Effects of leucine/isoleucine ratio in amino acid mixture-diets simulating normal and high-lysine maize proteins on growth, nitrogen balance, and tryptophan-niacin metabolism in rats

To re-evaluate nutritive values of opaque-2 (o2) and brittle-2 opaque-2 (bt2o2) maize protein and to re-estimate Gopalan's hypothesis [Lancet, i, 954-957 (1960)] that pathogenesis of pellagra might be related with intake of excess leucine and with chronic consumption of maize or jowar which contains relative high leucine, rats were fed on synthetic diets composed of amino acid mixtures simulating the protein of normal and high-lysine maize, o2 and bt2o2 maize. In order to investigate the effect of intake of excess leucine, leucine was supplemented to o2 and bt2o2 diet at the level of 0.43 and 0.73%, respectively, to adjust the ratio of leucine to isoleucine to that of normal maize protein. Judging from body weight gains and carcass nitrogen of weanling rats fed on these diets, the protein quality (amino acid composition) of bt2o2 maize was 30% superior nutritionally to that of o2 maize, and body composition of bt2o2 diet group were similar to that of casein diet group. Leucine supplementation did not affect these values except for a significant decrease in plasma valine levels. In young adult rats fed on leucine supplemented o2 diet, excretion of urinary nitrogen increased significantly compared with o2 diet alone, suggesting that a slight amino acid imbalance took place. But leucine supplementation altered neither N1-methylnicotinamide level in urine nor total niacin levels in the liver and the brain. These results suggest that supplementation of leucine to a high lysine maize diet did not affect tryptophan and niacin metabolism in rats under these conditions.     

Increased conversion ratio of tryptophan to niacin by dietary di-n-butylphthalate

We reported that the growth promoting activity of di-n-butylphthalate (DBP) was observed when rats were fed with a niacin-free and tryptophan-limiting diet (Shibata et al.. 1982. J Nutr Sci Vitaminol 28, 173-177). The present experiment was performed to investigate whether this phenomenon is attributable to the increase in the conversion ratio of tryptophan to niacin. The weaning rats were fed with a 10% (low protein diet) or 20% protein (conventional protein diet) diet with or without adding 1% DBP. The conversion ratio of tryptophan to niacin was significantly higher in the DBP group than in the control group; for 10% casein diets, it increased two-fold and for 20% casein diet, about five-fold. From these results, the previous finding is possibly explained by DBP increasing the conversion ratio of tryptophan to niacin.     

Effect of carbohydrates on lead absorption and retention in weanling rats

This study was designed to determine the effect of corn starch, lactose, and sucrose on lead (Pb) absorption and retention in rat tissues and organs. Seventy weanling Wistar male rats were assigned to the following five treatment groups: Group 1, 31.2% sucrose + 29.3% starch; Group 2, 31.2% lactose + 29.3% starch; Group 3, 60% corn starch (control); Group 4, 52.1% sucrose + 8.4% starch; Group 5, 52.1% lactose + 8.4% starch. All diets were supplemented with 200 ppm lead nitrate. The animals were fed the experimental diets for 8 weeks after which they were sacrificed. Analysis of lead in whole blood, bone (tibia and femur), carcass ash, and gut (alimentary canal) was done by atomic absorption spectrophotometric (AAS) technique. Results indicated that lactose in the diet caused increased lead retention by these tissues. Pb concentration was highest in blood (500% of the control) and bone (433% of control) of animals fed the Group 5 diet with the second highest level for the tissues of rats fed the Group 2 diet. Rats fed the high lactose diet showed the lowest weight gain and those fed the low sucrose diet showed the highest weight gain. The sucrose diets caused increased Pb in bone. In rats fed the sucrose diets, the Pb content of feces was greater than the value in rats fed the corn starch diet. The results of this study show that lactose has a higher stimulatory effect on Pb retention than sucrose.     

