BLOOD BRANCHED-CHAIN AMINO AND α-KETO ACID CONCENTRATIONS AND NET EXCHANGE ACROSS THE PORTAL-DRAINED VISCERA AND HINDLIMB OF FED AND FASTED RUMINANTS

Abstract

In the first of two experiments, whole blood branched-chain amino acid (BCAA) and plasma branched-chain α-keto acid (BCKA) concentrations in jugular venous blood were determined in cattle and sheep before and during a 6-d fast. In cattle, concentrations of valine, isoleucine, α-ketoisovalerate (KIV) and α-ketomethylvalerate (KMV) remained unchanged whereas leucine and α-ketoisocaproate (KTC) increased (P < 0.05) during fasting. In sheep, only KIV and KMV remained unchanged whereas BCAA and KIC increased (P < 0.05) during fasting. In a second experiment on cattle chronically catheterized to measure BCAA and BCKA exchange across the portal-drained viscera (PDV) and hindlimb (HL), the PDV added and the HL removed BCAA from the blood of fed cattle. The opposite exchange occurred after a 6-d fast. Releases of BCKA from the PDV and HL in both fed and fasted states were small compared to BCAA exchanges. The data suggest that blood BCAA but not BCKA concentrations may respond differently to starvation in sheep versus cattle and that in cattle the PDV and HL do not release appreciable amounts of BCKA relative to the net movements of the BCAA. Key words: Portal-drained viscera, hind limb, branched-chain amino acids, branched-chain α-keto acids, fasting, ruminants