PROJECT REPORT 
COMMITTEE ON FOOD RESEARCH 
QUARTERMASTER FOOD AND CONTAINER INSTITUTE 
FOR THE ARMED FORCES 
CHICAGO ILLINOIS 
kxskarci amb development aiAHca 
MILITARY PLANNINO DIYINION 
oppici or TRE 
QUARTERMASTER OEMSEAL 
TIWFIRITinn i iIsYi tuti on 
Rutgers University 
.0 CAL ITT 
New Brunswick, II. J. 
01 Vt SION 
College of Arts & Sciences 
OEP ARTN ENT 
Bureau of Biological Research.. 
OFFI Cl AL INVESTI GATOR 
James B..Allison 
COLL ASO RATO RS 
JUirerson, 
REPORT NQ. 
7 
FILE NO. 
N 11.1.0 
CONTRACT NO. 
■ni.omj--7ni,3L 
FOR PERIOD COVERING 
1 1 Q)i7~1 Wrhr. lQ?i7 . 
INITIATION OATE 
1 ■ JiALv i.o k.^. 
TITLE; [ ]PROGRESS REPORT [ j PH ASE iff0RT ~ [ J ANNUAL REPORT[ JteRNINATION REPORT 
The Utilization of Proteins and Amino Acids 
SUMMARY 
. Depletion and Repletion Experiments in Dogs 
The nitrogen balance indexes of lipid extracted 
whole egg were determined in normal, protein depleted, and 
protein repleted dogs (see Table I). The dogs were de- 
pleted by feeding a protein-free diet until the plasma 
albumin/globulin ratio was approximately 0.5 (determined 
by salt fractionation). Previous experience had demon- 
strated that this ratio represented severe depletion. The 
average plasma protein concentration in these depleted 
dogs was li.,7 grams per cent. The dogs were repleted by 
feeding 0.J2 grams of whole egg nitrogen/dayy/jsg!#f75?\^?^>s 
weight for JO days. 
Table I 
Nitrogen balance indexes of whole egg proVein (ViobinJ 
before and after depletion in proteins and\after; j. 
pletion on whole egg for thirty days. UNo ■ * 
after depletion in proteins and after repletionYri'trfc■rifiig 
whole egg. 
i 
Dor 
j. 
Nitrogen Balance 
Index 
Protein-free urinary 
ITitrogen excretion (UIJo) 
Control 
Depleted 
jReplooed 
Control 
Depleted j 
Repleted 
r 
i 
: 
1 
1 
f g W day/ 
SO.!: • 
gn/day/ ! 
sa.M. 
* 
gm/day/ 
s q. K. 
• 23 
+L|.2 
W+ 
63 
ft . 
' o'iii 
; 0.89 
0.21 
1 0.39 
1.06 
0.95 
1.11 
1.09 
1.13 
0.96 
1.05 
0.39 
0.96 
/ i.72 
2.29 
1 ■ 1:1? 
0.37 
0. So 
0.99 i 
0.88 
o.Ss 
1.0)+ 
1.50 
i.oi+ 
1.17 
cfo-^S" 
—or 
z dz 
J * t-J 
a <L»4S»9ph The data recorded In Table I demonstrate that the 
Indexes increased upon depletion, returning toward con- 
trol values after the dogs had been repleted 30 days on 
the whole egg proteins. The effects of depletion and 
repletion on UNo are illustrated also in this table. 
UNo is the excretion of nitrogen when the dogs are eating 
protein-free diet. This excretion decreased below control 
values upon depletion and increased toward control 
values upon repletion. Thus, UNo reflects the magnitude 
of the protein stores of the animal. Although UNo 
increased, it did not return to control values after 
thirty days of repletion on whole egg protein. These 
results indicate that the dogs were not completely repleted 
to the control state. 
The total whole egg nitrogen ingested by each dog 
during the 30 days of repletion is recorded in Table II. 
Table II 
Dogs depleted in proteins were repletsd for 30 days with 
whole egg protein. Nitrogen ingested, nitrogen excreted, 
and body nitrogen gained during this repletion period are 
recorded. Plasma protein nitrogen and the per 
cent of body nitrogen gained which is represented as plasma 
protein nitrogen are listed. 
i 
! 
Dog(Nitrogen 
# 1Ingested 
Body ; 
; Nitrogen Nitrogen 
! Excreted.1 Gained 
;ErN.G, 
P la sin a 
Protein 
Nitrogen 
Gained 
P.N.G. 
! 
1 P o N. G • 
n ,T r x 100 
j T- ----- 
|gm/so *H. 
! gm/s q. M. | gm/ s q. F. 
gm/sq.M. 
ef 
! ° 
28 
! 189*0 
! 88« 6 ' 100*5 
■ 3.06 
3-02 
)j-2 
1 1740 0 
3i„o 1 93.0 
■ 2.93 
, 3o0lp 
bb 
! 192.0 
95.3 ! 96*2 
> 2.3I+. 
