Effects of Vitamin E-Deficiency On Guinea Pig Lysosomes 1

Abstract

Summary

The specific activities of cathepsins in whole homogenates, cell particles, or soluble fractions of muscle or liver were the same in guinea pigs given vitamin E-deficient diets as those on control diets. The proportion of total cathepsin activity in supernatant fractions (70,000g for 45 min) was not affected in animals given the deficient diet for 15 days. The proportion of total cathepsin activity in the supernatant fraction of liver was increased in animals given the deficient diet, compared with the supplemented diet, for 21 days. The sum of the activities found in the soluble plus particulate fractions of muscle from animals maintained on vitamin E-deficient diets for 21 days was greater than activity found in whole homogenates. An inhibitor of cathepsin activity may be present in muscle from the vitamin E-deficient animals.