Effects of Inadequate Folate Intake on the Onset and Progression of Hypertensive Vascular Injury.

We investigated the effects of inadequate folate intake on the onset and progression of hypertensive organ injury. In the present study, 5-wk-old male stroke-prone spontaneously hypertensive rats (SHRSP) were fed with a normal-folate (control; 160-170 μg of folate/100 g diet) or low-folate (8-10 μg of folate/100 g diet) diet until they reached 25 wk of age. After the animals reached 10 wk of age, the bodyweight of the rats in the low-folate group was lower than that of the rats in the control group.

Growth Response of Lactobacillus rhamnosus Chloramphenicol-Resistant Strain ATCC 27773 to Pteroyl-Mono- and -Di-Glutamates.

This study investigated the effect of various concentrations of pteroyl-mono-γ-glutamate (PteGlu) and pteroyl-di-γ-glutamate (PteGlu) on the growth of Lactobacillus rhamnosus strains ATCC 7469 (wild-type strain) and ATCC 27773 (chloramphenicol-resistant strain) used for folate microbiological assays. At concentrations of 0.025-0.

Nutritional role of folate.

Folate functions as a coenzyme to transfer one-carbon units that are necessary for deoxythymidylate synthesis, purine synthesis, and various methylation reactions. Ingested folate becomes a functional molecule through intestinal absorption, circulation, transport to cells, and various modifications to its structure. Associations between nutritional folate status and chronic diseases such as cardiovascular disease, cancer, and cognitive dysfunction have been reported.

Effects of Biotin Deficiency on Biotinylated Proteins and Biotin-Related Genes in the Rat Brain.

Biotin is a water-soluble vitamin that functions as a cofactor for biotin-dependent carboxylases. The biochemical and physiological roles of biotin in brain regions have not yet been investigated sufficiently in vivo. Thus, in order to clarify the function of biotin in the brain, we herein examined biotin contents, biotinylated protein expression (e.

Consumption of a low-carbohydrate and high-fat diet (the ketogenic diet) exaggerates biotin deficiency in mice.

Objective: Biotin is a water-soluble vitamin that acts as a cofactor for several carboxylases. The ketogenic diet, a low-carbohydrate, high-fat diet, is used to treat drug-resistant epilepsy and promote weight loss. In Japan, the infant version of the ketogenic diet is known as the "ketone formula.

Biochemical alterations in the palatal processes in fetuses of biotin-deficient mice.

To clarify the role of biotin in palatal formation, we investigated the effects of biotin deficiency on the development of palatal processes in mouse fetuses at midgestation. We also investigated protein expressions in the palatal processes. Pregnant mice were given either a biotin-deficient diet or a biotin-supplemented (control) diet from day 0 of gestation (dg 0).

Effects of biotin deficiency on embryonic development in mice.

Objective: The purpose of this investigation was to determine the effects of biotin deficiency on maternal metabolism and embryonic development in pregnant mouse dams.

Methods: The pregnant mice were randomly assigned to one of three dietary groups and given a biotin-deficient diet, biotin-supplemented diet, or biotin-control diet during gestation. On days of gestation (dgs) 0, 4, 8, 12, and 16, organic acids including 3-hydroxyisovaleric acid in urine were discovered by high-performance liquid chromatography, and the biotin level in the serum and urine was determined by a bioassay.

Biotin deficiency affects the proliferation of human embryonic palatal mesenchymal cells in culture.

It has recently been demonstrated that pregnancy in women may cause mild biotin deficiency without any clinical signs. However, the teratogenicity of biotin deficiency in humans has not been well investigated. On the other hand, our previous studies have shown that maternal biotin deficiency induces many kinds of malformations, such as cleft palate, micrognathia, and micromelia, in all animal fetuses.

Vitamin B12 deficiency results in the abnormal regulation of serine dehydratase and tyrosine aminotransferase activities correlated with impairment of the adenylyl cyclase system in rat liver.

The aim of the present study was to elucidate the mechanism of the vitamin B(12) deficiency-induced changes of the serine dehydratase (SDH) and tyrosine aminotransferase (TAT) activities in the rat liver. When rats were maintained on a vitamin B(12)-deficient diet, the activities of these two enzymes in the liver were significantly reduced compared with those in the B12-sufficient control rats (SDH 2.8 (sd 0.

Abnormal increase in the expression level of proliferating cell nuclear antigen (PCNA) in the liver and hepatic injury in rats with dietary cobalamin deficiency.

Dietary cobalamin (Cbl; vitamin B12) deficiency resulted in severe growth retardation in rats, and body weight in the Cbl-deficient rats at 20 wk of age was significantly lower compared with the age-matched Cbl-sufficient control rats. In contrast, liver weight, when normalized to body weight, was greater in the Cbl-deficient rats than in the controls (p<0.05).

Measurement of 3-hydroxyisovaleric acid in urine of biotin-deficient infants and mice by HPLC.

We developed an assay for measuring urinary 3-hydroxyisovaleric acid (3-HIA) using HPLC after derivatization with 2-nitrophenylhydrazine hydrochloride (2-NPH . HCl). The derivatized 3-HIA was extracted into n-hexane and separated isocratically on a C8 reversed-phase column for fatty acids (YMC-Pack FA).

The effects of dietary vitamin B12 deficiency on sperm maturation in developing and growing male rats.

To evaluate the role of vitamin B12 on spermatogenesis, the effects of dietary vitamin B12 deficiency on sperm maturation in developing rat fetuses and young growing rats were examined. The vitamin B12-deficient diet was given to all the animals for three different periods: whole period (gestation to mature), gestation period (gestation to weaning), or immature period (3-12 weeks postnatal). Sperm examination revealed that the sperm count was markedly lower in male progeny (F1) that were vitamin B12-deficient during the whole period.

Characterization and bioavailability of vitamin B12-compounds from edible algae.

Substantial amounts of vitamin B12 were found in some edible algae (green and purple lavers) and algal health food (chlorella and spirulina tablets) using the Lactobacillus delbrueckii subsp. lactis ATCC7830 microbiological assay method. Corrinoid-compounds were purified and characterized from these algae to clarify the chemical properties and bioavailability of the algal vitamin B12.

Hypoxia-induced megaloblastosis in vitamin B12-deficient rats.

In rats, in contrast with human subjects who develop megaloblastic anaemia due to vitamin B12 deficiency, haematological abnormalities with anaemia were not observed under normoxic conditions even though plasma vitamin B12 concentration was reduced to <15 % of a normal concentration by depleting dietary vitamin B12. To elucidate whether erythropoiesis was affected by vitamin B12 deficiency in rats, these vitamin B12-deficient rats were exposed to hypoxia (10.5 % O2) to stimulate erythropoiesis.