Effect of Dietary Protein on the Intestinal Biosynthesis of Retinol from 14C-β-carotene in Rats

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Abstract
The influence of dietary protein on intestinal biosynthesis of retinol from 14C-β-carotene in rats was investigated. During the digestive phase, a dose of 20 µg of biosynthetically labeled 14C-β-carotene was injected into the unligated upper intestine. After 2.5 hours, radioactivity incorporated into the retinyl ester fraction of the intestine was 2.7% of the injected dose in animals fed a 10% protein diet. With a 40% protein diet, the comparable value was 5.9%. There was more newly deposited hepatic retinol at higher levels of dietary protein. The data support indirect evidence, obtained in previous experiments, that the intestinal wall is an important site for the carotene-protein interaction.