Influence of Experimental Dietary Conditions on Hepatic Enzymes of Glutamic Acid Metabolism in Rats

The erythrocyte enzymes of glutamic acid metabolism (glutaminase I, glutaminase II, glutamic acid decarboxylase, glutamine synthetase, and transaminases) and related amino acids (glutamine, glutamic acid, aspartic acid, alanine, and gamma-aminobutyric acid) were estimated in 69 children with protein-energy malnutrition, 13 with nephrosis, and 10 with Indian childhood cirrhosis. Twenty-one apparently healthy children served as controls. There was a significant increase in the activities of erythrocytic glutaminase I, glutaminase II, glutamic acid decarboxylase, and glutamine synthetase in all the three hypoproteinemic states, while the activities of the transaminases showed a decrease in all the conditions. The concentrations of all the amino acids were significantly increased in both the varieties of protein-energy malnutrition (edematous and nonedematous). In nephrosis and Indian childhood cirrhosis, aspartic acid, alanine, and gamma-aminobutyric acid showed a significant rise. The concentration of glutamic acid was also significantly increased in nephrosis. The observations of the present study suggest an increase in intracellular production of glutamic acid in hypoproteinemia.

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Alteration of Higher Order Structure of Rat Liver Chromatin by Dietary Composition

Castro

Sevall

1980

The Journal of Nutrition

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The higher order structure of rat liver chromatin from nuclei of animals fed stock or semi-synthetic diets for 5 days was investigated by a specific enzymatic probe, micrococcal nuclease (EC 3.1.4.7). Micrococcal nuclease digests 50% of DNA in eukaryotic chromatin into acid-soluble nucleotides while 50% of the DNA is resistant to digestion because of associated nucleoproteins. This selective digestion of DNA reflects higher orders of structure of the universal chromatin subunit, the nucleosome, found in lower eukaryotes, plants and animals. When rats were fed a commercial stock diet, 50.3% of the DNA in liver chromatin was digested by micrococcal nuclease. However, when rats were fed various semi-synthetic diets, the amount of DNA susceptible to micrococcal nuclease digestion varied as a function of diet (P less than 0.0001). Differences in the amount of DNA susceptible to micrococcal nuclease ranged from 71.4% for chromatin of rats fed a high carbohydrate/fat-free diet to 38.8% for chromatin of those fed a low carbohydrate/protein-free diet. DNA fragments generated by brief micrococcal nuclease digestion were analyzed by electrophoresis on 2.5% polyacrylamide--0.5% agarose gels. Chromatin from rats fed the high carbohydrate/fat-free diet was more rapidly digested to the monomer nucleosomin-free diet. To our knowledge, these diet-induced alterations in the higher order structure of chromatin are the first to be reported as occurring by in vivo modulation.

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Influence of Experimental Dietary Conditions on Hepatic Enzymes of Glutamic Acid Metabolism in Rats

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Place des compléments alimentaires dans la prise en charge de la dénutrition en EHPAD : enquête de prévalence un jour donné

Erythrocytic enzymes and amino acids related to glutamic acid metabolism in childhood hypoproteinemic states

Alteration of Higher Order Structure of Rat Liver Chromatin by Dietary Composition

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