Abstract

The lactic dehydrogenase activity in plasma and tissues was measured in the thiamine-deprived, the oxythiamine-treated and the pyrithiamine-treated rats as well as the control rats. The lactic dehydrogenase levels of brain and kidney were significantly increased by oxythiamine treatment. The enzyme activity in heart was markedly decreased only in the thiamine-deprived rats. Unlike the above tissues, the enzyme levels in liver were decreased by 29-44 per cent in all three types of thiamine deficiency, However, the enzyme activity in plasma was significantly increased only by pyrithiamine administration. The distribution patterns of lactic dehydrogenase isozymes were electrophoretically examined in these deficiencies. No significant difference among the three thiamine-deficient groups was observed in brain, kidney, and heart. All five isozymes were observed in proportions that are highly specific for the tissues involved. Two extra bands, in addition to five major bands, were found in liver. In thiamine deprivation liver LDH_3 was noticeably more abundant than LDH_2 in some cases, which is opposite to that found in the control. One extra band between LDH_2 and LDH_3 was absent in liver after pyrithiamine treatment. No noticeable difference in the isozyme distribution of plasma was found among the three thiamine-deficient groups. Blood pyruvate along with lactate was significantly increased by oxythiamine treatment. Pyrithiamine administration also caused a marked increase of blood pyruvate along with lactate only in the phase of the polyneuritic convulsion. Remarkable increases in weight of the adrenal glands were observed in all three cases.

Degree

College and Department

Physical and Mathematical Sciences; Chemistry and Biochemistry

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