The Effect of Avitaminosis E on the Incorporation of ³⁵S-Sulfate by Rat Tissue Components

(Introduction) Previous work in this laboratory has shown that there is a decrease in sulfate production when ³⁵S-cysteine is incubated with liver homogenates prepared from vitamin E-deficient rats as compared with the sulfate produced by homogenates from vitamin E-sufficient rats. In avitaminosis E the lowered incorporation of a test dose of ³⁵SO₄⁼ into cellular lipoprotein and the mucopolysaccharides isolated from rib cartilage and lung has been shown. A decrease in the breaking strength of rats' aorta, presumably the result of impaired collagen production, was obtained when the aortas from vitamin E-deficient rats were compared with those from vitamin E-sufficient rats. The effects were more pronounced if the rats were also fed diets low in inorganic sulfur.

This study was undertaken to determine which of the lipoprotein fractions are affected by the lowered sulfate production apparent in avitaminosis E.