Association of genetic variation with disproportionate vitamin A deficiency in pregnant women of certain ethnicities in the United States.

Abstract Vitamin A is an essential micronutrient that plays critical roles in many biological functions of the body. Limited access to vitamin A-rich food or supplements severely affects tissue and blood levels of vitamin A. Therefore, low serum vitamin A and poverty levels are strongly associated in vitamin A deficiency (VAD) studies that have focused mainly on developing countries. The current national prevalence rate of vitamin A deficiency in the United States is reported to be very low (<1%). However, several studies, including ours, have suggested that people from certain ethnic groups still face a higher proportion of vitamin A deficiency. We hypothesize that the genetic variations between ethnic groups may associate to the VAD proportional differences between women of different ancestries. To assess the associations, we re-analyzed two independent datasets of serum retinol levels of pregnant women in the United States and three datasets of genotypic information of different ancestries. We found that pregnant women with non-Hispanic Black and with Latin American/Afro-Caribbean ancestry have strikingly high proportions of VAD compared to non-Hispanic White and Latin American/Mexican ancestry. Genotypic analyses showed that the minor allele frequencis of genetic variants that associate to serum retinol levels have significantly higher variations between these different ancestries. Our study revealed that VAD rates in the pregnant women differ between different ancestries and that ancestry-dependent genetic variations might contribute to the differences.

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Genetic background contributions to the disproportion of vitamin A deficiency in pregnant women of certain ethnicities in populations of the United States.

10.21203/rs.3.rs-49188/v1 ◽

2020 ◽

Author(s):

Masako Suzuki ◽

Tao Wang ◽

Diana J Garretto ◽

Carmen R. Isasi ◽

Wellington V Cardoso ◽

...

Keyword(s):

United States ◽

At Risk ◽

Vitamin A ◽

Pregnant Women ◽

Ethnic Groups ◽

Latin American ◽

Vitamin A Deficiency ◽

The United States ◽

Serum Retinol ◽

Pregnant Females

Abstract Vitamin A is an essential micronutrient that plays critical roles in many biological functions of the body. Limited access to vitamin A-rich food or supplements severely affects tissue and blood levels of vitamin A. Therefore, low serum vitamin A and poverty levels are strongly associated in vitamin A deficiency (VAD) studies that have focused mainly on developing countries. The current national prevalence rate of vitamin A deficiency in the United States is reported to be very low (< 1%). However, several studies, including ours, have suggested that people from certain ethnic groups still face a higher proportion of vitamin A deficiency. Here, we re-analyzed two different datasets of serum retinol levels of pregnant females to assess the VAD status differences between women of different ancestries. We found that pregnant females with non-Hispanic Black and with Latin American/Afro-Caribbean ancestry have strikingly high proportions of vitamin A deficiency. Moreover, we identified candidate genetic variants that associate with the disproportions between these different ancestries. Maternal vitamin A deficiency increases the risk of adverse health outcomes for both the mother and offspring later in life. Measuring serum retinol levels of pregnant women in the higher risk groups and provision of food interventions based on genetic information to improve the vitamin A status of at-risk women are needed. Our study strongly suggests that emergency actions need to be taken to reduce vitamin A deficiency in specific, at-risk ethnic groups.

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Disproportionate vitamin A deficiency in pregnant women of specific ethnicities in the United States and ethnic differences in allele frequencies of polymorphisms of vitamin A-related genes

10.21203/rs.3.rs-49188/v3 ◽

2021 ◽

Author(s):

Masako Suzuki ◽

Tao Wang ◽

Diana J Garretto ◽

Carmen R. Isasi ◽

Wellington V Cardoso ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Vitamin A ◽

