Metabolic Studies on Protein-Depleted Patients Receiving a Large Part of Their Nitrogen Intake From Human Serum Albumin Administered Intravenously 12

Conversion of Plasma Protein to Tissue Protein Without Evidence of Protein Breakdown

“…Recent studies on the fate of intravenously administered plasma proteins, given usually in the form of serum albumin, to human subjects both normal and with various illnesses have been reported by Albright et al (1), Eckhardt et al (4), and Waterhouse, Basset, and Holler (13). Measurements of conversion of plasma protein to that of protoplasm have been made on the basis of decreased phosphorus or potassium excretion (1,13), the assumption being that plasma proteins, lacking potassium, phosphorus, and other ingredients of tissue protein, must pick these up during the process of conversion.…”

“…Measurements of conversion of plasma protein to that of protoplasm have been made on the basis of decreased phosphorus or potassium excretion (1,13), the assumption being that plasma proteins, lacking potassium, phosphorus, and other ingredients of tissue protein, must pick these up during the process of conversion. Increased nitrogen excretion, ff present, is used as a measure of that amount of protein which is deaminized after breakdown into amino acids, and finally the difference between these two fractions and the total amount of protein administered is taken as that portion which remains unchanged.…”

Metabolic and Cardiovascular Studies of Prolonged Intravenous Administration of Human Serum Albumin

“…It is clear that such complications seriously limit the usefulness of very large amounts of albumin for nutritional purposes. The catabolization of albumin had been demonstrated by Albright and associates (9) and Waterhouse and colleagues (24), employing the assumption that increases in urinary nitrogen over the baseline output may be attributed to breakdown of the added dietary constituent (albumin). The conversion of albumin into protoplasm had been suggested by the same two groups of workers, based on positive phosphorus and potassium balances.…”

The Use of Modified Globin as a Protein Supplement in Normal Individuals 1

“…Perhaps for even a longer time there has been a search for protein substances which can be administered parenterally as food supplements. Plasma (1) and human serum albumin (2,3,4) have been used with partial success for both purposes. The latter, particularly, has been shown to be well utilized and easy to administer, but large quantities have proven to be time-consuming and expensive to prepare.…”

“…We have given this substance intravenously to patients as a supplement to a low protein diet. Metabolic studies were carried out in a manner similar to that used previously with human serum albumin (2). It was hoped that exactly comparable results could be obtained by the daily intravenous administration of the same amount (60 grams) of the test protein.…”