Journal of Nutrition

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Journal of Nutrition Vol. 42 No. 1 September 1950, pp. 81-88
Copyright © 1950 by American Society for Nutrition
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The Influence of Pteroylglutamic Acid and Vitamin B12 on the Metabolism of Pyridine-fed Rats1

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James S. Dinning, Cecilia K. Keith, James T. Parsons and Paul L. Day

Department of Biochemistry, School of Medicine, University of Arkansas, Little Rock

Rats were given a basal purified diet containing 15% casein. The addition to this diet of 1% pyridine suppressed growth, creatine excretion, and liver choline oxidase activity. The addition of vitamin B12 to the pyridine diet improved the growth of the rats, and the addition of either vitamin B12 or pteroylglutamic acid resulted in increased liver choline oxidase activity. The addition of a combination of pteroylglutamic acid and vitamin B12 to the diet of rats receiving 1% pyridine resulted in a greatly increased excretion of creatine; rats receiving this diet grew at a normal rate the first 20 experimental days but at a reduced rate thereafter. Three of the 8 rats receiving the pyridine diet supplemented with the combination of pteroyglutamic acid and vitamin B12 died between the 30th and 35th experimental days; on autopsy the livers of all rats in this group were yellow and infiltrated with fat. There was no evidence of fatty infiltration in the livers of rats receiving any of the other diets. It is suggested that methylating reactions are stimulated in the presence of pteroylglutamic acid and vitamin B12, resulting in an increased methylation of the pyridine. The excretion of this methylated pyridine would result in a deficiency of methyl, with the consequent production of fatty livers.

1 Research paper no. 907, Journal Series, University of Arkansas. This investigation was supported by a research grant from the National Institutes of Health, Public Health Service. The present paper was read before the Fifth Southwest Regional meeting of the American Chemical Society, Oklahoma City, December 8–10, 1949.

Manuscript received 15 May 1950.




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