Effect of vitamin E deficiency on creatine phosphokinase of heart and skeletal muscle

Abstract

A quantitative determination of creatine phosphokinase activity of heart and skeletal muscle has been made in early and severe vitamin E deficiency in the rabbit. This study revealed that early vitamin E deficiency resulted in an increase in creatine phosphokinase activity of skeletal muscle but decreased the enzymatic activity of the heart. Severe vitamin E deficiency resulted in a decrease in creatine phosphokinase activity of both skeletal and heart muscle. 17-Hydroxycorticosterone, in small doses, resulted in an increase in enzymatic activity of skeletal muscle but no change in heart muscle. Large doses of 17-hydroxycorticosterone caused a decrease in the creatine phosphokinase activity of both heart and skeletal muscle. Normal male rabbits exhibited a lower enzymatic activity than female animals, a difference which, in part, was due to testosterone.