Pregnant Women ◽

Ethnic Groups ◽

Latin American ◽

Prevalence Rate ◽

Vitamin A Deficiency ◽

The United States ◽

Allele Frequencies ◽

Serum Retinol ◽

National Prevalence

Abstract BackgroundVitamin A is an essential micronutrient that plays critical roles in many biological functions of the body. The current national prevalence rate of vitamin A deficiency (VAD) in the United States is reported to be very low (<1%). However, our recent study in an urban city of the U. S. (the Bronx study) revealed that pregnant women in the Bronx have much higher proportions of VAD than the national prevalence rate. Given that Hispanics (56%) and non-Hispanic Blacks (29%) are the major racial and ethnic groups in the Bronx, we hypothesized that VAD could be more prevalent among pregnant women from specific ethnicities in the U.S. We therefore re-analyzed two independent datasets of serum retinol levels, i.e., the data from the the Bronx study and the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (NHANES). Moreover, as known polymorphisms have been associated with vitamin A status, we also assessed the differences of minor allele frequencies of these polymorphisms between ethnic groups in publicly available datasets, such as the Allele Frequency Aggregator (ALFA), the Population Architecture using Genomics and Epidemiology (PAGE), and the 1000 Genomes project. FindingsWe found that in both datasets of pregnant women non-Hispanic Black and Hispanic ethnicities have high proportions of VAD compared to non-Hispanic White pregnant women, and this VAD prevalence rate was much higher of the currently estimated national prevalence level. Interestingly, non-Hispanic Black pregnant women showed comparably high proportions of VAD in both datasets. However, pregnant women with Latin American/Afro-Caribbean ancestry in the Bronx dataset have strikingly high proportion of VAD compared to Latin American/Mexican ancestry in NHANES dataset (p= 1.973e-10, 95%CI 0.04 - 0.22, Fisher’s exact test). Furthermore, from the ALFA and the PAGE data analysis, we showed that the known single nucleotide polymorphism (SNP) located near the RBP4 gene (rs10882272) associated with lower serum retinol levels occurs at higher frequencies in Latin American/Afro-Caribbean ancestry and non-Hispanic Black/African populations compared to Latin American/Mexican ancestry and European populations. In addition, the analysis of minor allele frequency (MAF) of 39 previously reported SNPs associated with vitamin A metabolism showed significantly higher MAF variations between populations of different ancestries than that of randomly selected SNPs (p=0.030, permutation test with 1,000 iterations). ConclusionsWe confirmed that VAD rates in the pregnant women differ between different ethnicities, and that pregnant women in minority groups in the U.S. have much higher VAD rates than the estimated national prevalence level. Moreover, our analysis suggested that ethnic differences in allele frequencies of polymorphisms of vitamin A-related genes might contribute to the observed VAD rate differences. Further genome-wide association studies are needed to assess the influences of specific genetic variation and the different VAD status between different ethnic groups.

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Disproportionate Vitamin A Deficiency in Women of Specific Ethnicities Linked to Differences in Allele Frequencies of Vitamin A-Related Polymorphisms

Nutrients ◽

10.3390/nu13061743 ◽

2021 ◽

Vol 13 (6) ◽

pp. 1743

Author(s):

Masako Suzuki ◽

Tao Wang ◽

Diana Garretto ◽

Carmen R. Isasi ◽

Wellington V. Cardoso ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Vitamin A ◽

Pregnant Women ◽

Ethnic Groups ◽

Vitamin A Deficiency ◽

Allele Frequencies ◽

Serum Retinol ◽

Vitamin A Metabolism ◽

Group Methods ◽

Variant Information ◽

National Prevalence

Background: While the current national prevalence rate of vitamin A deficiency (VAD) is estimated to be less than 1%, it is suggested that it varies between different ethnic groups and races within the U.S. We assessed the prevalence of VAD in pregnant women of different ethnic groups and tested these prevalence rates for associations with the vitamin A-related single nucleotide polymorphism (SNP) allele frequencies in each ethnic group. Methods: We analyzed two independent datasets of serum retinol levels with self-reported ethnicities and the differences of allele frequencies of the SNPs associated with vitamin A metabolism between groups in publicly available datasets. Results: Non-Hispanic Black and Hispanic pregnant women showed high VAD prevalence in both datasets. Interestingly, the VAD prevalence for Hispanic pregnant women significantly differed between datasets (p = 1.973 × 10−10, 95%CI 0.04–0.22). Alleles known to confer the risk of low serum retinol (rs10882272 C and rs738409 G) showed higher frequencies in the race/ethnicity groups with more VAD. Moreover, minor allele frequencies of a set of 39 previously reported SNPs associated with vitamin A metabolism were significantly different between the populations of different ancestries than those of randomly selected SNPs (p = 0.030). Conclusions: Our analysis confirmed that VAD prevalence varies between different ethnic groups/races and may be causally associated with genetic variants conferring risk for low retinol levels. Assessing genetic variant information prior to performing an effective nutrient supplementation program will help us plan more effective food-based interventions.

