Whole-body L-leucine oxidation in patients with variant form of maple syrup urine disease.

Whole-body L-leucine oxidation was assessed in patients with maple syrup urine disease of different severity using oral L-[1-(13)C]leucine bolus tests (38 micromol/kg body weight). Residual whole-body L-leucine oxidation was estimated on the basis of the 3-h kinetics of (13)CO(2) exhalation and (13)C-isotopic enrichment in plasma 4-methyl-2-oxopentanoate using a noncompartmental mathematical approach. In four patients with classical maple syrup urine disease (two females and two males; mean age, 13 +/- 5 y; range, 7--17 y), L-leucine oxidation was too low to be measurable.

Branched-chain L-amino acid metabolism in classical maple syrup urine disease after orthotopic liver transplantation.

We characterized the effect of orthotopic liver transplantation on the catabolism of branched-chain L-amino acids in a female patient with classical form of maple syrup urine disease. Transplantation was performed at the age of 7.4 years due to a terminal liver failure triggered by a hepatitis A infection.

Analysis of concentration and (13)C enrichment of D-galactose in human plasma.

Background: A stable-isotope dilution method for the sensitive determination of D-galactose in human plasma was established.

Methods: D-[(13)C]Galactose was added to plasma, and the concentration was measured after D-glucose was removed from the plasma by treatment with D-glucose oxidase and the sample was purified by ion-exchange chromatography. For gas chromatographic-mass spectrometric analysis, aldononitrile pentaacetate derivatives were prepared.

Formation of L-alloisoleucine in vivo: an L-[13C]isoleucine study in man.

L-alloisoleucine (2S, 3R), a diastereomer of L-isoleucine (2S, 3S), is a normal constituent of human plasma. Considerable amounts accumulate in maple syrup urine disease, in which the branched-chain 2-oxo acid dehydrogenase step is impaired. The mechanism of L-alloisoleucine formation, however, is unclear.

Significance of L-alloisoleucine in plasma for diagnosis of maple syrup urine disease.

Background: The significance of plasma L-alloisoleucine, which is derived from L-isoleucine in vivo, for diagnosis of maple syrup urine disease (MSUD) was examined.

Methods: Branched-chain L-amino acids were measured by automatic amino acid analysis.

Results: Alloisoleucine reference values in plasma were established in healthy adults [1.