Perinatal exposure to vitamin A differentially regulates chondrocyte growth and the expression of aggrecan and matrix metalloprotein genes in the femur of neonatal rats.

Vitamin A (VA) and its active form, retinoic acid (RA), are regulators of skeletal development. In the present study, we investigated if maternal VA intake during pregnancy and lactation, as well as direct oral supplementation of neonates with VA + RA (VARA) in early life, alters neonatal bone formation and chondrocyte gene expression. Offspring of dams fed 3 levels of VA (marginal, adequate, and supplemented) for 10 wk were studied at birth (P0) and postnatal day 7 (P7). One-half of the newborns received an oral supplement of VARA on P1, P4, and P7. Tissues were collected on P0 and 6 h after the last dose on P7. Pup plasma and liver retinol concentrations were increased by both maternal VA intake and VARA (P < 0.01). Although maternal VA did not affect bone mineralization as assessed by von Kossa staining, newborn femur length was increased with maternal VA (P < 0.05). VARA supplementation of neonates increased the length of the hypertrophic zone only in VA-marginal pups, close to that in neonates from VA-adequate dams, suggesting VARA caused a catching up of growth that was limited by low maternal VA intake. Maternal diet did not alter type X nor type II collagen mRNA. However, VARA-treated pups from VA-supplemented dams had reduced mRNA for aggrecan, a major component of cartilage matrix, and increased mRNA for matrix metalloproteinase (MMP)13, which catalyzes the degradation of aggrecan and collagens. These results suggest that moderately high maternal VA intake combined with neonatal VARA supplementation can reduce the ratio of aggrecan:MMP, which may unfavorably alter early bone development.