CIGARETTE SMOKE-INDUCED VITAMIN A DEFICIENCY CONTRIBUTES TO EMPHYSEMA PROGRESSION IN RATS
Emphysema and lung inflammation can be accelerated by a lack of vitamin A, an important nutrient. Vitamin A levels were shown to be lower in rats that were given benzopyrene, a component of cigarette smoke. Two separate groups of rats served as experimental subjects for the length of the study. The first group, known as the experimental group, was subjected to daily, unfiltered cigarette smoke exposure for fifteen sessions, while the second group, called the control group, was exposed just to outside air. An assessment was conducted to measure the levels of retinol and vitamin A in the blood, liver, and lungs six weeks after the investigation began. Vitamin A levels were found to be lower in the group of rats that were exposed to cigarette smoke. Additionally, amounts of pulmonary vitamin A were positively correlated with emphysema severity, indicating a negative connection. Hyperplasia of the tracheal epithelium and the development of hepatic vacuoles were also noted.
Keywords: smoking, vitamin A, Emphysema Progression, inflammation, and cigarette