碱式氯化铜对平养肉鸡生长性能、饲粮中维生素E和植酸酶稳定性的影响

目的研究饲粮中添加硫酸铜(CuSO4)和碱式氯化铜(tribasic Cu chloride,TBCC)对平养肉仔鸡生长性能、饲粮中维生素E和植酸酶的氧化稳定性及铜(Cu)的混合均匀度的影响。方法试验采用2×4因子的完全随机设计,把840只1日龄AA肉公鸡随机分为7个处理组,每组6个重复,每个重复20只。分别饲喂玉米-豆粕型基础饲粮(含Cu10.20mg/kg)和在基础饲粮基础上分别以CuSO4和TBCC形式添加100、150和200mg/kgCu的饲粮。试验期21d。结果添加200mg/kgCu的TBCC组鸡的日增重显著高于其余各组;添加100mg/kgCu的TBCC组鸡的肝脏和血浆VE含量显著高于CuSO4组,TBCC组饲粮中VE含量明显高于CuSO4组;TBCC组饲粮中植酸酶活性有高于CuSO4组的趋势;TBCC组鸡肝脏中Cu含量低于CuSO4组;TBCC组饲粮中Cu的混合均匀度好于CuSO4处理组。结论饲粮添加TBCC比CuSO4更能有效促进平养肉仔鸡的生长,更能减少饲粮中VE的氧化,生物安全性明显高于CuSO4。     

Identification of volatile sulfur derivatives released from feathers of chicks fed diets with various levels of sulfur-containing amino acids

Physical changes are observed in the feathers of chickens fed diets with high levels of methionine or cysteine. Chicks were fed diets chemically analyzed to contain 21% crude protein, 0.35% methionine and 0.37% cystine (basal) supplemented with DL-methionine [0.063 (control), 0.25 or 1.45%] or L-cysteine (0.203%). At 3 wk of age, the birds were weighed and the feathers scored for softness. Feather strength (i.e., force-displacement curves) was determined on feathers from the pectoral tract. A significant (P less than 0.05) reduction in body weight and an increase in feather softness were seen when chicks fed the control diet and those fed the diet with 1.45% added methionine were compared. Chicks fed the diet supplemented with 0.203% L-cysteine produced the strongest feathers; those fed diets supplemented with 1.45% DL-methionine produced the weakest feathers. Volatile sulfur compounds released from the feathers were trapped as dinitrophenyl (DNP) thioethers and were analyzed by thin-layer chromatography, high pressure liquid chromatography and mass spectrometry. More bound sulfide (P less than 0.05) was recovered from feathers of chickens fed the diet supplemented with 1.45% methionine than from feathers of chickens fed the other diets. The feather softness score was correlated (r = 0.5; P less than 0.05) with bound sulfide. Thus, consumption of a diet with a level of methionine that is approximately three times the requirement resulted in decreased growth, elevated sulfide bound to the feathers and soft, weak feathers.     

Preliminary study: voluntary food intake in dogs during tryptophan supplementation

Tryptophan, a precursor of important molecules such as serotonin, melatonin and niacin, is an essential amino acid for dogs. In pigs, tryptophan supplementation has been shown to induce a significant increase in food intake. The aim of the present study was to assess whether long-term tryptophan supplementation increases voluntary food intake in dogs and to observe whether this was accompanied by a change in serum ghrelin. In the present study, sixteen adult Beagle dogs were used, with four male and four female dogs fed diets supplemented with tryptophan (1 g/dog per d) during 81 d (Trp) and four male and four female dogs that were not supplemented (control). A voluntary food intake test was performed during 5 d following the supplementation period. The Trp group tended to show a higher food intake during the voluntary food intake test (58.0 (SE 5.37) v. 77.5 (SE 3.65) g/kg metabolic weight per d; P = 0.074). No significant differences were found for serum ghrelin concentrations.     

Liquid concentrates are lower in bioavailable tryptophan than powdered infant formulas, and tryptophan supplementation of formulas increases brain tryptophan and serotonin in rats.

