Effect of dietary excess leucine on nicotinamide nucleotide level in rat liver.

1. Six groups of rats were freely fed diets containing casein at 5, 10 and 20% levels with and without nicotinic acid. After 2 weeks on these diets, hepatic nicotinamide nucleotide and free nicotinic acid concentrations were studied. 2. Hepatic nicotinamide nucleotide level was kept in the normal range in rats fed the 10 and 20% casein diets with and without nicotinic acid. 3. L-leucine supplemented at the 5% level to the 10 and 20% casein diets caused significant decrease in hepatic nicotinamide nucleotide level only in rats fed nicotinic acid devoid diet. 4. Hepatic nicotinamide nucleotide in rats fed the diet in which casein was replaced by zein increased significantly by adding nicotinic acid. This increase in the hepatic nicotinamide nucleotide caused by dietary supplemented nicotinic acid was not reduced by the addition of L-leucine. 5. The hepatic free nicotinic acid level did not change even in rats of which hepatic nicotinamide nucleotide was significantly reduced. 6. Urinary excretion of nicotinic acid and N-methylnicotinamide was increased significantly by adding nicotinic acid to the diet but was not affected by adding L-leucine at the 5% level. 7. From the above results, a possible mechanism of L-leucine action was discussed.