Effect of , -Dimethylglycine on Homocysteine Metabolism in Rats Fed Folate-Sufficient and Folate-Deficient Diets.

Objective: This study aimed to investigate the effects of -dimethylglycine (DMG) on the concentration and metabolism of plasma homocysteine (pHcy) in folate-sufficient and folate-deficient rats.

Methods: In this study, 0.1% DMG was supplemented in 20% casein diets that were either folate-sufficient (20C) or folate-deficient (20CFD).

[Effects of dietary wheat gluten level on decreasing plasma homocysteine concentration in rats].

Objective: To investigate the effects of different level of casein and wheat gluten on decreasing plasma homocysteine concentration in rats.

Methods: 48 rats of the Wistar were fed with different level of casein (12.5%, 25% and 50%) and wheat gluten (14.

[Betaine-enriched beet suppresses hyperhomocysteinemia induced by choline deficiency in rats].

Objective: To investigate the dose-dependent effects of beet powder supplementation on hyperhomocysteinemia induced by choline deprivation in rats. Methods 48 rats of the Wistar were fed 25% soybean protein diet (25S), choline deprivation in 25S diets (25SCD) with different betaine levels (0. 05% and 0.

Suppression effects of betaine-enriched spinach on hyperhomocysteinemia induced by guanidinoacetic acid and choline deficiency in rats.

Betaine is an important natural component of rich food sources, especially spinach. Rats were fed diets with betaine or spinach powder at the same level of betaine for 10 days to investigate the dose-dependent effects of spinach powder supplementation on hyperhomocysteinemia induced by guanidinoacetic acid (GAA) addition and choline deprivation. The GAA-induced hyperhomocysteinemia in rats fed 25% casein diet (25 C) was significantly suppressed by supplementation with betaine or spinach, and it was completely suppressed by taking 11.

Effect of dietary supplementation with folate on choline deficiency-induced hyperhomocysteinemia in rats.

The effects of dietary supplementation with folate (20 mg/kg diet), 2.5% serine, or both on choline deprivation-induced hyperhomocysteinemia were investigated in rats fed a 10% casein diet (10C) or 25% soybean protein diet (25S) to determine whether folate supplementation with or without serine can suppress choline deficiency-induced hyperhomocysteinemia. Choline deprivation-induced enhancement of plasma homocysteine concentration was significantly suppressed by supplementation with folate, serine, or both, but the effects of these supplements were partial or limited in the rats fed both 10C and 25S.

Effects of betaine supplementation and choline deficiency on folate deficiency-induced hyperhomocysteinemia in rats.

The effect of betaine status on folate deficiency-induced hyperhomocysteinemia was investigated to determine whether folate deficiency impairs homocysteine removal not only by the methionine synthase (MS) pathway but also by the betaine-homocysteine S-methyltransferase (BHMT) pathway. For this purpose, we investigated the effect of dietary supplementation with betaine at a high level (1%) in rats fed a folate-deprived 10% casein diet (10C) and 20% casein diet (20C). We also investigated the effect of choline deprivation on folate deficiency-induced hyperhomocysteinemia in rats fed 20C.

Methionine and serine synergistically suppress hyperhomocysteinemia induced by choline deficiency, but not by guanidinoacetic acid, in rats fed a low casein diet.

The effects of dietary supplementation with 0.5% methionine, 2.5% serine, or both on hyperhomocysteinemia induced by deprivation of dietary choline or by dietary addition of 0.

Hepatoprotective effects of flavonoids from shekwasha (Citrus depressa) against D-galactosamine-induced liver injury in rats.

We attempted to isolate the constituent(s) responsible for the suppressive effect of the juice of shekwasha, a citrus produced in Okinawa Prefecture, on D-galactosamine (GalN)-induced liver injury in rats. Liver injury-suppressive activity, as assessed by plasma alanine aminotransferase and aspartate aminotransferase activities, was found only in the fraction that was extracted with n-hexane when three fractions were added to the diet and fed to rats. Of five compounds isolated from the n-hexane-soluble fraction by silica gel column chromatography, three compounds had liver injury-suppressive effects when five compounds were singly force-fed to rats at a level of 300 mg/kg body wt 4 h before the injection with GalN.

