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Effects of undernutrition on photein synthesis and turnover and on nucleic acid metabolism in different regions of developing brain
Author(s) -
Giuffrida A.M.,
Lajtha A.
Publication year - 1985
Publication title -
international journal of developmental neuroscience
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.761
H-Index - 88
eISSN - 1873-474X
pISSN - 0736-5748
DOI - 10.1016/0736-5748(85)90085-1
Subject(s) - neurochemistry , citation , library science , center (category theory) , editorial board , psychology , computer science , chemistry , neuroscience , neurology , crystallography
Undernutrition during brain development affects cerebral protein synthesis and breakdown. A method of protein labeling by which the specific activity of the aminoacid precursor was kept constant for long time has been employed. During development, both synthesis and breakdown are greater in immature brain. Aminoacid incorporation and protein breakdown were decreased in the brain of undernourished rats in early developmental stages (6 days old); a delayed growth was observed at 12 days of age, especially in the cerebellum. Concerning nucleic acid metabolism, undernutrition affects in a similar way most of the biosynthetic pathways studied, i.e. 1) de nova synthesis, measured by 14Cformate incorporation into the adenine of acid-soluble fraction, of DNA and RNA, as well as into the thymine of DNA; 2) DNA polymerase and thymidine kinase activities; 3) thymidine incorporation into DNA and uridine incorporation into RNA of different brain cells, and subcellular fractions; 4) the enzymes of purine nucleotide metabolism, interconversion and "salvage pathway". Nucleic acid metabolism was impaired at 5 days after birth and delayed during postnatal development by undernutrition.