The dietary protein paradox and threonine15N-depletion: Pyridoxal-5'-phosphate enzyme activity as a mechanism for the δ15N trophic level effect.
BACKGROUND
Nitrogen stable isotope ratios (δ15N values) are used to reconstruct dietary patterns, but the biochemical mechanism(s) responsible for the diet to tissue trophic level effect and its variability are not fully understood. Here δ15N amino acid (AA) values and physiological measurements (nitrogen intake, plasma albumin concentrations, liver-reduced glutathione concentrations and leucine oxidation rates) are used to investigate increased dietary protein consumption and oxidative stress (vitamin E deficiency) in rat total plasma protein.


METHODS
Using gas chromatography/combustion/isotope ratio mass spectrometry, the δ15N values from N-pivaloyl-i-propyl esters of 15 AAs are reported for rats (n = 40) fed casein-based diets with: adequate protein (AP, 13.8%; n = 10), medium protein (MP, 25.7%; n = 10), high protein (HP, 51.3%; n = 10) or HP without vitamin E (HP-E; n = 10) for 18 weeks.


RESULTS
Between the HP and AP groups, the δ15NAAvalues of threonine (-4.0‰), serine (+1.4‰) and glycine (+1.2‰) display the largest differences and show significant correlations with: nitrogen intake, plasma albumin concentrations, liver-reduced glutathione concentrations and leucine oxidation rates. This indicates increased AA catabolism by the dietary induction of shared common metabolic pathways involving the enzymes threonine ammonia-lyase (EC 4.3.1.19), serine hydroxymethyltransferase (EC 2.1.2.1) and the glycine cleavage system (EC 2.1.2.10). The δ15NAAvalues of the HP-E and HP groups were not found to be significantly different.


CONCLUSIONS
The15N-depleted results of threonine are linked to increased activity of threonine ammonia-lyase, and show potential as a possible biomarker for protein intake and/or gluconeogenesis. We hypothesize that the inverse nitrogen equilibrium isotope effects of Schiff base formation, between AAs and pyridoxal-5'-phosphate cofactor enzymes, play a key role in the bioaccumulation and depletion of15N in the biomolecules of living organisms and contributes to the variability in the nitrogen trophic level effect. Copyright © 2017 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Department of Archaeology and Anthropology, University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, 19A Yuquan Road, Beijing, 100049, China.
Benjamin T
http://orcid.org/0000-0002-5989-8121
BT
Fuller
Department of Physiology of Energy Metabolism, German Institute of Human Nutrition in Potsdam-Rehbruecke (DIfE), Arthur-Scheunert-Allee 114-116, D-14558, Nuthetal, Germany.
Klaus J
KJ
Petzke
D000596:Amino Acids / Q000032:analysis / Q000378:metabolism; D000818:Animals; D002364:Caseins / Q000008:administration & dosage; D004044:Dietary Proteins / Q000378:metabolism*; D008401:Gas Chromatography-Mass Spectrometry; D005978:Glutathione / Q000032:analysis / Q000378:metabolism; D012696:Glycine Hydroxymethyltransferase / Q000378:metabolism; D008099:Liver / Q000737:chemistry / Q000378:metabolism; D008297:Male; D009587:Nitrogen Isotopes / Q000032:analysis / Q000378:metabolism*; D011732:Pyridoxal Phosphate / Q000378:metabolism*; D051381:Rats; D017208:Rats, Wistar; D013912:Threonine / Q000032:analysis / Q000378:metabolism*; D013913:Threonine Dehydratase / Q000378:metabolism*
D000596:Amino Acids; D002364:Caseins; D004044:Dietary Proteins; D009587:Nitrogen Isotopes; D013912:Threonine; D011732:Pyridoxal Phosphate; D012696:Glycine Hydroxymethyltransferase; D013913:Threonine Dehydratase; D005978:Glutathione