The effects of various levels of dietary protein on retinoic acid‐induced teratogenicity in rats

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Abstract
The teratogenic effects of single oral doses of 10 mg/kg retinoic acid given on day 9 of pregnancy was compared in rats fed 2.5, 5, 10, 20, or 30% dietary protein. Low levels of dietary protein alone did not affect reproduction and were not frankly teratogenic, but did retard skeletal ossification in fetuses of females fed 2.5% protein. Fetal growth was depressed in the groups fed 2.5, 5, or 10% protein. In rats treated with retinoic acid the resorption rate and the incidence of defective fetuses was increased by protein deficiencies. Serum analyses on gestation days 3, 9, and 21 revealed significantly lower BUN levels on days 9 and 21 in females fed 2.5 or 5% protein compared to those fed 20 or 30% protein, but the total proteins and albumin were not lower in these two groups until day 21. The administration of retinoic acid increased the level of protein in sera and livers and decreased the level of liver lipids in rats fed the lower levels of dietary protein, indicating that the retinoic acid increased protein synthesis.