! 2.98 
65 
176.2 
35-6 i 92*6 
ij.. 29 
i n 63 
7b 
j 178.1 
33.2 ; 36.9 
' 2.11 
' 2.14.3 
1 
The difference between the nitrogen ingested and 
nitrogen excreted is recorded as nitrogen gained in column 
3* The body nitrogen gained by these dogs over the 30 day 
repletion period varied from O7 to 100 averaging 93*3 grams 
sq.m. body surface area. The average plasma protein con- 
centration at the end of the repletion period was 6.2 grams 
per cent which is the average vtlue for most normal dogs. 
N-1116 #7 
continued 
2 The total increase in plasma protein nitrogen during the 
repletion period varied from 2*1 to iu3> averaging 3 grams 
per sq.K. This increase ,in plasma protein nitrogen repre- 
sented an average of 3•2 per cent of the body nitrogen 
gained* 
A similar experiment on depletion and repletion was 
done on five dogs using wheat gluten instead of whole egg 
as a source of protein nitrogen. The data in Table III 
demonstrate that the nitrogen balance index of wheat 
gluten also increases above control values when this pro- 
tein Is fed to protein depleted dogs. 
Table III 
Nitrogen balance indexes of-wheat gluten (batch #3) 
before and after depletion in proteins, UNo before and 
after depletion in proteins and after thirty days of 
repletion with wheat gluten. 
Dog 
'i 
rr 
■ Nitrogen Balance 
Index 
Protein-free urinary 
Nitrogen excretion (UNo) 
: Control' 
Depleted . : 
C ontrol 
Depleted 
Repleted 
7 “T 
, t 
gm/day/sq * It« : gm/day/s q . M, 
gm/day/sq. M. 
36 
! oJ+7 ; 
0.76. j 
2,1 
; 0,96 
0.77 
0.5I+ | 
0.70 
2.3 
1.23 
0.9+ 
66 
' 0,. 49 ; 
0,76 
- 2- 3 
! x, 32 
0.84 
62 
i 0.31 | 
0,70-”- 
2, 0 
1.01 
os6o 
60 
. 0,42 ! 
i ; 
0,57 
l 
2.10 
1 1.24 
1 
0.78 
■*Es timated 
The decrease in UNo due to depletion is illustrated 
in Table III. Repletion with 'wheat gluten, however, did 
not increase the excretion of body nitrogen as represented 
by UNo rather decreased it even below depletion levels. 
These results suggest that wheat gluten decreased rather 
than increased the protein stores from which catabolic 
nitrogen, represented by UNo, is derived* Possibly wheat 
gluten drew on those stores to supplement deficiences in 
the amino acid pattern* 
N-1116 4f7 
■3 A larger amount of wheat gluten was fed to 4. of these 
5 dogs than was fed to the animals receiving whole egg 
(see Table II). This was done,-hoping to obtain about the 
same nitrogen balance with wheat gluten as was obtained 
with whole egg. The data recorded in Table IV demonstrated, 
however, that the larger amount of wheat gluten did not 
result In as high values for body nitrogen gain as were 
obtained with the whole egg. 
Table IV* 
Dogs depleted in proteins were repleted for 30 days with 
wheat gluten. Nitrogen ingested, nitrogen excreted, and 
body nitrogen gained during this repletion period are 
recorded. Plasma protein nitrogen gained and the per 
cent of body nitrogen gained which is represented as 
plasma protein nitrogen are listed. 
Dor 
r 
Nitrogen ‘ 
Ingested ; 
| 
Nitrogen 
Excreted 
Body 
Nitrogen 
Gained 
( B r N, G. ) 
Plasma 
Protein 
Nitrogen | 
Gained 1 
(P-N,G„ ) 
P.N.G. 
* rvi • Ct • 
'0 100 
gn/sq,r. i 
: 
gxn/sqc IN 
gm/sq»I. 
gm/sq.M. 
,7 
7° 
36 
, 1 
332.6 
270-3 
62.3 
1.5 
£1 * n~ 
5? 
273.3 
78.3 
2. 6 
3^ 
60 
293.2 i 
227.3 
70,9 
2«If 
3.3 
62 
136.3 
103.6 
52c7 
1-7 
6.3 
60 
———— 
31)4. 0 
l—■ - 4- 
301,6 
4.2.4. 
1.1 
2.6 
1 
w Some of these data appeared In Table I, report I. 
They are repeated here to correct figures in column 3 
(nitrogen excreted) which were copied incorrectly In 
the previous report. 
H-1116 #7 
4 When the nitrogen intake was around 300 grams/sq.K; 
of body surface area the body nitrogen gain varied in 3 
of the dogs between 62 and 7° grans per sq.b. When the 
nitrogen intake was reduced to 136 grams/sq.M. in dog 62 
the body nitrogen gain was only 32.7 grams/sq. a. 'The 
plasma protein nitrogen gained in these animals average 
1.9' grams/sq. 15. which is less than the 3 grams obtained 
in the clog fed whole egg. The per cent of the body 
nitrogen gained, which was represented by plasma protein 
nitrogen, averaged 3which is similar to that found 
in the whole egg experiments. Thus, less body nitrogen 
and plasma protein nitrogen were gained when feeding wheat 
gluten than when feeding whole egg, but the per cent 
.of body nitrogen gained, which was represented by 
plasma(protein nitrogen, is essentially the same 
whether repleting with wheat gluten or with whole egg. 
N-1116 #7 
'5