The bioavailability of tryptophan in powdered and/or liquid concentrate forms of milk-based infant formulas was determined by studying rat growth response by using a slope ratio method (food conversion efficiency: weight gain/food consumed vs. tryptophan consumed). A gelatin basal diet formulated to be adequate in all nutrients, except tryptophan (0.03%), for rat growth was supplemented with graded levels of crystalline L-tryptophan (0.02, 0. 04, 0.06, 0.08, 0.10, 0.12 and 0.14%, standard diets) or infant formulas providing 0.04 and 0.08% supplemental tryptophan (test diets). These diets were fed to weanling rats for 2 wk. Tryptophan bioavailabilities of various formulas varied from 83 to 95%, with some of the liquid concentrates having the lowest values. The levels of bioavailable tryptophan in the liquid concentrate forms (9.7-12.6 mg/g protein) and the powdered forms (11.1-13.1 mg/g protein) were considerably lower than those of human milk (17-19 mg/g protein). Supplementation of the liquid concentrates with graded levels of L-tryptophan (0.1, 0.5 and 1.0%) had no effect on protein quality indices, based on rat growth, but resulted in a dose-related increase in the concentrations of tryptophan in the plasma and brain and of serotonin and 5-hydroxyindole-3-acetic acid in the brains of rats. This study supports further research to investigate the influence of tryptophan supplementation of infant formulas, to more closely simulate tryptophan composition of human milk, on tryptophan metabolites and their potential related effects on sleep latency and neurobehavioral developments in infants.     

Effect of a mixture of conjugated linoleic acid isomers on growth performance and antibody production in broiler chicks

The effect of dietary conjugated linoleic acid (CLA) isomers mixture on antibody titres against sheep blood erythrocytes (SRBC) and immunoglobulin (Ig) G concentration in plasma was studied in broiler chickens. In experiment 1, male and female broiler chicks (11 d of age, Cobb strain) were fed a diet supplemented with 10 g CLA or 10 g safflower-seed oil/kg diet for 2 weeks. An SRBC suspension (5:100, v/v) in a phosphate buffer was intravenously injected at 18 d of age and a blood sample was taken from the wing vein at 25 d of age. Chicks fed the CLA-supplemented diet had enhanced first antibody titres in plasma to SRBC as compared with those fed the safflower-seed oil-supplemented diet, irrespective of sex differences. In experiment 2, male broiler chicks (8 d of age, Ross strain) were fed a basal diet or a diet containing 10 g CLA/kg diet for 3 weeks. CLA in the CLA diet partially replaced the soyabean oil in the basal diet. The SRBC suspension was intravenously injected at 15 and 25 d of age and a blood sample was obtained at 21 and 29 d of age. The first antibody titres against SRBC were higher in chicks fed the CLA diet than those in chicks fed the basal diet, but the second titres were not. Plasma IgG concentrations in chicks fed the CLA diet were higher than those in chicks fed the basal diet on both sampling days. The results showed that dietary CLA enhanced antibody production in broiler chickens.     

Excretion of tryptophan-niacin metabolites by young men: effects of tryptophan, leucine, and vitamin B6 intakes

Three human metabolic studies, each 35 days in length, were performed to investigate the relationship between tryptophan intake and the proportion of dietary tryptophan converted to niacin and the effect of supplements of L-leucine and vitamin B6 on this conversion. Nine college men consumed a basal diet that provided 8 mg of niacin, 1 mg of vitamin B6, and either 245, 548, or 845 mg of tryptophan from proteins per day. During each 35-day study, for one 15-day period basal diet alone was consumed, for another 15-day period basal diet plus 10 g of L-leucine per day was consumed, and for the last 5-day period, 20 mg of vitamin B6 per day was added to the diets of both groups. N1-methylnicotinamide, N1-methyl-2-pyridone-5-carboxamide, and quinolinic acid were measured in 24-hr urine samples. There were no significant or consistent effects of L-leucine or vitamin B6 supplements on the excretin of any of the metabolites measured. The proportion of tryptophan converted to niacin tended to increase as tryptophan consumption increased; however, this change was small and was probably not significant over the range of tryptophan intakes studied. The average conversion ration of tryptophan to niacin was approximately 72:1 in these subjects.     

