Disposition of 14C-β-carotene following delivery with autologous triacylglyceride-rich lipoproteins

Following ingestion, a fraction of β-carotene is cleaved into vitamin A in the intestine, while another is absorbed intact and distributed among tissues and organs. The extent to which this absorbed β-carotene serves as a source of vitamin A is unknown in vivo. In the present study we use the attomole sensitivity of accelerator mass spectrometry (AMS) for 14C to quantify the disposition of 14C-β-carotene (930 ng; 60.4 nCi of activity) after intravenous injection with an autologous triacylglyceride-rich lipoprotein fraction in a single volunteer. Total 14C was quantified in serial plasma samples and also in triglyceride-rich, and low density lipoprotein, subfractions. The appearance of 14C-retinol, the circulating form of vitamin A in plasma, was determined by chromatographic separation of plasma retinol extracts prior to AMS analysis. The data showed that 14C concentrations rapidly decayed within the triglyceride-rich lipoprotein fractions after injection, whereas low density lipoprotein 14C began a significant rise in 14C 5 h post dose. Plasma 14C-retinol also appeared at 5 h post dose and its concentrations were maintained above baseline for >88 days. Based upon comparisons of 14C-retinol concentrations following an earlier study with orally dosed 14C-β-carotene, a molar vitamin A value of the absorbed β-carotene of 0.19 was derived, meaning that 1 mole of absorbed β-carotene provides 0.19 moles of vitamin A. This is the first study to show that infused β-carotene contributes to the vitamin A economy in humans in vivo