1-methylmalate from camu-camu (Myrciaria dubia) suppressed D-galactosamine-induced liver injury in rats.

To evaluate the protective effects of fruit juices against D-galactosamine (GalN)-induced liver injury, lyophilized fruit juices (total 12 kinds) were fed to rats for 7 d, and then we evoked liver injury by injecting GalN. The juice of camu-camu (Myrciaria dubia) significantly suppressed GalN-induced liver injury when the magnitude of liver injury was assessed by plasma alanine aminotransferase and aspartate aminotransferase activities, although some other juices (acerola, dragon fruit, shekwasha, and star fruit) also tended to have suppressive effects. An active compound was isolated from camu-camu juice by solvent fractionation and silica gel column chromatography.

Soluble fiber viscosity affects both goblet cell number and small intestine mucin secretion in rats.

We examined the role of soluble fiber viscosity in small intestinal mucin secretion. Viscosities were defined as the area under the viscosity curve (VAUC). Rats were fed a control diet or diets containing konjac mannan (KM) [low, medium, or high molecular weight (LKM, MKM, HKM), respectively] at 50 g/kg diet for 10 d.

Hepatic cystathionine beta-synthase activity does not increase in response to methionine supplementation in rats fed a low casein diet: association with plasma homocysteine concentrations.

To elucidate the mechanism by which moderate and high protein diets fail to increase plasma homocysteine concentration despite dietary methionine levels being higher, rats were fed diets with graded levels (10, 30, and 50%) of casein or low casein diets supplemented with methionine at levels of 0.5 and 1.0% together with or without glycine+serine, which corresponded to moderate and high casein diets with respect to these amino acids, for 14 d.

Hypohomocysteinemic effect of cysteine is associated with increased plasma cysteine concentration in rats fed diets low in protein and methionine levels.

Rats were fed diets with and without 0.5% L-cysteine supplement for 14 d or shorter periods to clarify the mechanism by which dietary cysteine elicits its hypohomocysteinemic effect. Cysteine supplementation significantly decreased plasma homocysteine concentration with an increase in plasma cysteine concentration in rats fed 10% casein diet (10C) or 15% soybean protein diet (15S) but not in rats fed 25% casein diet (25C) or 25% soybean protein diet.

High casein diet decreases plasma homocysteine concentration in rats.

Experiments were conducted to clarify the relationship between dietary protein level and plasma homocysteine concentration in rats. Male Wistar rats were fed diets differing in casein level from 5 to 50% for 14 d (Expt. 1).

Choline deprivation induces hyperhomocysteinemia in rats fed low methionine diets.

To clarify the relationship between dietary choline level and plasma homocysteine concentration, the effects of choline deprivation on plasma homocysteine concentration and related variables were investigated in rats fed a standard (25%) casein (25C) diet or standard soybean protein (25S) diet. Using the 25S diet, the time-dependent effect of choline deprivation and the comparative effects of three kinds of lipotropes were also investigated. Feeding rats with the choline-deprived 25S diet for 10 d significantly increased plasma total homocysteine concentration to a level 2.

High-casein diet suppresses guanidinoacetic acid-induced hyperhomocysteinemia and potentiates the hypohomocysteinemic effect of serine in rats.

To determine the effect of dietary protein level on experimental hyperhomocysteinemia, rats were fed 10% casein (10C) and 40% casein (40C) diets with or without 0.5% guanidinoacetic acid (GAA) for 14 d. In addition, rats were fed 10C + 0.

Short-chain inulin-like fructans reduce endotoxin and bacterial translocations and attenuate development of TNBS-induced colitis in rats.

