Relationship between glutamate decarboxylase activities in brains and the vitamin B-6 requirement of male rats
Driskell, J.A.; Chuang, S.L.
Journal of Nutrition 104(12): 1657-1661
1974
ISSN/ISBN: 0022-3166 PMID: 4430936 Document Number: 72770
At the onset of pregnancy and throughout lactation rats were fed to appetite on a basal diet with added pyridoxine 15, 30, 45, 60, 75 or 90 mu g/rat daily. At parturition each dam nursed 8 young, mainly males, and during the last week or so of lactation and after weaning the young ate the same diet freely. At 35 days old the young were killed and the brains were taken for estimation of glutamate decarboxylase activity and protein. There was no significant difference between the groups in bodyweight and food intake during pregnancy and lactation; also there was no significant difference in those quantities in the offspring. The final body and brain weights at 35 days old were lower in rats on 15 mu g pyridoxine than in the others; so also were brain protein contents. Brain glutamate decarboxylase activities measured without added coenzyme were significantly lower with 15 mu g pyridoxine daily than with the other doses. The addition of pyridoxal phosphate to brain homogenates enhanced enzyme activities. Rats getting least pyridoxine gave lower degree of saturation of glutamate decarboxylase with coenzyme. Apart from the group on least pyridoxine there was no significant difference among the groups in all the values measured.