CHANGES PRODUCED BY PROTEIN MALNUTRITION IN THE PROTEOLYTIC ACTIVITY OF HUMAN LIVER

Abstract

The acid proteolytic activity in the livers of children who died of kwashiorkor or marasmus was compared with that of the livers of children who died of non-nutritional causes. The malnourished children had higher proteolytic activities than normal. There was no difference in the specific activity (expressed in units per milligram of nitrogen) between the livers of children with marasmus and those of children with kwashiorkor. These results are in good agreement with previous studies in rats given protein-deficient diets.