Abstract
Summary
Protein deficiency in rats results in decreased ability to produce erythropoietin after hypoxic stimulation. This defect can be reversed by a single protein feeding at the time of exposure to hypoxia. The present experiments show that feeding of methionine, leucine or cystine also corrected the defect in erythropoietin production. These amino acids may serve to signal the adequacy of protein reserves and permit the synthesis of erythropoietin. Other single amino acids had minimal or no effect.
Study has been supported by University of Illinois BRSG 7612, Veterans Administration Research Funds, funds from the American Cancer Society, Illinois Division, Leukemia Research Foundation and the Hematology Research Foundation. The authors wish to thank Mrs. Jan Rone for her technical assistance.
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