The Influence of Feeding Frequency on Nitrogen Turnover and Whole Body Protein Synthesis in Adult Rats (Estimation using [¹⁴C]- and [¹⁵N]- Labelled Leucine)

Abstract

Male Wistar rats (17 wks. old, body weight ∼400 g), fitted with an intra gastric cannula and with a catheter in the vena jugularis were divided into 3 groups and given a marginal ration of the feeding solution Nutrison Standard (1g protein and 350 kJ ME per day). Group 1 had ad lib. access to the drinking bottle, the groups 2 and 3 were pair fed by gastric infusion, splitted up into 2 greater meals for group 2 respectively into 6 smaller meals for group 3. After adaptation all animals get an i.p. injection of doubly labelled tracer solution (200μl) containing 2.5mg L-[¹⁵N]leucine (72 atom% ¹⁵N) combined with either [1-¹⁴C]- or [U-¹⁴C] leucine (37 kBq).

The course of ¹⁴CO₂ expiration was estimated by breath test over 4h in intervals of 15 min and the course of urinary ¹⁵N excretion over 24h in intervals of 45 resp. 90 min. An infusion of saline (0.9% 5ml/h) into the vena jugularis was used to provoke sustained urine production of the animals during the experiment.

From the parameters of the excretion curves of breath ¹⁴CO₂ resp. urine ¹⁵N (cumulative end value) and from the N balance the portions of leucine-C and leucine-N used for protein synthesis, transamination decarboxylation and total oxidation as well as the kinetic parameters for whole body protein metabolism were computed.

The following conclusions were drawn:

6 x feeding regime produces a small but measurable amino acid economy effect in comparison to 2 x feeding regime.

Protein gain for 2 x feeding group was significant smaller than for 6 x feeding group, though protein synthesis rate was higher, but was overcompensated by a greater increase of protein breakdown rate for the 2 x feeding group. Energy storage in form of fat and glycogen built from decarboxylation was unaffected by feeding frequency. The amount of leucine oxidized for heat production was 4% higher for the 6 x feeding group. Transamination rate for leucine was estimated to 8–15%. Absolute values for protein flux, protein synthesis and protein breakdown may be overestimated or underestimated because the metabolism of [¹⁵N] leucine does not exactly agree with that of total N; but the proportions of them and therefore also the conclusions will be true. Better results for absolute values will be obtained using a mixture of ¹⁵N labelled AA, ¹⁵N labelled protein or hydrolysate of ¹⁵N labelled protein (yeast) as the tracer source.