The Carnitine-Deprived Newborn Rabbit: A Potential Model To Study Carnitine Deficiency

• Published in: The Journal of nutrition Vol. 118; no. 12; pp. 1535 - 1539
• Main Authors: Penn, Duna, Schmidt-Sommerfeld, Eberhard
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Bethesda, MD Elsevier Inc 01.12.1988; American Society for Nutritional Sciences
• Subjects: Adipose Tissue, Brown - analysis; Animals; Animals, Newborn - metabolism; Biological and medical sciences; CARNITINA; CARNITINE; Carnitine - administration & dosage; Carnitine - analysis; Carnitine - deficiency; CONEJO (ORYCTOLAGUS); Deficiency Diseases - blood; Deficiency Diseases - metabolism; Deficiency Diseases - urine; Diet; Disease Models, Animal - metabolism; ENFERMEDADES CARENCIALES; Food, Formulated; Fundamental and applied biological sciences. Psychology; INFANTES; Intermediate and energetic metabolism; LAPIN; Liver - analysis; MALADIE DE CARENCE; Metabolisms and neurohumoral controls; Muscles - analysis; Myocardium - analysis; neonate; NOUVEAU-NE; nutrition; rabbit; Rabbits; Vertebrates: anatomy and physiology, studies on body, several organs or systems; carnitine deficiency; nutrition; neonate; rabbit; Human; Animal model; Vertebrata; Mammalia; Newborn; Energy; Nutrition; Deficiency; Rabbit; Lagomorpha; Metabolism; Carnitine
• ISSN: 0022-3166; 1541-6100
• DOI: 10.1093/jn/118.12.1535

This report describes the novel development of an animal model for neonatal carnitine deficiency using the artificially fed newborn rabbit. Each litter was separated from the mother following the first colostrum feeding and divided into 2 groups, one of which was fed a purified rabbit formula that was essentially free of carnitine; the other received the same formula supplemented with L-carnitine (100 mg/l). At 9–13 d of age, rabbit pups receiving the carnitine-free formula had lower concentrations of total, free and acylcarnitine in plasma and urine, as well as lower total acid soluble carnitine concentrations in liver, muscle, heart and brown adipose tissue than those receiving the same formula supplemented with L-carnitine. Their plasma and tissue levels were also lower, but their urinary carnitine concentrations were higher than those in naturally-raised pups. The findings suggest that the described animal model may prove to be a useful tool for the investigation of certain aspects of neonatal carnitine deficiency.