The effect of aromatic amino acid supplementation on a1- antirypsin synthesis in oedematous malnutrition

OBJECTIVES: We have previously demonstrated that infected children with oedematous protein energy malnutrition have an impaired acute phase response to infection. We hypothesize that this impaired response is due to a relative shortage of aromatic amino acids. We therefore sought to determine whether supplementation of the diet of infected oedematous malnourished children with aromatic amino acids (70 mg/kg/d phenylalanine, 80 mg/kg/d N-acetyltyrosine, 30 mg/kg/d tryptophan) would increase the rate of synthesis of acute phase proteins compared with an isonitrogenous diet supplemented with alanine. METHODS: In oedematous malnourished children, a primed continuous infusion of 3H2-leucine was used to determine the in vivo synthesis rates of a1-antirypsin (a1-at), an acute phase protein, when they were infected (Study 1) and after clearing of infection (Study 2). RESULTS: There was effect of aromatic amino acid supplementation on the rate of synthesis or concentration of a1-at. CONCLUSION: Supplementation of the diet of oedematous malnourished children with aromatic amino acids did not enhance the immune response as determined by the in vivo synthesis of a1-at. (AU)