Effect of unbalanced diets on incorporation of δ-aminolevulinic acid into cytochrome P-450

Abstract The in vivo syntheses of two liver microsomal cytochromes P-450 PB 3a , P-450 UT 50 [(1987) Eur. J. Biochem., submitted] ( M r 50 000, 52 000) have been estimated by measuring the specific activity 2 h after i.p. administration of δ-[ 3 H]aminolevulinic acid to male Sprague Dawley rats. The animals were fed either a standard rat chow (5% lard, 22% casein) or unbalanced diets (high lipid, 30% lard or low protein, 6% casein) with or without 50 ppm Phenoclor DP6. The high-lipid diet supported a more rapid body weight gain but had little impact on cytochrome P-450 content, expressed either per whole liver or per mg microsomal protein, and on the incorporation of the precursor into cyto…