Dietary β-carotene is taken up by blood plasma and leukocytes in dogs

Abstract

β-Carotene uptake by blood plasma and leukocytes was studied in mature beagle dogs. In expt. 1, dogs were fed once orally with 0, 50, 100 or 200 mg of β-carotene and their blood was sampled at 0, 1.5, 3, 6, 10, 18 and 24 h. Plasma β-carotene concentrations increased dose-dependently to peak at 6 h postfeeding. Concentrations decreased rapidly thereafter, showing a half-life of 3 to 4 h. In expt. 2, dogs were given daily doses for seven consecutive days with 0, 12.5, 25, 50 or 100 mg β-carotene. Plasma β-carotene concentrations increased dose-dependently; concentrations after the last dose were two- to fourfold higher than after the first dose. In expt. 3, dogs were fed 0, 50 or 100 mg β-carotene daily for 30 d. β-Carotene was elevated in lymphocytes and neutrophils in supplemented dogs. Furthermore, β-carotene was taken up by the cytosol, mitochondria, microsomes (lymphocytes and neutrophils) and nuclei (lymphocytes only), proving that dogs can absorb β- carotene. β-Carotene is taken up by subcellular organelles of blood lymphocytes and neutrophils and in the plasma and leukocytes β-carotene may have physiological importance as it relates to immunity in dogs. Uptake kinetics indicated that dogs are not an appropriate animal model for studying β-carotene absorption and metabolism in humans.