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Research Recommendations for Applying Vitamin A-Labelled Isotope Dilution Techniques to Improve Human Vitamin A Nutrition

International Journal for Vitamin and Nutrition Research ◽

10.1024/0300-9831/a000185 ◽

2014 ◽

Vol 84 (Supplement 1) ◽

pp. 52-59 ◽

Cited By ~ 5

Author(s):

Sherry A. Tanumihardjo ◽

Anura V. Kurpad ◽

Janet R. Hunt

Keyword(s):

Public Health ◽

Vitamin A ◽

Vitamin A Deficiency ◽

Human Subjects ◽

The Body ◽

Pool Size ◽

Serum Retinol ◽

Vitamin A Status ◽

Status Assessment ◽

Total Body

The current use of serum retinol concentrations as a measurement of subclinical vitamin A deficiency is unsatisfactory for many reasons. The best technique available for vitamin A status assessment in humans is the measurement of total body pool size. Pool size is measured by the administration of retinol labelled with stable isotopes of carbon or hydrogen that are safe for human subjects, with subsequent measurement of the dilution of the labelled retinol within the body pool. However, the isotope techniques are time-consuming, technically challenging, and relatively expensive. There is also a need to assess different types of tracers and doses, and to establish clear guidelines for the use and interpretation of this method in different populations. Field-friendly improvements are desirable to encourage the application of this technique in developing countries where the need is greatest for monitoring the risk of vitamin A deficiency, the effectiveness of public health interventions, and the potential of hypervitaminosis due to combined supplement and fortification programs. These techniques should be applied to validate other less technical methods of assessing vitamin A deficiency. Another area of public health relevance for this technique is to understand the bioconversion of β-carotene to vitamin A, and its relation to existing vitamin A status, for future dietary diversification programs.

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Corneal Perforation in Patients With Vitamin A Deficiency in the United States

Archives of Ophthalmology ◽

10.1001/archopht.1990.01070050048028 ◽

1990 ◽

Vol 108 (3) ◽

pp. 350 ◽

Cited By ~ 8

Author(s):

Eric P. Suan

Keyword(s):

United States ◽

Vitamin A ◽

Vitamin A Deficiency ◽

The United States ◽

Corneal Perforation

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Vitamin A Deficiency and Maternal-Infant Transmission of HIV in Two Metropolitan Areas in the United States

Infectious Diseases in Clinical Practice ◽

10.1097/00019048-199802000-00006 ◽

1998 ◽

Vol 7 (2) ◽

pp. 89-90

Author(s):

B L Greenberg ◽

R D Semba ◽

P E Vink ◽

J J Farley ◽

M Sivapalasingam ◽

...

Keyword(s):

United States ◽

Vitamin A ◽

Metropolitan Areas ◽

Vitamin A Deficiency ◽

The United States

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Efektivitas Program Fortifikasi Minyak Goreng dengan Vitamin A terhadap Status Gizi Anak Sekolah di Kota Makasar

Kesmas National Public Health Journal ◽

10.21109/kesmas.v4i6.164 ◽

2010 ◽

Vol 4 (6) ◽

pp. 255 ◽

Cited By ~ 1

Author(s):

Endang Achadi ◽

Siti Arifah ◽

Siti Muslimatun ◽

Trisari Anggondowati ◽

Asih Setiarini

Keyword(s):

Vitamin A ◽

School Children ◽

Vitamin A Deficiency ◽

Urban Slum ◽

The Body ◽

Slum Area ◽

Serum Retinol ◽

Significant Public Health ◽

The Impact ◽

Prevalence Of Anemia

Di Indonesia, kekurangan Vitamin A masih menjadi masalah kesehatan masyarakat yang penting seperti terlihat pada balita penderita vitamin A defisiensi subklinis yang tinggi (50%). Hal tersebut akan berpengaruh terhadap berbagai fungsi tubuh yang antara lain meliputi sistem imun, penglihatan, sistem reproduksi dan diferensiasi sel. Tujuan dari penelitian ini adalah untuk mengetahui kontribusi konsumsi minyak yang diperkaya vitamin A dalam memperbaiki status vitamin A dan hemoglobin balita. Penelitian dengan disain studi intervensi Before-After ini dilaksanakan pada anak sehat berusia 7-10 tahun yang diberi obat cacing sebelum intervensi dilakukan. Pengukuran serum retinol dan hemoglobin dilakukan sebelum dan 3 bulan setelah intervensi . Minyak yang difortifikasi vitamin A telah disediakan di warung/ toko di sekitar tempat tinggal responden. Untuk meningkatkan demand, penelitian ini dilengkapi dengan pendekatan pemasaran sosial yang dilakukan pihak lain. Secara umum tidak terlihat perubahan status gizi, tetapi prevalensi anemia turun dari 21,8% menjadi 11,6%. Sementara, prevalens vitamin A defisiensi ditemukan lebih rendah pada anak yang mengkonsumsi ³12 minggu (26,6%) daripada yang mengkonsumsi < 12 minggu (42%) . Hasil tersebut dapat dijadikan pertimbangan untuk merekomendasikan agar minyak difortifikasi vitamin A.Kata kunci: Defisiensi vitamin A, anak sekolah, minyak fortifikasiAbstractVitamin A deficiency (VAD) remains as one of significant public health problems in Indonesia. Around 50% of under five children are suffering from subclinical VAD. Deficiency of vitamin A will affect several important role in the body, such as immune system, vision, reproductive system and cell differentiation. Therefore, guarding Indonesian children to be free from VAD is crucial for their quality as Human Resources. We assessed the impact of the consumption of vitamin A fortified cooking oil on the improvement of vitamin A and hemoglobin status among school children in urban slum area in Makassar City. The study was an intervention design Before-After. Healthy school children 7-10 years were selected from schools and de-wormed before the intervention. Serum retinol and hemoglobin was measured at baseline and at 3 months after. Fortified oil was made available through distribution at shops and accompanied with social marketing. Eventhough overall there was no change in VAD prevalence, the VAD prevalence is lower among children who consumedfortified oil ³12 weeks (26.6%) compared to those who consumed <12 weeks (42%). Prevalence of anemia decreased from 21.8% to 11.6%. We recommended that fortified oil is made mandatory.Key words: Vitamin A deficiency, school children, fortified oil

