Fat metabolism in vitamin A deficiency: the blood-serum esterase

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Abstract
A. The serum esterase, determined by hydrolysis of ethyl butyrate or tributyrin, showed a large and progressive decrease in vit. A-deficient rats and dogs. Infection (autogenous or inoculated) in rats on a complete diet also produced a considerable fall in the serum esterase, but since the fall was observed in some vit. A-deficientrats in which infection was absent or slight the change is probably not due primarily to infection nor is it peculiar to vit. A deficiency as it occurs in other conditions (e.g., rat sarcoma) and is therefore probably secondary to the fundamental metabolic disorder. Relatively large amts. of cod liver oil (2-3 cc. daily) produced a rise in the serum esterase content well above normal.[long dash]B. The duration of life of young rats on A-deficient diets was unaffected by the fat content of the diets and their loss of body fat was not significantly different from that of rats on the same diet with vit. A, whose food intake was restricted to that of the deficient animals. In the end stages there was a rise in the I value of the fatty acids (Wijs'') coincident with a fall in the amt. of fat in the liver, but this was similar to that observed when a similar loss of liver fat was produced by restriction of food or by inoculated infection. These findings render it unlikely that vit. A is concerned with the metabolism of the simple fats.

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