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Protein Synthesis in the Skeletal Muscle of Vitamin E-deficient Rabbits¹

Institut de diététique et de nutrition, Faculté de Médecine, Université de Montréal, Montréal 101, P. Q.

A ribosomal system, permitting the incorporation of phenylalanine-¹⁴C into proteins was used to evaluate protein synthesis in the muscle of control and vitamin E-deficient rabbits at various time intervals ranging from 1 to 4 weeks. Protein synthesis in the deficient muscle was always higher than in the control. The difference was significant only after 3 weeks of deficiency. The addition of poly-uridylic acid (poly-U) increased considerably the incorporation in the deficient muscle, indicating the possibility of reduction of messenger RNA in the deficient muscle. This was further confirmed by the sucrose density gradient analysis of the ribosomes of normal and deficient muscle. Such studies indicated that in the deficient muscle the heavier polysomal material decreased, whereas the lighter polysomes increased. When the poly-U was added, the ribosomal profile of deficient muscle became identical to that of control. The pH-5 enzyme fraction of the deficient muscle increased the incorporation at 3 weeks. It did not show as constant and remarkable changes as that observed in the muscle of genetically dystrophic mice. These studies indicate that deficiency of vitamin E could cause a shift in the synthesis of specific muscle proteins.

KEY WORDS: • vitamin E • protein synthesis • skeletal muscle

¹ Supported by the Muscular Dystrophy Association of Canada.

² Holder of a predoctorial fellowship from the Muscular Dystrophy Association of Canada.

Manuscript received 8 June 1973.