Intestinal absorption of amino acids and peptides in Hartnup disorder

Absorption of free and peptide-bound amino acids was investigated in a girl with Hartnup disorder aged 26 months. Plasma levels of amino acids were followed after oral administration of (1) an amino acid mixture simulating casein and (2) an equivalent dose of a partial enzymic hydrolysate of casein containing oligopeptides in addition to free amino acids. The results suggested that many neutral amino acids were poorly absorbed when given in the free form, but much more readily absorbed when given as peptides. Unexpectedly, the results also suggested that glutamic acid was poorly absorbed when given in the free form. The results obtained with threonine could not be interpreted. There was an increased renal clearance of many neutral amino acids, including glycine, but clearance of proline was not increased. Most amino acids with an increased renal clearance also appeared to be poorly absorbed when given by mouth in the free form.