Strain Differences in Testes Degeneration, Myopathy, and the Lymphocyte Mitogen Response in Vitamin E-Deficient Rats

Abstract

The differences in sensitivity to vitamin E deficiency were examined in two genetically related inbred strains of rat, the spontaneously hypertensive rat and its genetic ancestor, the Wistar-Kyoto rat, as well as in the outbred Sprague-Dawley strain. The three strains showed differences in growth rate, myopathy, testes degeneration, and immunological responses in response to vitamin E deficiency with the spontaneously hypertensive rat showing the greatest sensitivity to the deficiency.