Vitamin A Storage and Factors That Affect the Liver

Abstract

The hepatic storage of vitamin A appeared to be relatively independent of other biochemical processes taking place in the liver. p-Dimethylaminoazobenzene, a potent agent for the production of liver tumors in the rat, failed to alter the rate of depletion of preformed stores of the vitamin, even on diets optimal for the carcinogenic action of the dye. 3, 3-Methylenebis (4-hydroxycoumarin), which depresses prothrombin synthesis, and vitamin K, which promotes it, were equally without effect on the rate of depletion of hepatic vitamin A. Carvone, likewise, was without effect. The retention of vitamin A by the liver of the rat was essentially the same on diets either very high or low in fat; the rate of depletion of the vitamin from very fatty livers was the same as that from normal livers. In the mouse very high percentages of liver fat were repeatedly accumulated and “flushed out” without effect on the retention of hepatic vitamin A. The normal distribution of vitamin A was observed in tissues of young rats with severe symptoms of choline deficiency.