Effect of all-trans retinol and retinoic acid nutriture on the immune system of chicks

The effects of all-trans retinol and retinoic acid (RA) on the humoral and cell-mediated immune response and on lymphoid organ weights of broiler chicks were examined. Chicks were fed diets supplemented with retinol or RA at 0, 0.2 and 2.0 micrograms/g diet. The diets were fed continuously from day of hatch or after depletion of hepatic vitamin A reserves. Rapid vitamin A deficiency was induced in chicks by initially feeding the diet containing 2.0 micrograms RA/g diet and subsequently feeding diets containing 0 or 0.2 microgram RA/g diet. Serum antibody hemagglutination titers, in response to intravenous injection of human serum albumin (HSA), were not affected by level or chemical form of vitamin A supplemented in diets. In vitamin A-deficient chicks, there was an inverse relationship observed between the number of peripheral blood lymphocytes obtained per milliliter of blood and their ability to proliferate in response to mitogenic stimulation. Growth of the bursa of Fabricius and the thymus was impaired in chicks fed a vitamin A-free diet. A partial deficiency of vitamin A adversely affected relative bursa weight but not that of thymus. In general, RA was inferior to retinol in maintenance of lymphoid tissue.     

Barley beta-glucans alter intestinal viscosity and reduce plasma cholesterol concentrations in chicks.

Ninety-six 14-d-old male broiler chicks were divided into three dietary groups and fed a corn-soybean meal diet, a barley diet with beta-glucanase and that diet without beta-glucanase. All diets contained 4 g cholesterol/kg. Average daily body weight gain, plasma total cholesterol concentration, LDL cholesterol concentration and digestibility of lipids and protein were lowest (P < 0.05) in the chicks fed the barley diet without beta-glucanase and highest (P < 0.05) in the chicks fed corn-soybean meal diet. Supplementation of the barley diet with beta-glucanase resulted in greater (P < 0.05) average daily weight gain, plasma total and LDL cholesterol concentrations and digestibility of lipids. Viscosity of small intestinal digesta was greatest in chicks fed barley, lowest in those fed the corn-soybean diet and intermediate in chicks fed enzyme-treated barley. Significant (P < 0.01) negative correlations occurred between viscosity of the small intestinal contents and average daily weight gain, plasma total and LDL cholesterol concentrations, and digestibility of lipids and protein. A lower concentration of insoluble beta-glucans in small intestinal digesta of the chicks fed barley supplemented with beta-glucanase compared with the chicks fed the unsupplemented barley diet reflects hydrolytic activity of the supplemental beta-glucanase in the diet.     

Dietary supplementation of glycine modulates inflammatory response indicators in broiler chickens

Three experiments were conducted to investigate the effect of dietary glycine (Gly) supplementation on inflammatory responses in broiler chicks fed a basal diet using maize and soybean meal as the primary ingredients. Inflammation-related processes following lipopolysaccharide (LPS) injection were examined by analysing plasma concentrations of nitrate plus nitrite (NOx) and ceruloplasmin (Cer) in experiments 1 and 2, or expression of several genes in the spleen and liver including IL-1 beta and -6, TNF-like ligand (TL)1A, inducible NO synthase, interferon (IFN)-gamma and toll-like receptor (TLR) 4 were examined in experiment 3. Growth performance was also determined following immunological stimulation by both LPS and Sephadex injection in experiment 2. In experiment 1, birds fed a diet supplemented with Gly at 10 or 20 g/kg showed lower responses in plasma NOx and Cer than birds fed the diet supplemented with Gly at 0 or 40 g/kg. In experiment 2, a similar effect of Gly supplementation at 10 g/kg on plasma NOx and Cer was observed when chicks were fed either an isonitrogenous diet with Gly or glutamic acid (Glu). Gly-supplemented diet-fed birds showed better growth performance than Glu-supplemented diet-fed birds. The splenic expression of inflammatory response-related genes in birds fed a diet supplemented with Gly at 10 g/kg diet was lower than that of birds fed the basal diet in experiment 3. These results suggest that dietary Gly supplementation modulates the inflammatory response partly through changes in the expression of pro-inflammatory cytokines such as IL-1, IL-6, IFN-gamma and TL1A.     

