Protein metabolism in growing rats. 3. Effects of an early severe protein deprivation and its alleviation by feeding a low protein diet

Abstract

Several parameters representative of protein metabolism have been studied in pro­ tein depleted rats and after protein repletion with a 4 % casein diet.

Feeding the rats with the protein-free diet during 4 weeks after weaning, decreased serum protein levels (albumin and beta globulin) and nitrogen content in viscera and eviscerated carcass. Liver arginase activity decreased rapidly during the first two weeks on protein-free diet, but slightly increased during the following two weeks. The protein- free diet also prevented the normal increase in gamma globulins and serum comple­ ment levels which otherwise occur after weaning.

Feeding the 4 % casein diet for two weeks, to rats previously protein depleted for two weeks after weaning prevented further decrease and, in certain cases, restored these parameters up to the levels found in weanling animals.