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Effect of intravenous amino acids on protein kinetics in preterm infants

Satish C Kalhan1, John M Edmison

  • 1Department of Gastroenterology, Cleveland Clinic Foundation, Lerner Research Institute, Cleveland, Ohio 44195, USA. sck@case.edu

Current Opinion in Clinical Nutrition and Metabolic Care
|December 5, 2006
PubMed

Insights

Intravenous amino acids temporarily reduce protein breakdown in infants. Prolonged infusions diminish these effects, with glutamine supplementation showing sustained benefits. The exact cellular mechanism requires further investigation.

Area of Science:

  • Biochemistry
  • Neonatal Physiology
  • Nutritional Science

Background:

  • Protein kinetics are crucial for low-birth-weight infant development.
  • Understanding the impact of nutrition on protein metabolism is vital for clinical practice.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To review current findings on intravenous amino acid effects on protein kinetics in low-birth-weight infants.
  • To explore the cellular mechanisms underlying these observed effects.

Main Methods:

  • Literature review of studies on intravenous amino acid administration in infants.
  • Analysis of data on protein synthesis, proteolysis, and related metabolic pathways.
  • Inclusion of findings from adult and in vitro studies for mechanistic insights.

Main Results:

  • Short-term (3-5 h) intravenous amino acid infusions suppress whole-body proteolysis in infants.
  • Increased amino acid dosage initially reduces proteolysis and synthesis of glutamine and urea.
  • These effects normalize with prolonged infusions (20-24 h); glutamine supplementation sustains proteolysis suppression.
  • No significant changes in plasma insulin levels were observed during amino acid infusions.

Conclusions:

  • Intravenous amino acids transiently enhance protein synthesis and reduce protein breakdown by increasing extracellular concentrations.
  • The adaptive response of protein kinetics to prolonged amino acid infusions returns to basal levels.
  • The precise cellular mechanisms, potentially involving the mammalian target of rapamycin pathway, warrant further elucidation.
Abstract

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