The effect of dietary vanadium on fatty acid and cholesterol synthesis and turnover in the chick.

Day-old male, broiler type chicks were used to study the effect of 100 ppm dietary vanadium on fatty acid and cholesterol synthesis and turnover in vivo. After feeding the experimental diets for 4 weeks body weight and liver weight of chicks fed 100 ppm vanadium were significantly less than those of the control chicks and liver total lipid and cholesterol tended to be slightly higher than the levels of the control chicks. [1-14C] Acetate was administered intravenously and the specific activities of plasma and liver total lipid, cholesterol and fatty acid were determined at 0.25, 0.50, 1.0, 4.0, 8.0 and 15.0 hours after the injection. Plasma total lipid and cholesterol were significantly higher than the levels in the control chicks. The rate of incorporation of [1-14C]acetate into plasma and liver total lipid, cholesterol and fatty acid was higher in chicks fed vanadium than the control group at any of the time being tested after the injection. There was a significant increase in the hepatic citrate cleavage enzyme activity among chicks fed 100 ppm vanadium, whereas, there was no significant change in acetate thiokinase activity. Turnover rate of plasma total lipid and fatty acid in vanadium fed chicks was lower than the control. The turnover rate of plasma cholesterol determined by administering [4-14C]cholesterol and periodically measuring the specific activity of plasma cholesterol was higher in chicks fed vanadium than in those fed the basal diet.     

Effects of dietary selenium and vitamin E on covalent binding of aflatoxin to chick liver cell macromolecules

Day-old single comb white Leghorn chicks of both sexes maternally depleted in selenium (Se) and vitamin E (VE) were fed a low Se and VE-free semipurified basal diet or that diet supplemented with graded levels of Se (0.2 - 20.0 ppm as Na2SeO3) of VE (100 IU/g as all-rac-alpha-tocopheryl acetate), or both. At 14 days of age, chicks were given 1 mg/kg [3H] aflatoxin B1 (AFB1) i.p. and killed either 2 or 24 hours later. Covalent binding of AFB1 to liver DNA and RNA in chicks fed the basal diet was significantly greater than in chicks supplemented with Se or VE, or both. Phenobarbital treatment prior to administration of AFB1 decreased adduct formation in most groups, and abolished differences in adduct formation due to diet. These results suggest that combined Se-VE deficiency enhances activation or inhibits detoxification of AFB1 in vivo.     

Responses in calcium and phosphorus metabolism and hepatic lipid deposition among estrogenized chicks fed various dietary ingredients

The purpose of this study was to determine whether diet composition would influence calcium and phosphorus metabolism in chicks administered estrogen. At 1 day of age, broiler chicks were fed either a corn-soybean meal diet (CS), or an isoenergetic and isonitrogenous diet containing 5% fish meal, 5% alfalfa meal and 10% torula yeast (FAY). At 21 days equivalent numbers were implanted with one of two lengths of Silastic tubing containing estradiol dipropionate, while the remaining birds served as nonimplanted controls. Significant increases were observed in liver weight, liver lipid, plasma total calcium and inorganic phosphate in chicks that were implanted, while concomitant declines were seen in body weight. Implanted chicks fed the CS diet had significantly higher liver weight, liver lipid, plasma phosphorus and plasma calcium and lower tibial bone ash than those fed the FAY diet. Furthermore, liver lipid values were very highly correlated with plasma phosphorus and calcium. In an identical study with slower growing White Leghorn chicks, the same trends were observed but were less well defined. These data show that the inclusion of certain ingredients into corn-soybean diets balanced for the major nutrients affects the response of chicks to estrogenization. Liver lipid deposition, calcium and phosphorus metabolism are all subject to diet and estrogen interactions.     

