EFFECTS OF DIETARY EXCESS AMINO-ACIDS ON THE CONCENTRATIONS OF CHOLESTEROL, ALPHA-TOCOPHEROL, ASCORBIC-ACID, AND COPPER IN SERUM AND TISSUES OF RATS

An experiment was conducted with growing rats to investigate the effects of feeding excessive specific L-amino acids for 8 days on serum and tissue cholesterol, alpha-tocopherol, ascorbic acid, and copper, and on liver microsomal cytochrome P-450. To a 10% casein diet were added 4% L-methionine, 5% L-cystine, 5% L-histidine, 5% L-threonine, 5% L-tryptophan, 5% L-phenylalanine, 5% L-tyrosine, 6% L-valine, 7% L-isoleucine, 7% L-lysine, or 8% L-leucine. Excessive cystine and histidine increased serum cholesterol and alpha-tocopherol. Excessive cystine and methionine increased liver and kidney alpha-tocopherol and ascorbic acid. Excessive tyrosine and phenylalanine caused a marked increase in serum copper and ceruloplasmin activity, whereas excessive cystine, methionine, and histidine caused a decrease in the ceruloplasmin activity. Excessive histidine increased liver cytochrome P-450, whereas excessive tyrosine markedly decreased liver cytochrome P-450.