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Role of Vitamin B₁₂ in Nucleic Acid Metabolism

I. Hemoglobin and Liver Nucleic Acid Levels in the Rat¹

Division of Biochemistry and Nutrition, American Meat Institute Foundation and Department of Biochemistry, University of Chicago, Chicago, Illinois

The growth rate, liver DNA and RNA levels, and liver regeneration ability after partial hepatectomy of rats fed an iodinated casein basal diet deficient in vitamin B₁₂ were lower than those of supplemented controls.

In subsequent experiments, an uncomplicated vitamin B₁₂ deficiency was produced in rats born from mothers fed the vitamin B₁₂-deficient diet without iodinated casein during gestation and lactation. The growth rate and liver nucleic acid composition of these rats fed the basal ration were significantly lower than those for the controls fed supplemented rations. A syndrome characterized by presence of porphyrin whiskers and scaly feet was also noted in the deficient rats.

The addition of dried liver to the non-iodinated casein ration did not improve the growth-promoting activity of vitamin B₁₂ when the latter was present at a level of 50 µg/kg ration. However, inclusion of 4 or 10% of dried liver in the diet of the female rats, and 10% of liver in the diet of male rats, significantly increased the hemoglobin content of the blood (P < 0.05) as compared with that observed when the vitamin B₁₂-deficient diet was fed. The significance and implications of these findings were discussed.

² The material presented has been taken from a thesis submitted to the Department of Biochemistry of the Division of Biological Sciences, University of Chicago, in partial fulfillment of the requirements for a degree of Master of Science, 1955.

Manuscript received 12 August 1955.