title: Branched-chain L-amino acid metabolism in classical maple syrup urine disease after orthotopic liver transplantation.
abstract: We characterized the effect of orthotopic liver transplantation on the catabolism of branched-chain L-amino acids in a female patient with classical form of maple syrup urine disease. Transplantation was performed at the age of 7.4 years due to a terminal liver failure triggered by a hepatitis A infection. Since then, the patient is on an unrestricted diet and plasma concentrations of branched-chain L-amino and 2-oxo acids are stable, yet at moderately increased levels (2- to 3-fold of control). L-Alloisoleucine concentrations, however, remained remarkably elevated (> 5-fold of control). In vivo catabolism was investigated by measuring the metabolic L-alloisoleucine clearance and whole-body leucine oxidation in the postabsorptive state. In an oral loading test with 580 micromol alloisoleucine per kg body wt, the L-alloisoleucine elimination rate constant (0.067 h(-1)) was in the normal range (0.069+/-0.012 h(-1), n = 4). In an oral L-[1-13C]leucine load (38 micromol/kg body wt), 19.5% of the tracer dose applied was recovered in exhaled 13CO2 versus 18.9+/-3.6% in healthy subjects (n = 10). Thus, the patient exhibited obviously normal whole-body catabolic rates although branched-chain L-amino acid oxidation was confined to the liver transplant. Most likely, the enhanced substrate supply from extrahepatic sources led to an elevation of the plasma concentrations and thus induced a compensatory enhancement of the metabolic flux through the branched-chain 2-oxo acid dehydrogenase complex in the intact liver tissue.
authors.affiliation: Deutsches Diabetes Forschungsinstitut Heinrich-Heine- Universität, Düsseldorf, Germany
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Bodner-Leidecker
authors.forename: U
authors.initials: U
authors.lastname: Wendel
authors.forename: J M
authors.initials: JM
authors.lastname: Saudubray
authors.forename: P
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Schadewaldt
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007532:Isoleucine / Q000378:metabolism*; D007930:Leucine / Q000378:metabolism*; D016031:Liver Transplantation; D008375:Maple Syrup Urine Disease / Q000097:blood / Q000378:metabolism*; D010084:Oxidation-Reduction
chemical_list: D007532:Isoleucine; D007930:Leucine