Summary
The incorporation of3H-valine into protein of cerebrum, liver, and muscle was studied in rats fed a low protein diet. Animals, 15–50 days old, were used to cover the period during and after the most rapid phase of cerebral protein synthesis. The precursor was administered in doses resulting in brain concentrations of free valine in the 0.1–0.3 mM range. Two series of experiments were run and the injected dose varied for comparison of protein synthesis at different concentrations of precursor valine. By concomitant amino-acid analysis it was shown that the concentration of other amino-acids in the brain was not changed by the injected valine. The changes in the amino-acid pool with age in control rats were in agreement with previous findings. Only small alterations were seen in the amino acid pool as an effect of protein deprivation, the results being consistent with those of some previous reports. Uptake of valine into the brain appeared to be decreased only in 15–17-day-old proteindeprived rats. Valine incorporation into cerebral protein was decreased in the youngest age group but no effect was seen in older animals. Liver protein incorporation was slightly decreased by low protein diet but a marked reduction was observed for muscle protein. The changes in brain protein synthesis during normal development were in agreement with previous studies and differed qualitatively from those in liver and muscle.
Similar content being viewed by others
References
Agrawal HC, Fishman MA, Prensky AL (1971) A possible block in the intermediary metabolism of glucose into proteins and lipids in the brains of undernourished rats. Lipids 6:431–433
Banay-Schwartz M, Giuffrida AM, de Guzman T, Sershen H, Lajtha A (1979) Effect of undernutrition on cerebral protein metabolism. Exp Neurol 65:157–168
Chase HP, Rodgerson DO, Lindsley W Jr, Thorne T, Cheung G (1976) Brain glucose utilization in undernourished rats. Pediat Res 10:102–107
Conradi NG, Eins S, Wolff J-R (1979a) Postnatal vascular growth in the neocortex of normal and protein-deprived rats. Acta Neuropathol (Berl) 47:123–130
Conradi NG, Eins S, Wolff J-R (1979b) Postnatal vascular growth in the cerebellar cortex of normal and protein-deprived rats. Acta Neuropathol (Berl) 47:131–137
Conradi NG, Sourander P, Engvall J, Hamberger A (in prep) Impaired regulation of body temperature in protein-deprived rats during early postnatal development
Deo MG (1978) Cell biology of protein-calorie malnutrition. World Rev Nutr Diet, vol 32. Karger, Basel, pp 49–95
Dunlop DS, van Elden W, Lajtha A (1975) A method for measuring brain protein synthesis rates in young and adult rats. J Neurochem 24:337–344
Dunlop DS, van Elden W, Lajtha A (1977) Developmental effects on protein synthesis rates in regions of the CNS in vivo and in vitro. J Neurochem 29:939–945
Eaker D (1969) Determination of free and protein-bound amino acids. Wenner-Gren Center Symposium, Stockholm
Enwonwu CO, Worthington BS (1974) Regional distribution of homo-carnosine and other ninhydrin-positive substances in brains of malnourished monkeys. J Neurochem 22:1045–1052
Garlick PJ, Millward DJ, James WPT, Waterlow JC (1975) The effect of protein deprivation and starvation on the rate of protein synthesis in tissues of the rat. Biochim Biophys Acta 414:71–84
Hamberger A, Sourander P (1978) The influence of early protein-calorie malnutrition on neuronal and glial protein synthesis. An experimental study on rats. Neurochem Res 3:535–547
Himwich WA, Agrawal HC (1969) Amino acids. In: Lajtha A (ed) Handbook of neurochemistry, vol 1. Plenum Press, New York, pp 33–52
Jacobson M (1978) Developmental neurobiology, 2nd edn. Plenum Press, New York London
Katiyar GP, Agrawal KN, Shanker R, Nagchaudhuri J (1976) Effect of protein energy deprivation on the brain enzymes of glutamic acid in preweanling rats. Nutr Metab 20:396–403
Lajtha A, Dunlop DS (1974) Alterations of protein metabolism during development of the brain. In: Vernadakis A, Wiener N (eds) Drugs and the developing brain. Plenum Press, New York
Li JB, Goldberg AG (1976) Effects of food deprivation on protein synthesis and degradation in rat skeletal muscles. Am J Physiol 231:441–448
Lowry OH, Rosebrough NJ, Farr AL, Randall RJ (1951) Protein measurement with the Folin phenol reagent. J Biol Chem 193:265–275
McKhann GM, Albers RW, Sokoloff L, Michelsen O, Tower DB (1960) The quantitative significance of the gamma-amino acid pathway in cerebral oxidative metabolism. In: Roberts E, Baxter CF, Harreveld A van, Wiersma CAG, Adey WR, Killam KF (eds) Inhibition in the nervous system and gamma-amino butyric acid. Pergamon Press, New York, pp 169–181
Miller SA (1969) Protein metabolism during growth and development. In: Lajtha A (ed) Mammalian protein metabolism, vol 3. Academic Press, New York London, pp 183–233
Morgane PJ, Miller M, Kemper T, Stern W, Forbes W, Hall R, Bronzino J, Kissane J, Hawrylewicz E, Resnick O (1978) The effects of protein malnutrition on the developing central nervous system in the rat. Neurosci Biobehavior Res 2:137–230
Mourek J, Agrawal HC, Davis JM, Himwich WA (1970) The effects of short-term starvation on amino acid content in rat brain during ontogeny. Brain Res 19:229–237
Patel AJ, Atkinson DJ, Balazs R (1975) Effect of undernutrition on metabolic compartmentation of glutamate and on the incorporation of (14C) leucine into protein in the developing rat brain. Dev Psychobiol 8:453–464
Oldfors A, Sourander P (1978) Barriers of peripheral nerve towards exogenous peroxidase in normal and protein-deprived rats. Acta Neuropathol (Berl) 43:129–134
Oldfors A, Engvall J, Sourander P (1979) Effects of local extraneural application of diphtheria toxin on the sciatic nerves of normal and protein-deprived rats. Acta Neuropathol (Berl) 45:141–145
Oldfors A, Ullman M (1980) Motor nerve conduction velocity and nerve fibre diameter in experimental protein deprivation. Studies on rat peripheral nerve during development. Acta Neuropathol (Berl) 51:215–221
Roach MK, Corbin J, Pennington W (1974) Effect of undernutrition on amino acid compartmentation in the developing rat brain. J Neurochem 22:521–528
Stern WC, Miller M, Forbes WB, Leahy JP, Morgane PJ, Resnick O (1976) Effects of protein malnutrition during development on protein synthesis in brain and peripheral tissues. Brain Res Bull 1:27–31
Waterlow JC (1968) The adaptation of protein metabolism to low protein intake. In: McCance, Widdowson (eds) Calorie deficiencies and protein deficiencies. Churchill, London
Winick M (1975) Effects of malnutrition on the maturing central nervous system. In: Friedlander WJ (ed) Advances in neurology, vol 13. Raven Press, New York, pp 193–246
Author information
Authors and Affiliations
Additional information
Financed by grants from the Swedish Medical Research Council (project no. 12X-3488 to P. Sourander and no. 12X-164 to A. Hamberger
Rights and permissions
About this article
Cite this article
Hamberger, A., Conradi, N.G. & Sourander, P. The influence of protein deprivation during development on amino acid incorporation into cerebral proteins. Res. Exp. Med. 180, 41–50 (1982). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF01852231
Received:
Accepted:
Issue Date:
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/BF01852231