[Biosynthesis of mitochondrial protein in rat liver under conditions of vitamin B 1 deficiency following oxythiamine injection].

The incorporation of labelled precursors into mitochondrial proteins of liver under different duration of oxythiamine (antivitamin B1) effect was studied in the whole organism and in a cell-free system. After 24 hrs following the injection, oxythiamine at a dose of 400 mg/kg of body weight increases the mitochondrial protein synthesis in vivo without changing the protein-synthesizing capacity of isolated mitochondria. After 72 hrs following the injection of the same dose of preparation, a sharp increase in the rate of protein label incorporation into the mitochondria was observed. The protein synthesis in mitochondria in the whole body studies also showed an increase. It is assumed that oxythiamine enhances the inductive synthesis of mitochondrial thiamine phosphate-dependent enzymes or activates the syntheses of other enzymic systems, capable of increasing the utilization of alpha-keto acids accumulated under conditions of thiamine deficiency.