The Influence of Diet Upon the Regeneration of Serum Protein

Abstract

Using the technique of plasmapheresis, Kerr, Hurwitz and Whipple (1, 2) observed that dogs receiving food regenerate blood plasma protein more rapidly than fasting animals. Later Smith, Belt and Whipple (3) modified the experimental method by reinjecting the cell suspension simultaneously with the bleeding and reported a rapid regeneration within 15 minutes after the hemorrhage. This rate of recovery then decreased, 2 to 7 days being required for return to a normal value. The rapid replacement of serum protein immediately after plasmapheresis was interpreted as indicating a reserve store of this material.Following the demonstration that diet will promote the regeneration of serum protein from an abnormally low value to the normal, Whipple and collaborators (4-6) have attempted to evaluate dietary factors as specific agents for stimulating this recovery. Plasmapheresis, while the animals were fed a basal diet, was continued 4 to 6 weeks before the dogs exhibited an approximately constant production of plasma proteins. The reduction of the plasma protein level to 4.0 per cent was considered to act as a constant and maximal stimulus for the regeneration of serum protein. Potent dietary factors necessitated larger and more frequent bleedings to maintain the concentration constant at the desired low level, designated as the basal level. Subsequent to the exhaustion of the "reserve serum protein stores, ''I while subsisting on the basal diets the dogs were able to produce

The Influence of Prolonged, Intensive Plasmapheresis Upon the Ability of the Organism to Regenerate Serum Protein

“…At times the difference may actually be as much as 15 per cent of the true value. The validity of the albumin to globulin ratio as determined in the clinic has been discussed elsewhere (21). We are of the opinion that such protein fractions are simply artificial products produced by the reagents employed in their preparation; that the serum protein complex is composed of i The authors express their gratitude to Dr. Daniel C. Darrow of the Department of Pediatrics, Yale University, for these determinations.…”

“…This was indicative of an 82.3 per cent purity (26). The vitamin adjuvants 4 were identical to those employed in our previous studies (22,3,25) and were administered in the same amounts apart from the diet. These supplements are practically free of protein and therefore did not introduce any appreciable amount of that foodstuff into the diet.…”

The Influence of Pregnancy and Lactation Upon the Regeneration of Serum Protein

“…The methods followed were practically the same as those used in our previous investigations of serum protein regeneration (16)(17)(18)15). The concentrations of the serum protein were determined for the most part by the nephelometric procedure of Rona and Kleinmann (19), modified as described in our previous communication (15).…”

“…Periodically, these values were checked by determining the concentration of the blood protein by the direct gravimetric procedure (20,21), especially on those days when the serum protein concentration showed dramatic changes. The gravimetric method was always used for determining the concentration of the serum protein in the pooled plasma aliquots, after the fibrin had been removed according to the procedure described elsewhere (17). For the estimation of the blood volume, the dye method as improved by Hooper, Smith, Belt and Whipple (22) was employed.…”

“…In our laboratory dogs have subsisted on this diet for as long as 18 months and throughout this period appeared to have been in an excellent nutritive condition. The protein-free diet is described in detail elsewhere (17). The same vitamin supplements 3 and the same quantities as described in that paper (17) were administered to the dogs, when they subsisted on either of the two "synthetic" rations.…”