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Incorporation of [¹⁴C]Leucine into Protein of Perfused Liver of Rats Fed Diets Containing Casein or Lactalbumin

Applied Biochemistry Division, Department of Scientific and Industrial Research, Palmerston North, New Zealand

The livers of rats (190–210 g) fed casein (a phosphoprotein) or lactalbumin (non-phosphoprotein) diets (200 g protein/kg diet) were perfused for 20, 40 or 60 minutes with 5 µCi of [¹⁴C]leucine. We determined the amount of radioactivity in the protein and non-protein (free amino acid) fractions of the liver and perfusate supernatant. The wet weight, total protein and protein: DNA ratio of the livers was also determined. The livers of the group fed casein were significantly lighter and contained less protein than the lactalbumin-fed group. However, more [¹⁴C]leucine was incorporated into protein of the liver plus perfusate supernatant of the casein-fed group than the lactalbumin group. We concluded that protein metabolism in the liver of rats appears to be increased when the rats were fed a diet containing phosphoprotein as the sole source of protein.

KEY WORDS: • casein • phosphoprotein • protein metabolism

Manuscript received 10 February 1981.