Anti-inflammatory effects of short-chain inulin-like fructans (SCF) on trinitrobenzene sulfonic acid (TNBS)-induced colitis were investigated in rats, focusing specifically on endotoxin and bacterial translocations. SCF with degrees of polymerization (DP) of 4 and 8 were used. Rats were fed either control diet or diets including 60 g DP4 or DP8 per kilogram for 7 days, and then received intracolonic TNBS and were fed the respective diets for a further 10 days.

Cellobiose is extensively digested in the small intestine by beta-galactosidase in rats.

Objective: The bioavailability of cellobiose (CEB) was investigated with respect to small intestinal digestibility and cecal fermentation in rats. Further, whether small intestinal beta-galactosidase is responsible for the hydrolysis of CEB was examined.

Methods: Ileorectostomized rats were fed diets including 6% CEB or fructo-oligosaccharide with or without 0.

Hyperhomocysteinemia induced by guanidinoacetic acid is effectively suppressed by choline and betaine in rats.

Rats were fed 25% casein (25C) diets differing in choline levels (0-0.5%) with and without 0.5% guanidinoacetic acid (GAA) or 0.

Effects of various amino acids on methionine-induced hyperhomocysteinemia in rats.

Rats were fed diets supplemented with 1% L-methionine with and without 2.5% various amino acids for 7 d to determine what amino acids other than glycine, serine, and cystine can suppress methionine-induced hyperhomocysteinemia. L-Glutamic acid, L-histidine, and L-arginine significantly suppressed methionine-induced enhancement of plasma homocysteine concentrations, but the mechanisms underlying the effect of these amino acids are thought not to be identical.

Effect of dietary soybean protein level on the plasma homocysteine concentration in rats.

There was an inverse correlation between the plasma homocysteine concentration and dietary protein level or protein intake when a soybean protein isolate (SPI) was used as a protein source for rats. The hepatic cystathionine beta-synthase activity increased in response to the dietary SPI level. The results suggest that a high-protein diet might be an effective means to lower the plasma homocysteine concentration, probably through enhancement of the homocysteine-metabolizing activity.

Long-term ingestion of insoluble dietary fiber increases luminal mucin content, but has no effect on nutrient absorption in rats.

We reexamined the hypothesis that increased mucin secretion by the ingestion of insoluble dietary fiber (IDF) could affect small intestinal nutrient absorption. Polystyrene foam (PSF) was used as IDF. Rats were fed a diet with or without 90 g of PSF/kg for 1, 2 and 4 wk.

Estimation of luminal mucin content in rats by measurement of O-linked oligosaccharide chains and direct ELISA.

Changes in the small intestinal mucin contents in rats were evaluated by two methods, viz., a newly established ELISA and a method based on the measurement of O-linked oligosaccharide chains (OSC) as a mucin marker. Significant correlation was observed between the values of ELISA-derived mucins and OSC.

Structure and function of eritadenine and its 3-deaza analogues: potent inhibitors of S-adenosylhomocysteine hydrolase and hypocholesterolemic agents.

d-Eritadenine (DEA) is a potent inhibitor of S-adenosyl-l-homocysteine hydrolase (SAHH) and has hypocholesterolemic activity. We have hypothesized that 3-deaza-DEA (C3-DEA) and its analogues retain high level of SAHH inhibitory activity and have resistance to deamination and glycosidic bond hydrolysis in vivo. Such C3-DEA analogues would have much higher hypocholesterolemic activity.

Cysteine supplementation decreases plasma homocysteine concentration in rats fed on a low-casein diet in rats.

The effect of dietary supplementation with cysteine on the plasma homocysteine concentration was investigated in rats fed on 10% casein (10C) and 30% casein (30C) diets. The 10C diet significantly increased the plasma homocysteine concentration as compared with the 30C diet. The hyperhomocysteinemia induced by the 10C diet was significantly suppressed by cysteine supplementation even at a 0.