The effect of intragastric feeding with amino acids on liver regeneration after partial hepatectomy in the rat.

The incorporation of 14C-thymidine into DNA was measured at 4-hr intervals from 16 to 32 hr after partial hepatectomy in groups of rats. Rats forcefed solutions of amino acids or branched-chain amino acids showed a significant reduction in the DNA specific activity 24 hr after partial hepatectomy when compared to rats forced fed an equal volume of water. Intragastric feeding with ketoanalogues of the branched-chain amino acids did not alter thymidine incorporation into DNA significantly. The finding that intragastric feeding depresses DNA synthesis after partial hepatectomy contrasts with our studies indicating increased synthesis of albumin in partially hepatectorized animals receiving similar feeding and indicates different control mechanisms for DNA and albumin synthesis.