Involvement of food intake in the lysine-arginine antagonism in chicks.

Studies were conducted to evaluate the involvement of food intake in the lysine-arginine antagonism. Diets were formulated to compensate for the metabolic consequences of excess dietary lysine; induction of renal arginase activity, depression of heptic glycine transamidinase, and urinary losses of arginine. This was accomplished by inclusion of creatine in the basal diet, use of a moderate excess of lysine that did not increase urinary arginine excretion, and addition of the arginase depressors, alpha-aminoisobutyric acid (AIB) and L-threonine, to diets containing excess lysine. When chicks were fed diets containing excess lysine ad libitum, growth and efficiency of arginine retention were reduced. Supplementation of the diets with AIB and threonine markedly reduced the growth depression and restored efficiency of arginine utilization. When chicks were force-fed the diet containing excess lysine, growth was depressed, and body composition was altered. Inclusion of AIB and threonine in the diet containing excess lysine resulted in growth and body composition equivalent to levels of force-fed controls. In a second experiment the basal diet and basal supplemented with AIB and threonine were pair-fed to lysine-supplemented diets containing AIB and threonine. Body weight gains and body composition of all groups were similar. In other experiments, food intake increased within 24 hours (P less than 0.05) and probably within 12 hours (P less than 0.10) after removal of excess lysine from the diet. It is concluded that a portion of the lysine-arginine antagonism is due to a primary effect of lysine on regulation of food intake.     

膳食维生素B_6对硒的生物利用率影响的研究 Ⅰ．对补硒大鼠组织硒含量的影响

研究膳食维生素Ｂ６（ＶＢ６）对大鼠组织中硒水平的影响。喂饲４周龄断乳雄性大鼠缺ＶＢ６缺硒的酪蛋白蔗糖基础膳食，２周后按体重把动物分成１０组。实验是２×２×２析因设计，２个水平ＶＢ６（每克膳食含０和２．５０μｇ盐酸吡哆醇），２种形式硒（亚硒酸钠和ＤＬ－硒蛋氨酸），２个硒水平（每公斤膳食含０．５和５．０ｍｇ硒），加上２个缺硒组（缺ＶＢ６和补ＶＢ６）。实验期为４周。结果在饲硒蛋氨酸的缺ＶＢ６组，血浆硒水平高于对应的补ＶＢ６组，但是缺ＶＢ６各组的红细胞中硒含量均显著低于补ＶＢ６各组。缺ＶＢ６时，饲亚硒酸钠动物的骨骼肌和心肌中硒水平均显著低于补ＶＢ６的动物；饲硒蛋氨酸大鼠的骨骼肌、心肌、脾、肝和肾脏中硒含量均显著高于补ＶＢ６组。提示ＶＢ６参与了硒在体内的转运以及硒蛋氨酸在肝脏中的代谢过程。     

Effects of a dietary excess of leucine and of the addition of leucine and 2-oxo-isocaproate on the metabolism of tryptophan and niacin in isolated rat liver cells

