed animals.

Retinyl ester concentrations in plasma from fasting humans, rabbits and rats are usually negligible. In contrast, plasma from fasting dogs contains appreciable amounts of retinyl esters, associated almost entirely with the low-density lipoproteins. This study was undertaken to gather additional information about the nature and origin of canine retinyl ester-containing lipoproteins. We examined the metabolism of endogenous lipoprotein retinyl esters in adult mongrel dogs with moderate vitamin A deficiency. Four animals were fed a diet of oatmeal and tuna fish that provided only 4% of the vitamin A contained in their control rations (15 vs. 367% of the canine recommended daily intake). There was an initial rapid decline in plasma retinyl esters. However, measurable concentrations persisted in plasma for up to 1 year of restricted vitamin A intake. Total plasma retinyl ester concentrations after 6 months of vitamin A deprivation, extrapolated from best-fit monoexponential decay curves for each animal, ranged from 11 to 89% of control, suggesting that there was sustained secretion of retinyl esters from endogenous stores. Density gradient ultracentrifugation of plasma from fasting vitamin A-deprived dogs showed retinyl esters in the very-low- and low-density lipoproteins. After fat and vitamin A feeding retinyl esters appeared among the very-low-, intermediate- and low-density lipoproteins, consistent with the suggestion that chylomicron retinyl esters are first taken up by the liver, and then resecreted as density less than 1.006-1.063 g/ml lipoproteins. Maximal incorporation of dietary retinyl esters into low-density lipoproteins was not reached until 24-48 h. Intermediate-density and beta-migrating low-density lipoprotein retinyl esters were increased markedly in fasting animals maintained on cholesterol- and saturated fat-enriched diets. These observations provide further evidence for the proposal that the canine liver secretes retinyl ester-containing particles, in amounts governed by dietary composition and vitamin A content. What selective advantage this unusual transport pathway might provide is not apparent.