title: Effect of a dietary protein deficiency on the development of hepatic drug-metabolizing enzymes in young rats.
abstract: The effect of protein deprivation on the activities of hepatic drug-metabolizing enzymes was studied in young rats whose mothers had previously been on a protein-restricted diet during pregnancy. Dietary protein deficiency (5% lactic casein as the protein source) lowered the amount of cytochrome P-450 and the activities of epoxide hydrolase and UDP-glucuronosyltransferase (UDPGT) (l-borneol as the substrate) by about 45, 63, and 48%, for the first 8 weeks, respectively. Interestingly, UDPGT estimated with p-nitrophenol as the substrate was far less affected than that estimated from l-borneol glucuronidation. This finding provides further evidence of the heterogeneity of UDPGT. Restoration of a balanced diet for 15 days following protein deprivation quickly restored cytochrome P-450 and enzyme activities to control values. Our experiments showed that the development of drug-metabolizing enzymes was changed more by the diet in young rats than in older rats. This could affect the toxicity of drugs that are normally metabolized by these pathways.
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D001835:Body Weight; D003577:Cytochrome P-450 Enzyme System / Q000378:metabolism; D004851:Epoxide Hydrolases / Q000378:metabolism; D014453:Glucuronosyltransferase / Q000378:metabolism; D008099:Liver / Q000201:enzymology*; D008297:Male; D009929:Organ Size; D011488:Protein Deficiency / Q000378:metabolism*; D051381:Rats; D011919:Rats, Inbred Strains
chemical_list: D003577:Cytochrome P-450 Enzyme System; D014453:Glucuronosyltransferase; D004851:Epoxide Hydrolases