Journal of Nutrition OpenSOurce Diets- www.ResearchDiets.com

Home Help [Feedback] [For Subscribers] [Archive] [Search] [Contents]
QUICK SEARCH:   [advanced]


     

This Article
Right arrow Full Text (PDF)
Right arrow Purchase Article
Right arrow View Shopping Cart
Right arrow Alert me when this article is cited
Right arrow Alert me if a correction is posted
Services
Right arrow Similar articles in this journal
Right arrow Similar articles in PubMed
Right arrow Alert me to new issues of the journal
Right arrow Download to citation manager
Right arrow reprints & permissions
Citing Articles
Right arrow Citing Articles via Google Scholar
Google Scholar
Right arrow Articles by Cheng, C. H.
Right arrow Articles by Shank, R. E.
Right arrow Search for Related Content
PubMed
Right arrow PubMed Citation
Right arrow Articles by Cheng, C. H.
Right arrow Articles by Shank, R. E.

Leukocyte Transketolase Activity as an Indicator of Thiamin Nutriture in Rats1

Chuan Huan Cheng, Mary Koch and Robert E. Shank

Nutrition Research Laboratory, Department of Preventive Medicine, Washington University School of Medicine, St. Louis, Missouri 63110

The purpose of this study was to evaluate the possibility of using leukocyte transketolase activity (TKA) as an index of thiamin status. It was shown previously that hepatic TKA in rats is altered by changes in the type and amounts of carbohydrate, protein, and fat in the diet. It was, therefore, essential to determine whether leukocyte TKA in rats is affected by dietary factors other than thiamin intake. Hepatic TKA and leukocyte TKA both varied with dietary thiamin intake; maximum activity was attained when the diet contained 3 to 4 mg thiamin/kg diet. Administration of oxythiamin resulted in decreases in TKA in both liver and leukocytes. The changes in leukocyte and hepatic TKA induced by varying degrees of thiamin deficiency were closely correlated. The responses of thiamin content were also closely correlated in liver and leukocytes. However, only hepatic TKA was altered by increasing the fat or protein content of the diet or by substituting fructose for glucose. None of the dietary manipulations studied except the production of thiamin deficiency had any effect on leukocyte TKA. We conclude from our results that leukocyte TKA is a sensitive and specific indicator of thiamin nutriture in rats.

KEY WORDS: • transketolase activity • leukocyte • thiamin nutriture • liver • oxythiamin

1 Supported by a National Institute of Health Research Grant Number AM 06309.

Manuscript received 22 March 1976.




Home Help [Feedback] [For Subscribers] [Archive] [Search] [Contents]
Copyright © 1976 by American Society for Nutrition