The Relationship of Vitamin B6 to Protein Metabolism during Pregnancy in the Rat

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Abstract
The effects on both the maternal organism and the offspring of depletion of the maternal vitamin B6 stores prior to mating and of varying levels of pyridoxine in the diet during gestation were investigated. Average maternal weight gains of over 100 gm were observed in animals not depleted of their vitamin B6 stores prior to mating and maintained during the gestation period on diets containing pyridoxine. Depletion of maternal vitamin B6 stores prior to mating exerted a marked effect on weight gain. The smallest weight gains occurred in the group receiving desoxypyridoxine and increased linearly as the level of pyridoxine was increased. Prior depletion had no effect on food intake. Food consumption was highest for the animals receiving pyridoxine, lower on the pyridoxine-free diet and reduced further on the desoxypyridoxine supplement. The percentages of dietary nitrogen retained were lower for all animals in the depleted group than for those on corresponding diets in the non-depleted group. Nitrogen retention was significantly lower on the desoxypyridoxine-supplemented diet in each group but the level of pyridoxine in the ration had no significant effect on nitrogen retention within the two main groups. The data on maternal livers showed that there is a definite influence of vitamin B6 on liver protein synthesis during pregnancy. It is postulated that this effect may be due to the influence of vitamin B6-dependent enzyme systems or to hormonal changes. Average fetal weights differed with the state of maternal vitamin B6 stores prior to mating and with the level of pyridoxine in the ration during gestation. The young from nondepleted mothers were heavier than those from depleted mothers on corresponding diets. It is significant that the average weight of the young from depleted mothers maintained during gestation on pyridoxine-supplemented diets were as low as or lower than those from non-depleted animals maintained on the desoxypyridoxine-supplemented diet during gestation. The data indicate that pyridoxine in the diet before mating is as important as pyridoxine in the diet during gestation; giving further support to the hypothesis that the condition of the maternal organism prior to the inception of pregnancy plays a critical role in the course of pregnancy and its outcome.