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ß-Carotene, Retinol and Retinyl Ester Concentrations in Serum and Selected Tissues of Ferrets Fed ß-Carotene^1,2,

U.S. Department of Agriculture Human Nutrition Research Center on Aging at Tufts University, Boston, MA 02111 ^* Division of Comparative Medicine, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Cambridge, MA 02139

The concentrations of ß-carotene, retinol and retinyl esters in serum and selected tissues of ferrets fed diets supplemented with ß-carotene (80 µg/g wet diet) for 3 wk were determined. The initial concentration of serum ß-carotene was 0.011 ± 0.006 µmol/L (mean ± SEM); at the end of the experimental period it was 5.75 ± 1.60 µmol/L. No significant differences in serum retinol and total retinyl esters were observed between ß-carotene-fed and control ferrets that had been fed an unsupplemented diet. The predominant retinyl esters in serum were retinyl stearate (53%) and retinyl palmitate (35%). Of the tissues analyzed after ß-carotene feeding, the liver contained the highest concentration of ß-carotene (78.8 ± 18.8 nmol/g). Other tissues that contained ß-carotene in amounts ranging from 17 to 20 nmol/g were adrenals, small intestine, stomach and colon; lesser amounts (6.9 nmol/g) were found in kidneys. Amounts ranging from 1.2 to 2.3 nmol/g were found in muscle, bladder, adipose tissue, lungs and skin; only 0.37 and 0.34 nmol/g were present in brain and eyes, respectively. Thus, like humans, ferrets have the capacity to absorb intact ß-carotene and to store this compound in tissues, especially the liver. However, compared with humans, ferrets have elevated concentrations of retinyl esters in serum, liver and other tissues.

KEY WORDS: • ß-carotene • vitamin A • retinyl esters • retinol • ferrets

¹ Supported in part by U.S. Department of Agriculture contract no. 53-3KO6-5-10. The contents of this publication do not necessarily reflect the views or policies of the U.S. Department of Agriculture, nor does mention of commercial products imply endorsement by the United States government.

² An abstract describing preliminary data has been published [Ribaya-Mercado, J. D., Fox, J. G., Rosenblad, W. & Russell, R. M. (1990) Dietary ß-carotene supplementation and tissue levels of ß-carotene, retinol, and retinyl esters in ferrets. J. Am. Coll. Nutr. 9: 526 (abs. 20)].

Manuscript received 12 March 1992. Revision accepted 12 May 1992.