QUICK SEARCH:   [advanced] Author: Keyword(s): Year:  Vol:  Page:

This Article Full Text (PDF) Purchase Article View Shopping Cart Alert me when this article is cited Alert me if a correction is posted Services Similar articles in this journal Similar articles in PubMed Alert me to new issues of the journal Download to citation manager Citing Articles Citing Articles via Google Scholar Google Scholar Articles by Milner, J. A. Articles by Hassan, A. S. Search for Related Content PubMed PubMed Citation Articles by Milner, J. A. Articles by Hassan, A. S.

Species Specificity of Arginine Deficiency-Induced Hepatic Steatosis¹

Department of Food Science, University of Illinois, Urbana, IL 61801

Hepatic steatosis resulting from the consumption of an arginine-deficient diet in the rat was found to occur independent of age or size. The rate of lipid biosynthesis as indicated by in vitro incorporation of ¹⁴C-acetate was significantly increased in rats fed an arginine-deficient diet when expressed per milligram liver. Supplementation of the arginine-deficient diet with 1% ribose, 1% hypoxanthine or 0.2% adenine depressed the fatty infiltration caused by arginine deficiency. Inosine, xanthine or uracil supplementation did not significantly alter the fatty infiltration, liver orotic acid biosynthesis or urinary orotic excretion induced by the arginine deficiency. Increased orotic acid excretion was also observed in the mouse, hamster and rabbit fed a diet devoid of arginine. However, consumption of the arginine-deficient diet for 21 days did not significantly alter the liver lipid content of mice, hamsters or rabbits. Although the fatty infiltration appears to be limited to the rat, altered liver nucleotides were observed in rats, hamsters and rabbits fed an arginine-deficient diet. Similarities of arginine deficiency and orotic acid feeding in various species are discussed.

KEY WORDS: • arginine deficiency • steatosis • orotic acid

¹ Supported in part by NIH grant AM 19294.

Manuscript received 20 November 1980.