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Journal of Nutrition Vol. 114 No. 4 April 1984, pp. 671-676
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The Effect of L-Carnitine-Supplemented Total Parenteral Nutrition on Tissue Amino Acid Concentrations in Piglets

Hans Böhles, Dietrich Michalk, Ullrich Brandl, Werner Fekl*, Hans Ch. Börresen{dagger} and Klemens Stehr

University Children's Hospital, 8520 Erlangen, West Germany * Institute for Experimental Nutrition e.V., 8520 Erlangen, West Germany {dagger} Institute of Clinical Biochemistry, Rikshospitalet, Oslo 1, Norway

Miniature piglets underwent total parenteral nutrition (TPN) with and without L-carnitine supplementation during a 7-day period. Thereafter the tissue amino acid concentrations of liver, heart, skeletal muscle and brain were determined and compared to those of orally fed animals. The altered tissue amino acid concentrations during TPN without carnitine returned to normal when L-carnitine was supplemented. The most striking changes of tissue concentrations showed taurine in liver, muscle and brain and ethanolamine in heart and brain. In muscle the branched-chain amino acids were increased when L-carnitine was added to the TPN regime. Ethanolamine changes were discussed with respect to the position of this amino acid in the synthesis of phospholipids. The marked decrease of brain taurine concentrations after carnitine-free TPN was accompanied by reduced values for GABA. Both the substances function as inhibitory transmitters in the brain and should be considered when seizure activity in patients with systemic carnitine deficiency is discussed.

KEY WORDS: • total parenteral nutrition • tissue amino acids • phospholipids • inhibitory neurotransmitters

Manuscript received 11 October 1983.




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