Effect of vitamin E deficiency on rabbit intramuscular collagen.

The effect of a vitamin E-deficient diet on muscular collagen was studied in young rabbits. Intramuscular collagen content was found to increase in vitamin E-deficient rabbits, both in absolute and relative values, while no changes in urinary hydroxyproline excretion were observed. The overall solubility of intramuscular collagen was higher and the collagen soluble in guanidine hydrochloride was richer in alpha-chains. Such findings would suggest that avitaminosis E induces the production of new intramuscular collagen.