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The Carnitine-Deprived Newborn Rabbit: A Potential Model To Study Carnitine Deficiency¹

Zentrum für Kinderheilkunde, Justus Liebig Universitaet, D-6300 Giessen, West Germany.

This report describes the novel development of an animal model for neonatal carnitine deficiency using the artificially fed newborn rabbit. Each litter was separated from the mother following the first colostrum feeding and divided into 2 groups, one of which was fed a purified rabbit formula that was essentially free of carnitine; the other received the same formula supplemented with L-carnitine (100 mg/l). At 9–13 d of age, rabbit pups receiving the carnitine-free formula had lower concentrations of total, free and acylcarnitine in plasma and urine, as well as lower total acid soluble carnitine concentrations in liver, muscle, heart and brown adipose tissue than those receiving the same formula supplemented with L-carnitine. Their plasma and tissue levels were also lower, but their urinary carnitine concentrations were higher than those in naturally-raised pups. The findings suggest that the described animal model may prove to be a useful tool for the investigation of certain aspects of neonatal carnitine deficiency.

KEY WORDS: • carnitine deficiency • nutrition • rabbit • neonate

¹ This work was supported in part by grants from the Deutsche Forschungsgemeinschaft (Sch. 391/2 and Pe. 329/1-1) and from the Nestlé Nutritional Research Programme (D. P.)

Manuscript received 1 March 1988. Revision accepted 5 July 1988.

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