Pantothenic acid refeeding diminishes the liver, perinephrical fats, and plasma fats accumulated by pantothenic acid deficiency and/or ethanol consumption.

OBJECTIVE: Pantothenic acid (PaA) is a vitamin that is an integral part of coenzyme A (CoA). CoA is an essential coenzyme in fat metabolism. The aim of this study was to determine whether PaA deficiency causes the accumulation of tissue fats and, if so, can refeeding of PaA decrease such accumulated fat. METHODS: Weaning rats were fed the PaA-free diet for 30 d. Rats were then divided into two groups. One group was continuously fed the PaA-free diet, and the other was fed the PaA-containing diet for an additional 13 d. At the end of the experiment, liver fat and perinephric fat were weighed, and plasma triglyceride levels measured. An additional similar experiment was conducted in which rats consumed 15% ethanol instead of water. RESULTS: Fat that accumulated by consuming the PaA-free diet for 30 d was decreased by consuming the PaA-containing diet for an additional 13 d. Ethanol feeding elicited much greater accumulation of liver, perinephric, and plasma fats if rats were fed the PaA-free diet. In such cases, administration of PaA could decrease the accumulated fat. CONCLUSION: PaA deficiency causes fat accumulation, and readministration of PaA decreases the tissue fat in rats fed the pantothenic acid-free diet. Ethanol accelerated the accumulation of fat in rats fed the PaA-free diet. PaA could be beneficial for decreasing accumulated tissue fat.

Effects of pantothenic acid supplement on secretion of steroids by the adrenal cortex in female rats.

PURPOSE: The effect of pantothenic acid (PaA) supplementation on adrenal secretion of corticosterone and progesterone in female rats was investigated. METHODS: An in-vitro primary adrenal cell culture system was used. Pregnant rats were given 0.03% PaA in their drinking water throughout pregnancy and the period of lactation. In the first experiment, after weaning, female rats continued to receive 0.03% PaA treatment until 10 weeks of age. The animals were then decapitated and adrenal cells were cultured in the absence or presence of rat adrenocorticotropic hormone (ACTH) for 4 h. In the second experiment, adrenal cells from lactating rats on day 5 of lactation were cultured in the absence or presence of rat ACTH for 4 h. RESULTS: The effect of ACTH at 10-10 m on corticosterone and progesterone release was greater for PaA-treated cyclic rats than for control cyclic rats. The effect of ACTH at 10-10 m on corticosterone release was greater for PaA-treated lactating rats than for control lactating rats. Circulating ACTH and corticosterone levels in PaA-treated and control cyclic and lactating rats were no different. CONCLUSIONS: These results indicate that PaA supplementation induced hyperresponsiveness to ACTH stimulation in cyclic and lactating female rats. These results clearly demonstrated that PaA is an essential factor in adrenal steroidogenesis of female rats.

The effect of pantothenic acid deficiency on keratinocyte proliferation and the synthesis of keratinocyte growth factor and collagen in fibroblasts.

It has been reported that pantothenic acid (vitamin B5) and panthenol, an alcohol derivative of pantothenic acid, have beneficial moisturizing effects on the skin. However, few studies have investigated the mechanism of action of pantothenic acid on skin tissues. We tried to clarify the role of pantothenic acid on skin function by using keratinocytes and fibroblasts. The depletion of pantothenic acid from the culture medium suppressed keratinocyte proliferation and promoted differentiation. Moreover, pantothenic acid depletion decreased the synthesis of keratinocyte growth factor and procollagen 4a2 in fibroblasts. These results suggest that pantothenic acid is essential for maintaining keratinocyte proliferation and differentiation.

The Effect of Pantothenic Acid Deficiency on Keratinocyte Proliferation and the Synthesis of Keratinocyte Growth Factor and Collagen in Fibroblasts.

It has been reported that pantothenic acid (vitamin B5) and panthenol, an alcohol derivative of pantothenic acid, have beneficial moisturizing effects on the skin. However, few studies have investigated the mechanism of action of pantothenic acid on skin tissues. We tried to clarify the role of pantothenic acid on skin function by using keratinocytes and fibroblasts. The depletion of pantothenic acid from the culture medium suppressed keratinocyte proliferation and promoted differentiation. Moreover, pantothenic acid depletion decreased the synthesis of keratinocyte growth factor and procollagen 4a2 in fibroblasts. These results suggest that pantothenic acid is essential for maintaining keratinocyte proliferation and differentiation.

Effects of pantothenic acid on testicular function in male rats.

Pantothenic acid (PaA) is a water-soluble vitamin required to sustain various physiological functions in animals. The physiological roles of PaA on testicular function, in particular, testicular endocrinology and sperm mortility, were investigated in rats. Male rats at 3 weeks of age were fed a PaA-free diet or a 0.0016% PaA diet (control) for 7 weeks. Total body weight, as well as the weights of the liver, kidney, pituitary, testis, epididymis, seminal vesicle and prostate; sperm motility; and the plasma concentrations of luteinizing hormone (LH), follicle-stimulating hormone (FSH), testosterone and corticosterone were measured in rats at 10 weeks of age. Body weight gain decreased from 5 weeks of age in rats fed the PaA-free diet compared with the control. The relative weights of the testes were significantly higher in the PaA-deficient group compared with the control group. Several parameters of sperm motility were significantly reduced in the PaA-deficient group compared with the control group. In addition, the plasma concentrations of testosterone and corticosterone were significantly lower in the PaA-deficient group compared with the control group, whereas the plasma concentrations of FSH and LH showed no change. These results clearly demonstrate that PaA is an essential factor in testicular endocrinology and sperm motility in male rats.

One-step immunochromatography assay for detection of high-level canine serum trypsin-like immunoreactivity.

We developed a one-step immunochromatography assay kit to measure high levels of canine trypsin-like immunoreactivity (cTLI) for bedside estimation of canine pancreatitis. The serum cTLI level can be determined within 10 min by visual comparison of color strengths in the test and reference zones. The serum cTLI levels determined by this method correlate well with canine TLI-ELISA and can be classified into 3 categories: cTLI levels higher than 60 ng/ml were considered positive; 20-60 ng/ml, weakly positive; and less than 20 ng/ml, negative. Twelve dogs suspected of pancreatitis were examined using this method; 4 dogs were positive, 2 were weakly positive, and 6 were negative. This test can detect a high level of serum cTLI and a positive result in the TLIH test will provide critical information for evaluation of pancreatitis in dogs.