American Journal of Clinical Nutrition, Vol 54, 408-413, Copyright © 1991 by The American Society for Clinical Nutrition, Inc

ORIGINAL RESEARCH COMMUNICATIONS

Proline metabolism in adult male burned patients and healthy control subjects

T Jaksic, DA Wagner, JF Burke and VR Young
Shriners Burns Institute, Boston, MA 02114.

Postabsorptive proline flux, oxidation, and endogenous biosynthesis were determined in five severely burned intensive-care-unit patients (mean age 27 y) and in six healthy, young-adult control subjects. Continuous primed, intravenous, 160-min, dual stable-isotope-tracer infusions of L-[1-13C]proline and L-[methyl-2H3]leucine were used in conjunction with measurement of plasma proline concentration and 24-h urinary hydroxyproline output. Burn patients, compared with normal individuals, demonstrated a doubling in proline and leucine flux (P less than 0.01 for both findings), a threefold enhancement of proline oxidation (P less than 0.05), a trend toward decreased proline synthesis, and a 37% reduction in plasma proline concentrations (P less than 0.05). Further, the injured group, unlike the control group, was in a distinct negative body proline balance, as proline oxidation greatly exceeded endogenous proline biosynthesis (P less than 0.01). These studies indicate that significant proline deficits may evolve during the postabsorptive period in severely burned patients and that an exogenous supply of proline might benefit the nitrogen economy of the traumatized patient.

This article has been cited by other articles:

				M. Watford Glutamine Metabolism and Function in Relation to Proline Synthesis and the Safety of Glutamine and Proline Supplementation J. Nutr., October 1, 2008; 138(10): 2003S - 2007S. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]

				R. F. Bertolo and D. G. Burrin Comparative Aspects of Tissue Glutamine and Proline Metabolism J. Nutr., October 1, 2008; 138(10): 2032S - 2039S. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]

				X.-J. Zhang, D. L. Chinkes, and R. R. Wolfe Measurement of protein metabolism in epidermis and dermis Am J Physiol Endocrinol Metab, June 1, 2003; 284(6): E1191 - E1201. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]

				Y.-M. Yu, C. M. Ryan, Z.-W. Fei, X.-M. Lu, L. Castillo, J. T. Schultz, R. G. Tompkins, and V. R. Young Plasma L-5-oxoproline kinetics and whole blood glutathione synthesis rates in severely burned adult humans Am J Physiol Endocrinol Metab, February 1, 2002; 282(2): E247 - E258. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]

				Y.-M. Yu, C. M. Ryan, L. Castillo, X.-M. Lu, L. Beaumier, R. G. Tompkins, and V. R. Young Arginine and ornithine kinetics in severely burned patients: increased rate of arginine disposal Am J Physiol Endocrinol Metab, March 1, 2001; 280(3): E509 - E517. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]

				P. J. Reeds Dispensable and Indispensable Amino Acids for Humans J. Nutr., July 1, 2000; 130(7): 1835S - 1840. [Abstract] [Full Text]

				Y.-C. Chan, M. Suzuki, and S. Yamamoto A Comparison of Anthropometry, Biochemical Variables and Plasma Amino Acids among Centenarians, Elderly and Young Subjects J. Am. Coll. Nutr., August 1, 1999; 18(4): 358 - 365. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]