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  • Title: Vitamin A at pharmacologic doses ameliorates the membrane lipid peroxidation injury and testicular atrophy that occurs with chronic alcohol feeding in rats.
    Author: Rosenblum ER, Gavaler JS, Van Thiel DH.
    Journal: Alcohol Alcohol; 1987; 22(3):241-9. PubMed ID: 3619999.
    Abstract:
    The interaction of ethanol (ETOH) with testicular subcellular membranes contributes, at least in part, to alcohol-induced gonadal dysfunction. Vitamin A reaches the testes via the circulation as the retinyl ester and is converted to the free alcohol (retinol) and then to the aldehyde (retinal); retinal is the form of the vitamin which is essential for normal spermato-genesis. Because retinol can function as a free radical scavenger, testicular mitochondria were evaluated for evidence of a protective role provided by supplemental dietary vitamin A on ETOH-induced alterations in testicular structure and function in rats. Lipid peroxidation was evaluated by measurement of malonaldehyde formation and glutathione content of the testes. Compared to isocalorically matched dextrimaltose-fed controls (ISO) receiving a modified vitamin A containing diet, rats fed the corresponding ETOH diet for 50 days had a reduced testes/body ratio (ETOH: 0.0114 +/- 0.0004 vs ISO: 0.0128 +/- 0.0004). Mitochondrial enriched extracts obtained from the testes of these ETOH-fed rats showed significant increases in malonaldehyde formation; moreover, glutathione levels were reduced in the testes of the alcohol-fed animals when compared to their isocaloric controls. In contrast, no evidence for testicular atrophy was present in ETOH-fed rats receiving a standard vitamin A enriched diet; moreover, such ETOH-fed rats had a reduced rate of malonaldehyde formation as compared to their respective controls. Similarly, glutathione levels were not depleted in the testes of the ETOH-fed rats receiving the vitamin A enriched diet. Taken together, these data suggest that lipid peroxidation is a consequence of ethanol metabolism which can be attenuated, at least in part, by vitamin A.
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