Apolipoprotein E4 influences growth and cognitive responses to micronutrient supplementation in shantytown children from northeast Brazil

OBJECTIVE: Apolipoprotein E4 may benefit children during early periods of life when the body is challenged by infection and nutritional decline. We examined whether apolipoprotein E4 affects intestinal barrier function, improving short-term growth and long-term cognitive outcomes in Brazilian shantytown children. METHODS: A total of 213 Brazilian shantytown children with below-median height-for-age z-scores (HAZ) received 200,000 IU of retinol (every four months), zinc (40 mg twice weekly), or both for one year, with half of each group receiving glutamine supplementation for 10 days. Height-for-age z-scores, weight-for-age z-scores, weight-forheight z-scores, and lactulose:mannitol ratios were assessed during the initial four months of treatment. An average of four years (range 1.4-6.6) later, the children underwent cognitive testing to evaluate non-verbal intelligence, coding, verbal fluency, verbal learning, and delayed verbal learning. Apolipoprotein E4 carriage was determined by PCR analysis for 144 children. RESULTS: Thirty-seven children were apolipoprotein E4(+), with an allele frequency of 13.9 percent. Significant associations were found for vitamin A and glutamine with intestinal barrier function. Apolipoprotein E4(+) children receiving glutamine presented significant positive Pearson correlations between the change in height-for-age z-scores over four months and delayed verbal learning, along with correlated changes over the same period in weight-for-age z-scores and weight-for-height z-scores associated with non-verbal intelligence quotients. There was a significant correlation between vitamin A supplementation of apolipoprotein E4(+) children and improved delta lactulose/mannitol. Apolipoprotein E4(-) children, regardless of intervention, exhibited negative Pearson correlations between the change in lactulose-to-mannitol ratio over four months and verbal learning and non-verbal intelligence. CONCLUSIONS: During development, apolipoprotein E4 may function concomitantly with gut-tropic nutrients to benefit immediate nutritional status, which can translate into better long-term cognitive outcomes.

Gene chip analyses reveal differential genetic responses to iron deficiency in rat duodenum and jejunum

Previous studies revealed novel genetic changes in the duodenal mucosa of iron-deprived rats during post-natal development. These observations are now extended to compare the genetic response to iron deficiency in the duodenum versus jejunum of 12-wk-old rats. cRNA samples were prepared from the duodenal and jejunal mucosa of three groups each of control and iron-deficient rats and hybridized with RAE 230A and 230B gene chips (Affymetrix). Stringent data reduction strategies were employed. Results showed that several genes were similarly induced in both gut segments, including DMT1, Dcytb, transferrin receptor 1, heme oxygenase 1, metallothionein, the Menkes copper ATPase (ATP7A), tripartitie motif protein 27, and the sodium-dependent vitamin C transporter. However, a subset of genes showed regulation in only one or the other gut segment. In duodenum only, gastrokine 1, trefoil factor 1 and claudin 2 were induced by iron-deficiency. Other genes previously identified were only regulated in the duodenum. Overall, these studies demonstrate similarities and distinct differences in the genetic response to iron deprivation in the duodenum versus jejunum and provide evidence that more distal gut segments also may play a role in increasing iron absorption in iron-deficiency anemia.