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Intracellular amino acid concentrations in children with chronic renal insufficiency
J Kist-van Holthe tot Echten1, J G Huijmans, W C Hop
1Department of Pediatrics, Sophia Children's Hospital/University Hospital Rotterdam, The Netherlands.
Insights
Children with chronic renal failure have lower intracellular amino acid levels, particularly in granulocytes. Dietary protein intake did not significantly alter these essential amino acid concentrations in affected children.
Area of Science:
- Biochemistry
- Pediatrics
- Nephrology
Background:
- Chronic renal failure (CRF) in children can impact nutritional status.
- Amino acid metabolism is crucial for overall health and cellular function.
- Granulocytes play a role in immune response and can reflect systemic metabolic changes.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate intracellular and plasma amino acid concentrations in pediatric patients with CRF.
- To compare amino acid levels between children with CRF and healthy controls.
- To assess the influence of dietary protein intake on amino acid levels in pediatric CRF.
Main Methods:
- Blood samples were collected from 24 children with CRF and 15 healthy children.
- Granulocytes were isolated using a dextran-Ficoll-Hypaque density gradient centrifugation method.
- Intracellular and plasma amino acid levels were quantified using biochemical assays.
Main Results:
- Significantly lower intracellular concentrations of leucine, isoleucine, methionine, phenylalanine, lysine, histidine, tyrosine, and arginine were observed in children with CRF compared to healthy controls.
- No significant differences in intracellular or plasma amino acid levels were found between CRF children on protein-restricted diets versus those with normal protein intake.
- Plasma amino acid concentrations did not show significant differences between the groups.
Conclusions:
- Pediatric chronic renal failure is associated with a significant reduction in key intracellular amino acids within granulocytes.
- Dietary protein modulation, within the studied ranges, does not appear to normalize these intracellular amino acid deficits in pediatric CRF.
- Further research is warranted to explore the mechanisms behind amino acid dysregulation in pediatric CRF and potential therapeutic interventions.
Abstract:
We studied amino acid concentrations in granulocytes and plasma of 24 children with chronic renal failure and 15 healthy children. Granulocytes were isolated from 10 ml of blood using a dextran-Ficoll-Hypaque procedure. Intracellular levels of leucine, isoleucine, methionine, phenylalanine, lysine, histidine, tyrosine, and arginine were significantly lower in children with chronic renal failure than healthy children. There were no significant differences in intracellular and plasma amino acid concentrations between children with chronic renal failure on a well-balanced protein-restricted diet and children with chronic renal failure with a normal protein intake.