Bacon F. Chow

B12 Metabolism and Multiple Sclerosis.

Summary Data have been presented to suggest that MS patients as a group do not metabolize Vit. B12 and GSH, quite in the same quantitative manner as a control group. Their average Vit. B12 serum level is lower, as is their ability to retain the vitamin when administered intramuscularly, although they absorb adequately. Average GSH content of the red blood cell was reduced in the MS group. When Depinar, a Vit. B12−tannate derivative, was administered to such patients, Vit. B12 was excreted much more slowly in urine than aqueous Vit. B12.

Renal clearance of intravenously administered vitamin B12.

Summary The erythropoietic stimulating principle present in the filtrate of plasma obtained from anemic rabbits was partially purified by ethanol fractionation. This material was active in increasing Fe59 intake of normal rats and in producing a reticulocytosis and hematocrit elevation in repeatedly injected normal rats. Fe59 uptake was stimulated by as little as 0.08 mg of the fraction representing a concentration of 3,000 fold over that occurring in the plasma.

Content of radioactive vitamin B12 in the feces of rats fed Co60 and aureomycin.

Summary By the incorporation of Co60 into the diet, it could be shown that aureomycin causes an increase in the activity, both radioactive and microbiological, of the vit. B12 content of the feces. The fecal B12 content could be increased by increasing the amount of Co60 used. The experimental findings can be explained by the effect of the antibiotic on the intestinal bacterial flora.

The distribution of radioactivity in the organs of the fetus or of young rats born by mothers injected with vitamin B12 containing Co60.

Summary Vitamin B 12 containing radioactive cobalt-60 was administered subcutaneously to groups of pregnant rats. The radioactivity in placenta, amniotic fluid, and fetus as well as in the organs of newborn and mothers was determined. The results demonstrated its presence in small but analytically significant amounts (approximately 0.2% of the administered activity) in liver and kidneys, in even lesser amounts in intestines, and in analytically insignificant amounts in spleen and heart of mother rats. At the time of necropsy of the newborn a considerably larger amount (1–2% of the administered dose) of radioactivity was found in their carcasses. As much as 18% of the administered radioactivity was found in all the fetuses and placentas but no activity was detected in the amniotic fluid.

Effect of Thiamine Deficiency on Glutathione Contents of Erythrocytes and Tissues in the Rat

Summary Thiamine deficiency results in decrease in concentration of glutathione in erythrocytes and heart, but an increase in level of glutathione in liver tissue. The exact nature of the alteration of glutathione content is not known. The possible interrelationship of thiamine and glutathione in carbohydrate metabolism is discussed.

Effect of Pyridoxine and Pantothenic Acid Deficiency on Conditional Reflexes

T HIAMINE AND NIACIN in the diet have been recognized for many years as being necessary for life and normal mental function ; their absence results in disease-e.g., beriberi, pellagra. However, the literature contains little direct evidence of such an effect of pantothenic acid or pyridoxine. Our curiosity was aroused in regard to the I)ossible effect on mental function of the deficiency of pantothenic acid and pyridoxine in 194() when we became acquainted with the work of Wintrobe, who was then at the Johns Hopkins Hospital. Depriving young pigs under one year of age of these two vitamins, he noted various neurologic abnormalities-ataxia, degeneration in the spinal motor cells, as well as in the sensory neurons.9’3 Anemia and blood alterations also occurred. These nervous symptoms and blood changes did not appear, however, until the deprivation had lasted for several months. Would there be a corresponding impairment of higher nervous activity (at the basis of mental function)? How soon would it follow complete deprivation? Would it be reversible? The conditional reflex measures, being quantitative, seemed well suited to give answers to these questions.

Effect of pyridoxine deficiency on the absorption of vitamin B12.

Abstract 1. 1. Pyridoxine deficiency results in an impaired absorption of orally administered vitamin B 12 ∗ . This was demonstrated by urinary and fecal excretion tests, as well as by the measurement of radioactivity in livers and kidneys. The impairment can be fully corrected by subsequent treatment with pyridoxine. 2. 2. Pyridoxine deficiency does not affect the retention of vitamin B 12 ∗ . 3. 3. Deficiencies of thiamine, riboflavine, or pantothenic acid in rats have no influence on the absorption of vitamin B 12 ∗ .

Effect of Maternal Dietary Protein on Anthropometric and Behavioral Development of the Offspring

Anthropology is a science that treats of the growth of human beings, among other topics. Growth of human beings deals with not only physical measurements such as height, weight, head circumference, fatfold thickness, fat content, etc., but should include weights and functions of organs. Above all, the metabolism of the whole human being should be included. In our laboratory, we have recognized since 1942 that individuals with equivalent height and weight may have organs of different size, function and metabolism. Further, we have demonstrated that the composition of tissues, such as blood and organs, can be altered through the diet, and, more recently, we have demonstrated that the metabolic function of animals and humans can be altered in utero, particularly through the diet of the mother. With this in mind, we present herewith the three parts of our paper.

Vitamin B12 Serum Levels and Diabetic Retinopathy.

Summary Data are presented to demonstrate that the serum levels of vit. B 12 activity in diabetics with or without retinopathy are widely different. Those with the retinal lesions have a much higher activity (292 ‡ 24) than those without retinopathy (162‡18). This difference is statistically significant. The possible implication of vit. B12 in this disease is discussed.

Uptake of radioactive vitamin B12 by various microorganisms.

Summary A number of microorganisms were grown in a synthetic medium in which was incorporated radioactive vit. B12 tagged with Co60. Among those studied, radioactivity was found in varying amounts in the cells of all species studied except L. arabinosus. The incorporation of the radioactivity was not related to the requirement of vit. B12 for growth of the bacterial cells. It was estimated that approximately 8 molecules of the tagged vitamin united with each L. leichmannii cell. Evidence is presented to show that the radioactivity in the cell is due to vit. B12 in that (1) cells grown in the presence of Co60Cl2 with or without addition of non-radioactive vit. B12 contained no radioactivity, and (2) the microbiological activity in homogenates of distintegrated cells paralleled that calculated from radioactivity due to Co60. Measurements of uptakes of radioactive vit. B12 by two competing organisms (such as L. leichmannii and E. coli) separated by cellophane membranes readily permeable to this vitamin as well as other nutrients and metabolites demonstrate that radioactivity entered the cells of both organisms in essentially the same amounts as when each species was grown alone.