Estimation of rate of protein synthesis by constant infusion of labelled amino acids in pigs

Abstract

1. The fractional synthetic rates of tissue proteins were studied in growing pigs using the constant-infusion technique of tracer-labelled amino acids ([14C]leucine and [14C]lysine) and the mathetmatical model for calculation, employed in rats by Garlick, Millward & James (1973).2. During a 6 h infusion, samples were taken from blood and muscle and at the end of the infusion from liver, muscle, pancreas, heart, duodenum, jejunum, ileum, colon, and skin. The specific radioactivity of free and protein-bound leucine and lysine was estimated.3. A quasi-steady-state in the specific radioactivity of free plasma leucine and lysine was reached within approximately 2 h, the rate-constants being 35 and 48/d respectively.4. The specific radioactivity of free leucine and lysine in plasma was used to calculate the flux of these amino acids. It was found to be higher than the daily intake.5. The average fractional rate of protein synthesis in muscle and heart was 8.1 %/d, in small and large intestine the values were 50 and 33 %/d respectively and in liver and pancreas more than 100 %/d.6. The calculation of protein synthetic rate in pig tissue using the constant-infusion method of labelled amino acids seems to be a suitable tool for study of this species.