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 Yamamoto, A. Articles by Suzuki, H. Search for Related Content PubMed PubMed Citation Articles by Yamamoto, A. Articles by Suzuki, H.

Purification and Properties of Biologically Active Chromium Complex from Bovine Colostrum

Akiko Yamamoto^*,1, Osamu Wada and Hiramitsu Suzuki

^* Department of Hygiene, Gunma University School of Medicine, 3-39-22, Showa-machi, Maebashi 371, Japan, Department of Hygiene and Preventive Medicine, Faculty of Medicine, University of Tokyo, 7-3-1, Hongo, Bunkyo-ku, Tokyo, Japan National Food Research Institute, 2-1-2, Kannondai, Yatabe, Tsukuba, Ibaraki 305, Japan

A biologically active, low-molecular-weight, chromium-binding substance present in milk (M-LMCr) was isolated from bovine colostrum and purified more than 2000 times by means of ethanol precipitation and successive ion-exchange and Sephadex gel chromatographies. The purified M-LMCr appeared to be an anionic organic Cr compound with a molecular weight of 1500, as determined by gel permeation chromatography. It contained aspartic acid, glutamic acid, glycine and cysteine in a ratio of 5:4:2:1 and no detectable carbohydrate. Although we were unable to detect nicotinic acid, some ultraviolet-absorbing (_max 260 nm) chemical structure was shown to be a constituent. Purified M-LMCr stimulated the rates of both [U-¹⁴C]glucose oxidation and [3-³H]glucose conversion into lipid in rat epididymal adipocytes at Cr concentrations greater than 1.5 ng/mL in relation to insulin action. This substance appears to have properties similar to those of glucose tolerance factor in yeast and the low-molecular-weight, chromium-binding substance present in mammalian liver. The role of M-LMCr in Cr nutrition and detoxication is discussed.

KEY WORDS: • chromium • colostrum • essential metal • glucose tolerance factor • glucose oxidation • lipogenesis • insulin

¹ To whom correspondence should be addressed.

Manuscript received 15 April 1987. Revision accepted 1 September 1987.