Effect of maternal protein deprivation on enzymatic development in newborn rats.
Postnatal development of liver tyrosine aminotransferase and glucose-6-phosphatase, expressed as activity per gram of liver, occurred as rapidly in pups from pregnant rats fed throughout gestation a diet containing only 4% of casein as in pups from those fed the control diet containing 18% of casein supplemented with 0.3% of L-methionine. Total enzyme activity per liver was lower in pups from protein-restricted dams due to their smaller liver size. Dams fed the 4% casein diet during pregnancy gained much less weight than those fed the control diet and produced pups that weighed significantly less than control pups. Reproductive performance of a few dams fed 6% casein diets with or without amino acid supplements during gestation was comparable to that of dams fed the control diet. Litter size was not significantly reduced by the low-protein intake.
D000818:Animals; D000831:Animals, Newborn; D001724:Birth Weight; D002364:Caseins; D005260:Female; D005313:Fetal Death; D005952:Glucose-6-Phosphatase / Q000032:analysis*; D008098:Litter Size; D008099:Liver / Q000032:analysis / Q000201:enzymology*; D009929:Organ Size; D011247:Pregnancy; D011248:Pregnancy Complications; D011488:Protein Deficiency; D051381:Rats; D014444:Tyrosine Transaminase / Q000032:analysis*
D002364:Caseins; D014444:Tyrosine Transaminase; D005952:Glucose-6-Phosphatase