Normalization of nutritional status by various levels of vitamin E supplementation during murine AIDS

Female C57BL/6 mice were infected with LP-BM5 retrovirus, causing murine AIDS which is functionally similar to human AIDS. Dietary supplementation, with a 15-, 150- and 450-fold increase of vitamin E in a liquid diet (National Council Research), significantly restored serum and haptic vitamin A and E which had been reduced by retrovirus infection. They also significantly restored hepatic copper, which had been reduced by retrovirus infection, whereas only 150- and 450-fold vitamin E improved hepatic zinc level. Vitamin E supplementation at all levels had no effects on hepatic zinc and copper levels in normal mice, whereas they significantly increased serum and hepatic vitamin A and E concentrations. Vitamin E supplementation at all levels significantly increased intestinal vitamin A and E levels during murine AIDS, whereas only intestinal vitamin E levels was altered by various levels of vitamin E supplementation. Interestingly, vitamin E supplementation had no effect on intestinal copper level, whereas they significantly increased intestinal zinc level in the normal mice and only 450-fold vitamin E supplementation significantly elevated intestinal level of zinc. These data indicate that dietary vitamin E supplementation at extremely high levels was not toxic, can improve undernutrition initiated by retrovirus infection during progression to murine AIDS, which should favorably affect immune response.