title: Effect of vitamin B-6 deficiency on plasma amino acid levels in chronically azotemic rats.
abstract: Chronic renal failure is associated with many abnormalities in plasma amino acids. Since patients with renal failure are frequently deficient in vitamin B-6, this study examined whether vitamin B-6 deficiency may be a cause of any of the abnormal plasma amino acid concentrations observed in chronic renal failure. Sham-operated and chronically azotemic rats were pair-fed diets deficient in or replete with vitamin B-6 for 21 d. By the end of 21 d, the EGOT index rose significantly in the B-6-deficient rats but not in the B-6-replete animals. There were several differences in plasma amino acid concentrations between azotemic and control rats. Azotemia and B-6 deficiency each lowered the plasma serine concentration and raised the glycine-to-serine ratio. Plasma glycine was affected by a two-way interaction between azotemia and vitamin B-6 deficiency whereby the highest values were found in the sham-operated vitamin B-6-deficient animals. Plasma alanine and asparagine were reduced by B-6 deficiency and unchanged by azotemia. These results suggest that vitamin B-6 deficiency may contribute to several of the abnormalities in the plasma aminograms observed in chronic renal failure.
mesh_terms: D000596:Amino Acids / Q000097:blood*; D000818:Animals; D001835:Body Weight; D007676:Kidney Failure, Chronic / Q000097:blood* / Q000150:complications; D007677:Kidney Function Tests; D008297:Male; D051381:Rats; D011919:Rats, Inbred Strains; D014804:Vitamin B Deficiency / Q000097:blood* / Q000150:complications
chemical_list: D000596:Amino Acids