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Serum Deoxyribonuclease I and Its Inhibitor in Growing and Pregnant Rats^1,2,

Unit of Biochemistry, Faculty of Agriculture, and Basic Nutrition Unit, Department of Nutrition, Faculty of Medicine, University of Chile, Santiago, Chile

Young rats, 31 days old, were fed ad libitum casein diets containing 6.5, 13, 25 or 50% protein for 10 days, and activities of serum deoxy-ribonuclease I and its inhibitor were determined. The serum enzyme and inhibitor on days 5, 9, 14, 18 and 21 of gestation were determined in pregnant rats fed ad libitum a 50% casein diet. In young rats the increase in the dietary protein concentration led to higher enzyme and inhibitor activities. The increase in the enzyme level was greater than that in inhibitor activity. During pregnancy the enzyme activity progressively increased and on day 21 was 178% of the controls. The inhibitor activity reached a minimum on day 14 of gestation. Considering both young and pregnant animals, the serum enzyme activity seems to depend at least on two factors: the physiological state of the animal and the protein content of the diet. A rise in serum DNase I activity can be achieved either by increasing the enzyme, or decreasing the inhibitor, or both. The serum inhibitor level seems also to be controlled by hormonal mechanisms.

² Partially communicated to the VIII International Congress of Nutrition, Prague, 1969. Proceeding of the Meeting, page C-27.

Manuscript received 25 January 1971.