Vitamin A deficiency in utero causes irreversible defects in insulin secretion and glucose intolerance in the adult rat

To determine whether vitamin A deficiency occurring only during intrauterine life leads to glucose intolerance, adult GT and insulin secretion were tested in offspring of marginally deficient rats. Pups of dams fed a low marginal vitamin A diet were switched to a sufficient diet at birth (LMB). At d65, the LMB offspring and offspring of dams fed a sufficient diet (SUFF) were subjected to GT testing. One minute following an intracardiac injection of glucose, the LMB pups had a 32% lower plasma insulin than SUFF offspring. Fifteen minutes following glucose injection, LMB rats had a 188% higher glucose level than SUFF. Marginal vitamin A deficiency in utero causes defects in islet growth and function which persist in later life. These defects are not reversible by vitamin A repletion after birth.