Cobalamin inactivation by nitrous oxide produces severe neurological impairment in fruit bats: protection by methionine and aggravation by folates

Journal Article · Mon Nov 01 00:00:00 EST 1982 · Life Sci.; (United States)

DOI:https://doi.org/10.1016/0024-3205(82)90039-X· OSTI ID:6117790

van der Westhuyzen, J; Fernandes-Costa, F; Metz, J

Nitrous oxide, which inactivates cobalamin when administered to fruit bats, results in severe neurological impairment leading to ataxia, paralysis and death. This occurs after about 6 weeks in animals depleted of cobalamin by dietary restriction, and after about 10 weeks in cobalamin replete bats. Supplementation of the diet with pteroylglutamic acid caused acceleration of the neurological impairment--the first unequivocal demonstration of aggravation of the neurological lesion in cobalamin deficiency by pteroylglutamic acid. The administration of formyltetrahydropteroylglutamic acid produced similar aggravation of the neurological lesion. Supplementation of the diet with methionine protected the bats from neurological impairment, but failed to prevent death. Methionine supplementation protected against the exacerbating effect of folate, preventing the development of neurological changes. These findings lend support to the hypothesis that the neurological lesion in cobalamin deficiency may be related to a deficiency in the methyl donor S-adenosylmethionine which follows diminished synthesis of methionine.

• Research Organization: South African Inst. for Medical Research, Johannesburg, South Africa
• OSTI ID: 6117790
• Journal Information: Life Sci.; (United States), Vol. 31:18
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

63 RADIATION, THERMAL, AND OTHER ENVIRON. POLLUTANT EFFECTS ON LIVING ORGS. AND BIOL. MAT.
NERVOUS SYSTEM
INJURIES
NITROUS OXIDE
BIOLOGICAL EFFECTS
VITAMIN B-12
INACTIVATION
BATS
FOLIC ACID
METHIONINE
RESPONSE MODIFYING FACTORS
AMINO ACIDS
ANIMALS
CARBOXYLIC ACIDS
CHALCOGENIDES
DRUGS
HEMATINICS
HEMATOLOGIC AGENTS
HETEROCYCLIC COMPOUNDS
HYDROXY COMPOUNDS
LIPOTROPIC FACTORS
MAMMALS
NITROGEN COMPOUNDS
NITROGEN OXIDES
ORGANIC ACIDS
ORGANIC COMPOUNDS
ORGANIC NITROGEN COMPOUNDS
ORGANIC SULFUR COMPOUNDS
OXIDES
OXYGEN COMPOUNDS
PTERIDINES
VERTEBRATES
VITAMIN B GROUP
VITAMINS
560305* - Chemicals Metabolism & Toxicology- Vertebrates- (-1987)