Effect of dietary protein on serum proteins

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Abstract
Groups of 12 adult male rats were maintained on a protein-free diet until they had lost 25% of their original body weight. They were then placed on a purified diet of varying amounts of protein (0, 10, 20, 30, and 40%) until they had regained their original weight. One group was maintained on 20% protein throughout the study. When protein-depleted rats were refed 0-30% protein, their total serum protein rose from 5.05 to 6.55 g/100 ml, serum hexosamine rose from 118 to 156 mg/100 ml, and sialic acid increased from 67 to 88 mg/100 ml. These levels were slightly lower in the group given the 40% protein diet. Serum was separated into at least 16 fractions by disc-gel electrophore-sis and the quantity of protein was determined microspectrophotometric-ally. Several- components were found that increased severalfold as dietary protein was raised to 30%. However, these fractions dropped sharply when the protein level was further raised to 40%. Albumin concentrations and most of the other serum proteins which have previously been used to assess dietary protein levels showed only slight increases, the same order of magnitude as total serum protein level. It was found that a diet of 20% protein was more effective in repletion of protein than 10, 30, and 40% protein.