Effect of inulin and oligofructose enrichment of the diet on rats suffering thiamine deficiency.

Thiamine deficiency resulted in inhibition of two main pathways supplying energy to the tissues: glycolysis and ß-oxidation. Glycolysis was found to be inhibited to 40% of initial value calculated on the basis of RBC trans-membrane transport of glucose. Prolongation of experiment cause lowering of uptake of this sugar. In rats, energy production from fatty acids (FA) seems to be less sensitive to thiamine deficiency than glycolysis. After 30 days of feeding, utilization of FA in rats was depressed to the 61% of initial value. Thiamine deficiency suppressed insulin secretion, and the changes were statistically significant. Feeding of rats with thiamine restricted diet for 1 month caused the reduction of serum insulin by 14%. In the same animals, trans-membrane glucose transport was reduced over two-times, what might suggest a decreased efficiency of insulin action in such conditions. The kind and concentration of non-digestible fructo-oligosaccharides (FOS) did not affect significantly serum insulin concentration in animals fed thiamine restricted diet. Substitution of a part of wheat starch with FOS has only insignificant compensatory effect on the uptake of glucose. A partial amelioration of the ß-oxidation inhibition caused by feeding rats with thiamine deficient diet was observed in animals supplemented with FOS. However, this effect was statistically significant only in rats receiving diet containing 10% of inulin. The effect of supplemented FOS and their concentration on trans-membrane glucose transport in RBC was statistically significant, when pulled supplementation groups were used for statistical evaluation.

The background of beta-oxidation disorders in humans. I. Theory.

Disorders in energetical processes are described from the point of view of energy production and the possibility of substitution of substrates for ATP synthesis. The effects of other diet components such as microelements (Cr3+ ions) and non-digestible oligofructans (inulin and oligofructose) as stimulatory factors on the activity of beta-oxidation and cholesterol and triacylglyceroles levels lowering are reported.

The background of beta-oxidation disorders in humans. II. Laboratoy studies and clinical data.

Laboratory method for studies of clinical disorders of beta-oxidation is described. The effects of other diet components such as microelements (Cr3+ ions) and non-digestible oligofructans (inulin and oligofructose) as stimulatory factors on the activity of beta-oxidation and cholesterol and triacylglyceroles levels lowering are reported.

[Sulphur amino acids, vitamin B12 and folic acid in children with chronic renal failure]. / Profil amininokwasów siarkowych, witaminy B12 i kwasu foliowego we krwi u dzieci z przewlekla niewydolnoscia nerek.

UNLABELLED: Aim of the study was to: 1) estimate plasma profile of sulphur AA in children with chronic renal failure (CRF) and in children on hemodialysis (HD), and 2) to evaluate any correlation with serum folic acid (FA) and vitamin B12. PATIENTS: 32 pts with CRF: 9 with GFR > 20 ml/min/1.73 m2 (group 1), 9 with GFR < 20 ml/min/1.73 m2 (group 2), and 14 pts on HD (group 3). METHODS: plasma homocysteine (Hcys), methionine (Met), cysteine (Cys), serine (Ser) were measured with gas chromatography. Serum FA and vit. B12 were measured using MEIA method. RESULTS: median Hcys concentrations were the lowest in group 1: 5 mumol/l vs 9 mumol/l (group 2) and 20 mumol/l (group 3) (p = 0.03). Similarly, the lowest Met levels were observed in group 1--26 mumol/l, vs 66 mumol/l (group 2) and 281 mumol/l (group 3) (p = 0.001). Median Cys level in group 1 was 98 mumol/l vs 54 mumol/l (group 2), and 122 mumol/l (group 3) (p = 0.02). No differences were found in median Ser levels: 153 mumol/l (group 1) vs 239 mumol/l (group 2) and 240 mumol/l (group 3). The median concentrations of FA were 6.3 ng/ml (group 1) vs 8 ng/ml (group 2) and 15 ng/ml (group 3) (NS). Median concentrations of vit. B12 were 256 pg/ml (group 1) vs 379 pg/ml (group 2) and 322 pg/ml (group 3) (NS). There were no correlation between sulphur AA and FA and vit. B12 levels. The only difference between pts with Hcys levels remaining in lower and upper quartile concerned Met concentration (38 vs 263 mumol/l, p < 0.02) and GFR (p < 0.01). CONCLUSIONS: Hyperhomocysteinemia develops already in moderate CRF. In pts on HD levels of Met and Cys are also raised. FA and vit. B12 concentrations are normal and do not correlate with plasma concentrations of sulphur AA.

Mitogenic effect of a factor from rat somatomammotrophs on mammary epithelial cells.

We have previously established a somatomammotroph cell line (rPC0) derived from normal rat pituitary that secretes GH and PRL. In this study we report that conditioned medium from rPC0 cells (CM-rPC0) exhibited a stimulatory effect on the growth of rat mammary epithelial cells in culture. Fractionation of CM-rPC0 revealed that the growth-promoting activity of CM-rPC0 was associated with a fraction eluting from a diethylaminoethyl-Sephacel column at 0.5 M NaCl. The growth-promoting activity of this fraction was abolished by trypsin and was resistant to dithiothreitol treatment. Sodium dodecyl sulfate-polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis showed that the predominant components of the 0.5-M NaCl fraction were proteins migrating at the 14-18K region of the gel. The 0.5-M NaCl fraction did not contain immunodetectable GH or PRL. Further fractionation of CM-rPC0 on a heparin-agarose column showed that the growth-promoting activity eluted at 0.9 M NaCl. The two predominant proteins in this fraction had apparent mol wt of 14.5K and 18.2K. Based on the structural and biological properties, several known hormones and growth factors were excluded from consideration as potential candidates responsible for the growth-promoting effect of the 14-18K proteins. It is postulated that this group of 14-18K proteins contains a new factor(s) that affects the growth of mammary epithelial cells.

Characterization of DNA polymerases from the mammary gland of pregnant rabbit.

1. The nuclear extract from the mammary gland of pregnant rabbit was shown to contain DNA polymerases alpha, beta and gamma. Polymerases alpha and gamma were found also in the mitochondria-free cytoplasmic fraction. 2. The nuclear enzymes were partially purified, separated by sucrose-density-gradient centrifugation, and identified on the basis of their template-primer utilization, sedimentation coefficients and sensitivity to N-ethylmaleimide. 3. Catalytic properties of the activated-DNA-dependent DNA polymerases alpha and beta were also described.