American Journal of Clinical Nutrition, Vol 61, 90-96, Copyright © 1995 by The American Society for Clinical Nutrition, Inc

ORIGINAL RESEARCH COMMUNICATIONS

Folate deficiency inhibits pancreatic amylase secretion in rats

M Balaghi and C Wagner
Department of Veterans' Affairs Medical Center, Nashville, TN.

Previous studies have suggested that the metabolism of methyl groups is an important factor in the function of the exocrine pancreas. Ethionine, an inhibitor of cellular methylation reactions, produces hemorrhagic pancreatitis when administered to mice fed a choline- deficient diet. Glycine N-methyltransferase, an enzyme which regulates the ratio of S-adenosylmethionine to S-adenosylhomocysteine, is particularly abundant in the exocrine pancreas. Since de novo synthesis of methyl groups requires the participation of folate coenzymes, we investigated the effect of folate deficiency on pancreatic exocrine function. Rats were fed an amino acid-defined folate-deficient diet or the same diet supplemented with folate ad libitum. A third group received the folate supplemented diet pair-fed to the deficient group. After 3 and 5 wk, pancreatic amylase secretion was measured in perfused duodenal segments of anesthetized animals before and after cholecystokinin injection. Pancreatic secretion was significantly reduced in the deficient group compared with the pair-fed control group after 5 wk. These results indicate that severe folate deficiency impairs pancreatic exocrine function.

This article has been cited by other articles:

				S. C. Larsson, N. Hakansson, E. Giovannucci, and A. Wolk Folate intake and pancreatic cancer incidence: a prospective study of Swedish women and men. J Natl Cancer Inst, March 15, 2006; 98(6): 407 - 413. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]

				D. Li, M. Ahmed, Y. Li, L. Jiao, T.-H. Chou, R. A. Wolff, R. Lenzi, D. B. Evans, M. L. Bondy, P. W. Pisters, et al. 5,10-Methylenetetrahydrofolate Reductase Polymorphisms and the Risk of Pancreatic Cancer Cancer Epidemiol. Biomarkers Prev., June 1, 2005; 14(6): 1470 - 1476. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]

				S. M. Nabokina, T. Y. Ma, and H. M. Said Mechanism and regulation of folate uptake by human pancreatic epithelial MIA PaCa-2 cells Am J Physiol Cell Physiol, July 1, 2004; 287(1): C142 - C148. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]

				D. S. Longnecker Abnormal Methyl Metabolism in Pancreatic Toxicity and Diabetes J. Nutr., August 1, 2002; 132(8): 2373S - 2376. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]

				D. M Kerins, M. J Koury, A. Capdevila, S. Rana, and C. Wagner Plasma S-adenosylhomocysteine is a more sensitive indicator of cardiovascular disease than plasma homocysteine Am. J. Clinical Nutrition, December 1, 2001; 74(6): 723 - 729. [Abstract] [Full Text]

				R.-F. S. Huang, Y.-C. Hsu, H.-L. Lin, and F. L. Yang Folate Depletion and Elevated Plasma Homocysteine Promote Oxidative Stress in Rat Livers J. Nutr., January 1, 2001; 131(1): 33 - 38. [Abstract] [Full Text]

				R. Z. Stolzenberg-Solomon, D. Albanes, F. J. Nieto, T. J. Hartman, J. A. Tangrea, M. Rautalahti, J. Sehlub, J. Virtamo, and P. R. Taylor Pancreatic Cancer Risk and Nutrition-Related Methyl-Group Availability Indicators in Male Smokers J Natl Cancer Inst, March 17, 1999; 91(6): 535 - 541. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]

				D. W. Horne and R. S. Holloway Compartmentation of Folate Metabolism in Rat Pancreas: Nitrous Oxide Inactivation of Methionine Synthase Leads to Accumulation of 5-Methyltetrahydrofolate in Cytosol J. Nutr., September 1, 1997; 127(9): 1772 - 1775. [Abstract] [Full Text]