出版社:Japanese Society of Nutrition and Food Science
摘要:This review summarizes our work on some aspects of amino acid and protein metabolism in B6-deficient rats. 1. Functions of B6 enzymes of mitochondrial origin, especially aspartate and ornithine transaminases, were studied. The former enzyme was shown to produce aspartate from glutamate efficiently by coupling with TCA cycle. The latter enzyme catalyzed an efficient conversion of α-ketoglutarate, a member of TCA cycle, to glutamate. 2. In rat liver some B6 enzymes predominantly exist as holoenzymes while others exist as apoenzymes to a considerable degree. The changes of absolute amounts as well as apo/holo ratios of representative B6 enzymes in B6 deficiency were studied. 3. Severity of B6 deficiency in the rats fed 70% or 10% casein diet was compared. Severe deficiency was observed in the rats fed 70% casein diet as evidenced by a retardation of growth, and decreases in pyridoxal content and enzyme activities in the livers. 4. Metabolic disorders were studied in the rat fed the 70% casein B6-deficient diet. a. In B6 deficient rats, the changes of hepatic enzyme activities did not necessarily reflect the degrees of impairment of amino acid metabolism. In the deficient animals, metabolism of glycine, serine, threonine and some members of urea cycle was markedly impaired. b. Fatty liver was induced in the deficient rats as a result of accumulation of triglyceride and cholesterol ester.