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Re-Defining the Population-Specific Cut-Off Mark for Vitamin A Deficiency in Pre-School Children of Malawi

Nutrients ◽

10.3390/nu13030849 ◽

2021 ◽

Vol 13 (3) ◽

pp. 849

Author(s):

Blessings H. Likoswe ◽

Edward J. M. Joy ◽

Fanny Sandalinas ◽

Suzanne Filteau ◽

Kenneth Maleta ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Vitamin A ◽

School Children ◽

Vitamin A Deficiency ◽

Threshold Concentration ◽

The Body ◽

Retinol Binding Protein ◽

World Health ◽

Target Tissue ◽

Serum Retinol ◽

Health Organization

Retinol Binding Protein (RBP) is responsible for the transport of serum retinol (SR) to target tissue in the body. Since RBP is relatively easy and cheap to measure, it is widely used in national Micronutrient Surveys (MNS) as a proxy for SR to determine vitamin A status. By regressing RBP concentration against SR concentration measured in a subset of the survey population, one can define a population-specific threshold concentration of RBP that indicates vitamin A deficiency (VAD). However, the relationship between RBP and SR concentrations is affected by various factors including inflammation. This study, therefore, aimed to re-define the population-specific cut-off for VAD by examining the influence of inflammation on RBP and SR, among pre-school children (PSC) from the 2015–16 Malawi MNS. The initial association between RBP and SR concentrations was poor, and this remained the case despite applying various methods to correct for inflammation. The World Health Organization (WHO) recommends the threshold of 0.7 µmol/L to define VAD for SR concentrations. Applying this threshold to the RBP concentrations gave a VAD prevalence of 24%, which reduced to 10% after inflammation adjustments following methods developed by the Biomarkers Reflecting Inflammation and Nutritional Determinants of Anemia (BRINDA). Further research is required to identify why SR and RBP were poorly associated in this population. Future MNS will need to account for the effect of inflammation on RBP to measure the prevalence of VAD in Malawi.

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The Dispossessed of Necropolitics on the San Diego-Tijuana Border

Social Sciences ◽

10.3390/socsci9060091 ◽

2020 ◽

Vol 9 (6) ◽

pp. 91 ◽

Cited By ~ 1

Author(s):

Gustavo Aviña Cerecer

Keyword(s):

United States ◽

Latin American ◽

San Diego ◽

The United States ◽

The Body ◽

Latin American Studies ◽

Political Discourses ◽

Mexico Border ◽

Hard Drugs ◽

United States Mexico

This article presents results of a first-hand investigation that took a year of ethnographic work (methods of observation and interviews) during 2016–2017, with the post-structural theoretical framework of Gilles Deleuze, on the United States–Mexico border, in the San Diego-Tijuana corridor. The Center for Iberian and Latin American Studies of the University of California San Diego, PREVENCASA A. C., and Universidad Autónoma de San Luis Potosi supported this research. In this research, statistical data, observations, and synthesis of in-depth interviews were utilized about those defined as the ‘dispossessed’: users of hard drugs, and/or in homelessness conditions of discrimination in a highly contrasting border such as that of the United States and Mexico. Among the main results are the relations between mental and embodiment limits, necropolitics and territory, as well as the approach of post-structural political discourses about the body and mind that allow us to understand the subjectivities in question, proposing two types of homelessness.

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