Frontiers in Endocrinology (Feb 2021)

Vitamin A and Its Multi-Effects on Pancreas: Recent Advances and Prospects

  • Yunting Zhou,
  • Huiying Wang,
  • Junming Zhou,
  • Shanhu Qiu,
  • Shanhu Qiu,
  • Tingting Cai,
  • Huiqin Li,
  • Ziyang Shen,
  • Yun Hu,
  • Bo Ding,
  • Menghui Luo,
  • Rong Huang,
  • Rengna Yan,
  • Wei Xu,
  • Cong He,
  • Yumin Zhang,
  • Fengfei Li,
  • Zilin Sun,
  • Jianhua Ma

DOI
https://doi.org/10.3389/fendo.2021.620941
Journal volume & issue
Vol. 12

Abstract

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Vitamin A (VA), which is stored in several forms in most tissues, is required to maintain metabolite homeostasis and other processes, including the visual cycle, energy balance, epithelial cell integrity, and infection resistance. In recent years, VA molecules, also known as retinoids, have been extensively explored and used in the treatment of skin disorders and immune-related tumors. To date, several observational and interventional studies have explored the relationship between VA status and the pathogenesis of diabetes. In particular, VA micronutrients have been shown to regulate pancreatic development, β-cell function, pancreatic innate immune responses, and pancreatic stellate cells phenotypes through multiple mechanisms. However, there are still many problems to be proven or resolved. In this review, we summarize and discuss recent and available evidence on VA biological metabolism in the pancreas. Analysis of the effects of VA on metabolism in the pancreas will contribute to our understanding of the supportive physiological roles of VA in pancreas protection.

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