Evidence that Creatine May Be One Factor in the Low Transamidinase Activities of Kidneys from Protein-depleted Rats

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Abstract
Experiments were carried out in an attempt to determine whether high tissue levels of creatine are a factor in the low transamidinase activities of kidneys from rats fed a protein-free diet. Rats were killed at varying lengths of time after having been fed a protein-free diet and 7 days after having been fed a complete diet supplemented with creatine. Kidney transamidinase activities, in vitro, and the amounts of creatine in the blood and kidneys of the rats were determined. Two separate and distinct phases in the loss of kidney transamidinase activity were observed in the rats fed the protein-free diet. These phases were separated by a period of time during which the enzyme values remained constant. The amounts of creatine in the blood and kidneys were normal in the first phase but in the second phase were similar to those observed in rats fed complete diets supplemented with sufficient creatine to result in low kidney transamidinase activities. Elevated tissue levels of creatine were probably not a factor in the first phase but are suggested as a possible factor in the second phase.