1. Feeding rats on a low-tryptophan, niacin-free, high-leucine diet resulted in impaired synthesis from tryptophan of the nicotinamide nucleotide coenzymes, NAD and NADP, and N1-methyl nicotinamide in isolated hepatocytes, compared with cells from animals fed on a low-tryptophan, niacin-free control diet providing an appropriate amount of leucine. This was accompanied by reduced accumulation of the tryptophan metabolites kynurenine, 3-hydroxykynurenine and xanthurenic acid. 2. With hepatocytes from animals fed on the low-tryptophan, niacin-free control diet, the addition of leucine to the incubation medium resulted in reduced synthesis of niacin from tryptophan, and a small increase in the accumulation of 3-hydroxykynurenine. 3. With hepatocytes from animals fed on the low-tryptophan, niacin-free control diet, the addition of 2-oxoisocaproate to the incubation medium resulted in increased synthesis of NAD(P) and niacin, and increased accumulation of 3-hydroxykynurenine. 4. The results suggest that a dietary excess of leucine alters the activity of the enzymes of tryptophan----niacin metabolism, or the uptake of tryptophan into the liver, in a different manner from the simple inhibition and activation seen in experiments in vitro. 5. Differences between studies in isolated hepatocytes and intact animals suggest that extra-hepatic metabolism of tryptophan, catalysed by indoleamine dioxygenase, is more important than has been believed hitherto.     

Dietary protein concentration regulates the mRNA expression of chicken hepatic malic enzyme

Chicken hepatic malic enzyme activity varies with dietary protein content. The mechanisms responsible for this alteration in activity are unclear. In a series of four experiments, broiler chicks were allowed free access for 1.5, 3, 6 or 24 h to a low (13 g/100 g diet), basal (22 g/100 g diet) or high (40 g/100 g diet) protein diet. The diets were isocaloric and had equal concentrations of dietary fat. Hepatic malic enzyme mRNA expression and enzyme activity as well as total liver lipid concentration were examined for each experimental duration. There were no differences in the expression of the mRNA for malic enzyme at 1.5 h, but at 3, 6 and 24 h, malic enzyme mRNA expression was significantly (P < 0.05) reduced in chicks fed the high protein diet and significantly enhanced in chicks fed the low protein diet compared with chicks fed the basal diet. Hepatic malic enzyme activities and total lipid concentration were not different among the chicks fed the different diets at 1.5 and 3 h. At 6 and 24 h, malic enzyme activity and total liver lipid concentration were both significantly greater in birds fed the low protein diet compared with levels in the birds fed the other two diets. In birds fed the high protein diet, malic enzyme activity and total liver lipid concentration were significantly reduced at 24 h compared with birds fed the basal diet. In a final experiment, the observed differences in malic enzyme mRNA expression at 6 h were confirmed when chicks were given access to isocaloric diets with the same protein levels as the initial 4 experiments, but with the dietary concentration of carbohydrate held constant. The results suggest that previously observed alterations in the activity of malic enzyme, which were correlated with dietary protein intake, are due to rapid changes in the mRNA expression of this enzyme.     

Effect of amino acid supplementation to low protein diet on brain and plasma levels of tryptophan and brain 5-hydroxyindoles in rats

The contribution of amino acid transport across the blood-brain barrier toward the concentration of brain 5-hydroxyindoles [serotonin and 5-hydroxyindole acetic acid (5HIAA)] was investigated. Several amino acids were individually supplemented to a 5% whole egg protein diet. Close correlation between serum tryptophan, brain tryptophan and 5-hydroxyindoles were observed regardless of diet fed. When a large neutral amino acid (LNAA such as methionine, threonine, leucine or phenylalanine) was added to the control diet, brain 5-hydroxyindole concentration was lower than when the control diet was fed; however, when tryptophan was added, brain 5-hydroxyindole concentration was significantly higher. Lysine supplementation did not affect brain 5-hydroxyindole concentration. Leucine supplementation caused a lower tyrosine concentration in hypothalamus than the control diet, but phenylalanine supplementation caused higher hypothalamus level of tyrosine. There was no correlation between tyrosine and norepinephrine concentrations in hypothalamus (norepinephrine turnover might also be changed by the nutritional state). These observations indicate that the supplementation of an amino acid at two- or fourfold of the requirement to a low protein diet can generate major changes in the concentrations of neurotransmitters in rats.