Liver transglutaminases and vitamin-A deficiency in hairless mice.

In hairless mice, a moderate vitamin-A deficiency, without any clinical signs or weight changes, reduces the activity of soluble cytoplasmic hepatic transglutaminase without affecting the membrame form of the enzyme. This attack of soluble transglutaminase appears to be a biological marker of early deficiency. The relations between this disturbance and the hepatocyte sensitivity to aggressors at this stage are discussed.