Importance of vitamin-A for lung function and development

doi:10.1016/S0098-2997(03)00039-6

Molecular Aspects of Medicine

Volume 24, Issue 6, December 2003, Pages 431-440

https://doi.org/10.1016/S0098-2997(03)00039-6 Get rights and content

Abstract

Vitamin-A is essential for growth and development of cells and tissues. In its active form, retinoic acid, it controls the regular differentiation as a ligand for retinoic acid receptors (RAR, RXR) and is involved in the integration (gap junction formation) of cell formations [Nature 37 (1994) 528; International Review of Cytology. San Diego Academic Press, 1–31]. Vitamin-A plays a substantial role, especially in the respiratory epithelium and the lung. During moderate vitamin-A-deficiency, the incidence for diseases of the respiratory tract is considerably increased and repeated respiratory infections can be influenced therapeutically by a moderate vitamin-A-supplementation [Aust. Paediatr. J. 22 (1986) 95; Lancet 338 (1991) 67]. In addition to the importance of the vitamin for the lung function, vitamin-A is also responsible for the development of many tissues and cells as well as for the embryonic lung development. Recent studies proved that the control occurs by different expressions of retinoid receptors as well as by time-dependent changes of the vitamin-A-metabolism respectively via cellular vitamin-A-binding proteins (CRBP: cytoplasmatic retinol binding protein; CRABP: cytoplasmatic retinoic acid binding protein).

Section snippets

The influence of vitamin-A for the maturation and differentiation of the lung

The alveolar cells of type II are especially prepared to synthesize and secrete the surfactant (Zachman, 1989). Retinoic acid (RA) is able to stop, concentration-dependently (Metzler and Snyder, 1993) the expression of the surfactant-protein A (SP-A) in human fetal lung explants. Insulin, TGF-β and high concentrations of glucocorticoids can also down-regulate the SP-A-mRNA-expression (Weaver and Whitsett, 1991), but lower concentrations of glucocorticoids are stimulating the expression of these

Vitamin-A kinetic during fetal lung development

In fibroblast-like cells close to the alveolar cells, in type-II-cells as well as in the respiratory epithelium retinyl-esters, as local extrahepatic stores are present. The importance of these retinyl-esters as “acute reserve” during the development of the lung becomes apparent during the late phase of gestation and the beginning of lung maturation. During this period a rapid emptying of the retinyl-ester storage’s in the lung of rat embryos occurs (Geevarghese and Chytil, 1994). This

The influence of an insufficient vitamin-A-supply on the post-natal development of the lung

A disease seen recurrently in connection with vitamin-A-supply is the bronchopulmonary dysplasia (BPD). The pathogenesis of BPD certainly depends on a multitude of factors. Some of the observed morphological changes are very similar to the ones seen in vitamin-A-deficiency of humans and animals. In particular, there is focal loss of ciliated cells with keratinizing metaplasia and necrosis of the bronchial mucosa as well as an increase of mucous secreting cells (Fig. 1) (Stahlman, 1984; Stofft

Possibilities of prevention and therapy

On the basis of the importance of vitamin-A as described above, the question arises as to what extent a therapeutical intervention can take place, especially in the case of imminent premature deliveries but also concerning preterm infants, to prevent the development of diseases and/or immaturities of the lung. One solution could be the intravenous administration of vitamin-A, but with the infusion-systems used so far, vitamin-A is almost completely adsorbed at the polyethylene tubes (Zachman,

Significance of vitamin-A for structure and function of the maturing lung

As already described in the discussion concerning the inhalative application of vitamin-A-esters in bronchopulmonal dysplasia, it should be possible to treat squamous epithelial metaplasia and dysplasias of the human respiratory tract with this type of administration. On the basis of a few reports it is assumed that a “local” vitamin-A-deficiency exists in meta- and dysplastic-areas. Measurements of vitamin-A-concentrations in metaplastic areas of the respiratory epithelium and the cervix

Toxicological considerations

By inhalative application of vitamin-A an accumulation of peripheral vitamin-A stores is achieved. For the lung and the respiratory epithelium, concentrations in the range of 1–20 μg/g were obtained (Biesalski, 1990). When comparing the concentrations in the respiratory epithelium and in the mixed epithelium of the nasal mucosa––after topical administration in different animal species––the vitamin-A-concentrations attained in the epithelium of the nose were 10–100 times higher (in humans 5–20

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Importance of vitamin-A for lung function and development

Abstract

Section snippets

The influence of vitamin-A for the maturation and differentiation of the lung

Vitamin-A kinetic during fetal lung development

The influence of an insufficient vitamin-A-supply on the post-natal development of the lung

Possibilities of prevention and therapy

Significance of vitamin-A for structure and function of the maturing lung

Toxicological considerations

Lancet

Biochem. Biophys. Res. Commun.

Lancet

J. Nutr.

Eur. J. Cancer Clin. Oncol.

Early Hum. Dev.

J. Pediatr.

J. Pediatr.

Am. J. Clin. Nutr.

J. Pediatr.

J. Pediatr.

Am. J. Clin. Nutr.

Lancet

Am. J. Clin. Nutr.

Retinyl palmitate supplementation by inhalation of an aerosol improves vitamin A status of preschool children in Gondar (Ethiopia)

Br. J. Nutr.

β-carotene supplements can not meet all vitamin A requirements of vitamin A-deficient rats

N. Y. Acad. Sci.

Vitamin A deficiency and sensory function

Acta Vitaminol. Enzymol.

Effects of intratracheal application of vitamin A on concentrations of retinol derivates in plasma, lungs and selected tissue of rats

Int. J. Vit. Nutr. Res.

Quantitative and qualitative microdetermination of different fatty acid esters of retinol including their isomeric configurations in small tissue samples

Meth. Enzymol

Über die lokale Wirkung von Vitamin A an der Nasenschleimhaut

HNO-Wegweiser für die Fachärztliche Praxis

Differences in lectin binding in squamous metaplasia induced by benzo(a)pyrene and vitamin A deficiency in hamster tracheal explants

In Vitro Cell. Dev. Boil.

Function of vitamin A in the respiratory tract

Acta Vitaminol Enzymol

Vitamin A and respiratory syncytial virus infection

Arch. Pediatr. Adolesc. Med.

Treatment of uncomplicated anosmia by vitamin A

Arch. Otolaryngol.

Exposure to the carcinogen benzopyrene depletes tissue vitamin A

Nutr. Cancer.

Influence of morbidity on serum retinol of children in a community-based study in northern Ghana

Am. J. Clin. Nutr.

Human amniotic fluid urogastrone (epidermal growth factor) and fetal lung phospholipids

Br. J. Obstet. Gynaecol.