Metabolism of adenine nucleotides, nucleic acids and proteins in the liver, brain and kidney of 21-day-old progeny of undernourished female rats.

The metabolism of adenine nucleotides, nucleic acids, and proteins was investigated and compared in the liver, brain, and kidney of the 21-day-old progeny of rats which were well fed (control group) or undernourished during their whole lifetime (experimental group). The in vivo content of various nucleotides (ATP-ADP, cAMP, 5'AMP, and adenosine), the incorporation of radioactive precursor into various nucleotide fractions, and the specific activity of various nucleotides increased considerably in the liver, brain, and kidney of the progeny in the experimental group. Nucleic acid and protein content failed to increase normally in these organs of the progeny in the experimental group. The synthesis of DNA and RNA increased in the liver, brain, and kidney of experimental group progeny. These results suggest that maternal dietary restriction prolonged or blocked the G and S phase of the cell cycle in the liver, brain, and kidney of the progeny of dietary restricted rats.