Abstract
Recently we reported that rates of protein turnover in intravenously fed neonates were approximately 69% of the value in enterally fed babies. We speculated that this difference ( 4g/kg/d) represented gut protein synthesis. However we were concerned that these differences might be related to methodology rather than to a real biological difference. In order to resolve this problem we studied protein turnover in IV fed neonates using 1-13C-leucine simultaneously with 15N-glycine (the previous label). Twelve babies were studied. BW 2.34±0.16kg. Intakes: protein 3.2±0.2 g/kg/d; energy 88 3kcal/kg/d; N balance 284 19mgN/kg/d. The rates of flux (Q), protein synthesis (S) and breakdown (B) are shown.
Turnover rates derived from the 13C label studies are significantly lower (p<0.01) than those from the 15N studies. Preliminary data from other investigators using 13C-leucine in enterally fed neonates indicate a protein synthesis rate of approximately 11g/kg/d. There thus is a similar difference of approximately 4g/kg/d in protein turnover between enterally and IV fed neonates. We conclude that the lower rates of turnover in IV fed neonates are real and the difference of approximately 4g/kg/d represents gut protein turnover.
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Pencharz, P., Beesley, J., Canagarayar, U. et al. PROTEIN METABOLISM OF PARENTERALLY FED NEONATES: COMBINED 13C AND 15N STUDIES. Pediatr Res 18 (Suppl 4), 208 (1984). https://doi.org/10.1203/00006450-198404001-00688
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1203/00006450-198404001-00688