Tabriz University of Medical Sciences Medical Journal of Tabriz University of Medical Sciences 2783-2031 27 3 2005 10 23 Effect of Vitamin a on Lavash Iron Bioavnailability in Caco-2 Model 35 39 EN Seyed Vali Razavieah BAHRAM POURGASSEM GARGARI Soltanali Mahboob Behrooz Nik Nafs Hussein KOSHAWAR Journal Article 2013 07 02 Background and Objectives: Iron and vitamin A deficiencies are among the most prevalent nutritional problems in the world and our country. Vitamin A and iron interaction is a well established issue, but mechanism or mechanisms are not well recognized. One cause for this interaction is probably in absorption stage of iron. Bread is consumed widely in our country; therefore we decided to determine Lavash iron bioavailability and effect of vitamin A on this bioavailability. Materials and Methods: The study was an In vitro model by using from Caco-2 cells. Bread sample was digested under conditions similar to gastrointestinal tract. Cells were cultured on the collagenated membranes in middle of chambers in 6 well plates. After complete cell confluence, iron absorption was measured in digested bread sample containing vitamin A-1000 µg/100 gr- (A+) or without vitamin A (A-) by using from 59Fecl3.Bioavailability defined as: percentage of radio labeled iron which has up taken and transfformed by Caco-2 cells. Results: Mean and standard deviation of iron bioavailability in A-(n=23) and A+ (n=22) groups were: 2.73±1.71% and 6.62±3.40%, respectively (P<0.00).Confidence interval with 95% for iron bioavailability from two breads were: 1.99-3.47 and 5.2-8.04, respectively. Vitamin A caused significant increase (2.4 times) in iron absorption. Conclusion: Iron in Lavash bread has very low bioavailability, but can be increased by vitamin A in Caco-2 cells.Similarities between our results with In vivo studies shows that Caco-2 model can be used as a useful model in nutritional studies.