The inadequacy of urinary Nτ-methyl histidine excretion in the pig as a measure of muscle protein breakdown

Abstract

1. The validity of the urinary excretion of Nτ-methyl histidine (Nτ-MH) by pigs as an index of muscle protein breakdown in vivo was tested using the criterion of the rate of recovery of radioactivity in urine following an intravenous dose of Nτ-[14CH3]methyl histidine.2. Urinary recoveries of radioactivity from five animals were less than 21% of dose in 7 d after which the daily recovery was less than 0.3% per day.3. The incomplete recoveries of radioactivity were associated with the presence in muscle of a large. pool of non-protein-bound Nτ-MH, the concentration of which increased with age.4. The Nτ-MH in this pool was present as free Nτ-MH and in a dipeptide which constituted more than 90% of the total non-protein-bound Nτ-MH. The contribution of the peptide increased with age, reaching 99.8% in older animals.5. The pool of non-protein-bound Nτ-MH was maintained and increased in both established and newly accreted tissue by retention of some of the Nτ-MH released by muscle protein breakdown, only a proportion of which was therefore available for excretion. Hence, the urinary excretion of Nτ-MH is not a valid index of muscle protein breakdown in pig.