1985 Volume 59 Issue 3 Pages 101-107
To study the effect of vitamin B_<12> deprivation on the levels of heme proteins in the liver, hepatic catalase and tryptophan pyrrolase activities were examined in the rats fed on a vitamin B_<12> deprived diet for 140 days or 210 days. Then, microsomal cytochrbme P-450 and cytochrome b_5 concentrations in the liver were also examined after 140 days of vitamin B_<12> deprivation. Vitamin B_<12> deprivation elevated progressively urinary MMA content to high value in 120 days leading to plateau level in 210 days. Vitamin B_<12> concentrations in the liver and plasma decreased markedly when rat were fed on a vitamin B_<12> deprived diet for 140 days and 210 days. Hepatic catalase and tryptophan pyrrolase activities were depressed in 140-day and 210-day when rats were kept on the same diet. However, no differences in the activities due to the experimental period was observed. Moreover, it was recognized that microsomal cytochrome P-450 and cytochrome b_5 concentrations in the liver of vitamin B_<12> deprived rats decreased compared with those of the vitamin B_<12> Supplemented group. These results suggest that vitamin B_<12> deprivation affects the level of heme proteins in rat liver.
