title: Metabolism of [14C]adipic acid in riboflavin-deficient rats: a test in vivo for fatty acid oxidation.
abstract: Mitochondrial preparations from riboflavin-deficient rats are known to exhibit reduced capacity for the oxidation of fatty acids. During a search for a suitable fatty acid probe for the in vivo exploration of this phenomenon, it became apparent that a dicarboxylic acid, adipic acid, was more promising than a monocarboxylic acid such as octanoic acid. Rats made riboflavin deficient, and controls at various stages of development, were dosed intragastrically with [1,6-14C]adipic acid, and 14CO2 production was measured for 3 h. All animals were then given flavin mononucleotide intragastrically to replete their tissues, and the [14C]adipic acid test was repeated at intervals thereafter. In all groups, repletion produced a highly significant increase in the whole-body adipic acid oxidation index, and reversed the low rates of oxidation which had been observed in nonrepleted, deficient animals. This approach may therefore permit the development of a new functional test for fatty acid oxidation in human riboflavin deficiency, and for other conditions in which fatty acid oxidation pathways are impaired, by the use of nonradioactive [13C]adipic acid.
authors.affiliation: MRC Dunn Nutrition Unit, Cambridge, England.
authors.forename: C J
authors.initials: CJ
authors.lastname: Bates
mesh_terms: D000272:Adipates / Q000378:metabolism*; D000818:Animals; D002245:Carbon Dioxide / Q000032:analysis; D005227:Fatty Acids / Q000378:metabolism*; D005486:Flavin Mononucleotide / Q000008:administration & dosage; D010084:Oxidation-Reduction; D051381:Rats; D012257:Riboflavin Deficiency / Q000378:metabolism*; D013997:Time Factors
chemical_list: D000272:Adipates; D005227:Fatty Acids; D002245:Carbon Dioxide; D005486:Flavin Mononucleotide