Effects of Thiamine and Riboflavin Deficiency on Histidine Metabolism

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Abstract
Levels of histidase were considerably greater (difference significant at a probability level of less than 1%) and of urocanase somewhat greater (difference significant at a probability level of between 5 and 1%) in livers of thiamine-deficient compared with those of pair-fed control rats. Liver rhodanese levels were the same in both groups. Liver histidase, urocanase and rhodanese levels were not affected by lack of dietary riboflavin in the rat. It is suggested that the observed increase in histidase activity during thiamine deficiency may represent a metabolic adaptation to denial of an alternate pathway for the degradation of histidine.