title: The beneficial effect of folate-enriched egg on the folate and homocysteine levels in rats fed a folate- and choline-deficient diet.
abstract: We investigated the effects of folate-enriched egg yolk powder on folate and homocysteine levels in plasma and liver of rats fed the folate- and choline-deficient diet to determine bioavailability in vivo. Three-wk-old Wistar rats were fed (1) the pteroylglutamate (PteGlu), (2) the choline, (3) the PteGlu and choline, (4) the folate-enriched egg yolk powder diet for 4 wk after having been fed the folate- and choline-deficient diet. The hepatic folate level in the folate-enriched egg yolk powder group was significantly higher than that in the folate- and choline-deficient or the control groups. The homocysteine concentration in plasma and liver of the folate-enriched egg yolk powder group was significantly lower than that of the folate- and choline-deficient or the PteGlu groups. The S-adenosyl-methionine (SAM)/S-adenosyl-homocysteine (SAH) ratio in the folate-enriched egg yolk powder group was significantly higher than that in the folate- and choline-deficient group. These effects were similar in the PteGlu and choline, but not the PteGlu or the choline groups. These data suggest that the intake of folate-enriched eggs, as well as of both folate and choline, induced the beneficial effects on folate and homocysteine metabolism. Thus, folate-enriched eggs could be used as beneficial source of folate with a high bioavailability.
authors.affiliation: Pharma Foods Intl. Co. Ltd.1-49, Goryo-Ohara, Nishikyo-ku, Kyoto, 615-8245, Japan.
authors.forename: Ayami
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Sugiyama
authors.forename: Hiroyo
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Awaji
authors.forename: Kenji
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Horie
authors.forename: Mujo
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Kim
authors.forename: Rieko
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Nakata
mesh_terms: D000821:Animal Feed; D000818:Animals; D002794:Choline / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000097:blood / Q000493:pharmacokinetics; D004032:Diet; D004530:Egg Yolk / Q000737:chemistry*; D005492:Folic Acid / Q000008:administration & dosage* / Q000097:blood* / Q000493:pharmacokinetics; D005527:Food, Fortified; D051381:Rats; D017208:Rats, Wistar; D012435:S-Adenosylhomocysteine / Q000097:blood*; D012436:S-Adenosylmethionine / Q000097:blood
chemical_list: D012436:S-Adenosylmethionine; D005492:Folic Acid; D012435:S-Adenosylhomocysteine; D002794:Choline