title: The ability of guinea pigs to synthesize carnitine at a normal rate from epsilon-N-trimethyllysine or gamma-butyrobetaine in vivo is not compromised by experimental vitamin C deficiency.
abstract: Experimental vitamin C deficiency in guinea pigs is associated with low carnitine concentrations in blood and some tissues. Ascorbic acid is a cofactor for two enzymes in the pathway of carnitine biosynthesis. The effect of experimental vitamin C deficiency on the ability of guinea pigs to synthesize carnitine was in animals fed a vitamin C-deficient diet for 28 days. On days 19 to 28, supplements (0.5 mmol.kg body weight-1.d-1) of the carnitine precursors epsilon-N-trimethyllysine or gamma-butyrobetaine were administered orally. Ascorbate-supplemented, ascorbate-deficient, and pair-fed (to ascorbate-deficient) animals showed an increase in the rate of carnitine biosynthesis (as estimated from measured rates of carnitine excretion) of 32 to 40 mumol.kg body weight-1.d-1 following supplementation with epsilon-N-trimethyllysine. Likewise, animals in each experimental group showed an increase in the rate of carnitine biosynthesis of 41 to 50 mumol.kg body weight-1.d-1 after supplementation with gamma-butyrobetaine. These results indicate that scorbutic guinea pigs are able to synthesize carnitine at a normal or above-normal rate. For guinea pigs not given a carnitine precursor supplement, rates of free and total carnitine excretion for ascorbate-deficient (but not pair-fed) animals were threefold higher than for ascorbate-supplemented animals during days 19 to 28 of the feeding regimen. Thus, carnitine depletion in vitamin C deficiency likely is due to excessive urinary excretion of carnitine and not to a decreased rate of carnitine biosynthesis.
authors.affiliation: Department of Pediatrics, University of Iowa College of Medicine, Iowa City, USA.
authors.forename: C J
authors.initials: CJ
authors.lastname: Rebouche
mesh_terms: D000704:Analysis of Variance; D000818:Animals; D001206:Ascorbic Acid Deficiency / Q000378:metabolism*; D001622:Betaine / Q000031:analogs & derivatives* / Q000378:metabolism; D002331:Carnitine / Q000097:blood / Q000378:metabolism*; D005527:Food, Fortified; D006168:Guinea Pigs; D008239:Lysine / Q000031:analogs & derivatives* / Q000378:metabolism; D008297:Male; D012016:Reference Values; D013997:Time Factors; D015430:Weight Gain
chemical_list: D001622:Betaine; C003712:trimethyllysine; C002889:gamma-butyrobetaine; D008239:Lysine; D002331:Carnitine