title: Effects of fatty liver induced by niacin-free diet with orotic acid on the metabolism of tryptophan to niacin in rats.
abstract: The effects of dietary orotic acid on the metabolism of tryptophan to niacin in weaning rats was investigated. The rats were fed with a niacin-free, 20% casein diet containing 0% (control diet) or 1% orotic acid diet (test diet) for 29 d. Retardation of growth, development of fatty liver, and enlargement of liver were observed in the test group in comparison with the control group. The concentrations of NAD and NADP in liver significantly decreased, while these in blood did not decrease compared to the control group. The formation of the upper metabolites of tryptophan to niacin such as anthranilic acid, kynurenic acid, and 3-hydroxyanthranilic acid were not affected, but the quinolinic acid and beyond, such as nicotinamide, N1-methylnicotinamide, N1-methyl-2-pyridone-5-carboxamide, and N1-methyl-4-pyridone-3-carboxamide, were significantly reduced by the administration of orotic acid. Therefore, the conversion ratio of tryptophan to niacin significantly decreased in the test group in comparison with the control group.
authors.affiliation: Department of Life Style Studies, School of Human Cultures, The University of Shiga Prefecture, Hikone, Japan. fukkie@shc.usp.ac.jp
authors.forename: Tsutomu
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Fukuwatari
authors.forename: Yuko
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Morikawa
authors.forename: Etsuro
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Sugimoto
authors.forename: Katsumi
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Shibata
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D004032:Diet; D005223:Fats / Q000032:analysis; D005234:Fatty Liver / Q000139:chemically induced* / Q000378:metabolism*; D005247:Feeding Behavior / Q000187:drug effects; D008099:Liver / Q000737:chemistry / Q000187:drug effects / Q000201:enzymology / Q000378:metabolism; D008297:Male; D009243:NAD / Q000032:analysis / Q000097:blood; D009249:NADP / Q000032:analysis / Q000097:blood; D009525:Niacin / Q000172:deficiency* / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000652:urine; D009929:Organ Size / Q000187:drug effects; D009963:Orotic Acid / Q000494:pharmacology*; D017378:Quinolinic Acid / Q000652:urine; D051381:Rats; D017208:Rats, Wistar; D014364:Tryptophan / Q000378:metabolism*; D014804:Vitamin B Deficiency / Q000378:metabolism; D015430:Weight Gain / Q000187:drug effects
chemical_list: D005223:Fats; D009243:NAD; D009525:Niacin; D009249:NADP; D009963:Orotic Acid; D014364:Tryptophan; D017378:Quinolinic Acid