Article: Marginal Biotin Deficiency is Common in Normal Human Pregnancy and Is Highly Teratogenic in Mice1-3

Abstract

In studies of marginal biotin deficiency induced experimentally in adults, increased urinary excretion of 3-hydroxyisovaleric acid (3HIA), which likely reflects decreased activity of the biotin-dependent enzyme β-methylcrotonyl-CoA carboxylase, and decreased activity of the biotin-dependent enzyme propionyl-CoA carboxylase (PCC) in peripheral blood lymphocytes have been validated as indices of biotin status. About half of pregnant women excrete increased amounts of urinary 3HIA. However, interpretation of urinary 3HIA excretion rates is problematic, because renal function is altered by pregnancy per se. In a recent pilot study, activity of PCC in peripheral blood lymphocytes ...

Related newspaper, magazine, and journal articles:

 
 
Newsweek Harper's Magazine The Washington Post Chicago Tribune Crain's Chicago Business PRNewswire Pediatric News The Nation Advertising Age The Economist (US) A FREE trial gives you access to over 80 million articles! Access over 6,500 publications with a FREE trial!