[Metabolism of pantothenic acid and its derivatives in animals deficient in this enzyme].

Distribution of [14C]labelled metabolites of pantothenic acid (PAA) has been studied in tissues of normal and PAA-deficient rats-weaners 6 h after single injection of the calcium pantothenate (PAA-Ca), calcium 4'-phosphopantothenate (PAA-Ca) or pantethine (PT) preparations. Essential differences in the intertissue distribution of vitamin derivatives to be injected are revealed against a background of a higher vitamin-retaining ability of the PAA-deficient tissues. A degree of radionuclides' biotransformation into CoA permits them to be arranged in the series: PPA-Ca greater than PAA-Ca greater than PT. In PAA-deficient animals which were injected labelled PPA-Ca up to 41% of the liver radioactivity is concentrated in the CoA fraction and the quantity of label in the composition of PAA-protein cytosolium complexes increases considerably. It is supposed that there is a special PAA-depositing system which provides the intracellular CoA biosynthesis.