PEDIATRICS Vol. 39 No. 6 June 1967, pp. 829-837
This Article
Right arrow Full Text (PDF)
Right arrow P3Rs: Submit a response
Right arrow Alert me when this article is cited
Right arrow Alert me when P3Rs are posted
Right arrow Alert me if a correction is posted
Services
Right arrow E-mail this article to a friend
Right arrow Similar articles in this journal
Right arrow Similar articles in PubMed
Right arrow Alert me to new issues of the journal
Right arrow Add to My File Cabinet
Right arrow Download to citation manager
Right arrow reprints & permissions
Citing Articles
Right arrow Citing Articles via CrossRef
Right arrow Citing Articles via Google Scholar
Google Scholar
Right arrow Articles by Donnell, G. N.
Right arrow Articles by Bergren, W. R.
Right arrow Search for Related Content
PubMed
Right arrow PubMed Citation
Right arrow Articles by Donnell, G. N.
Right arrow Articles by Bergren, W. R.

GALACTOSE METABOLISM IN THE NEWBORN INFANT

George N. Donnell M.D.1, Won G. Ng Ph.D.1, Joan E. Hodgman M.D.1, and William R. Bergren Ph.D.1

1 The Departments of Pediatrics and of Biochemistry of the School of Medicine, University of Southern California, and Childrens Hospital of Los Angeles and the Los Angeles County General Hospital

A marked increase was noted in the production of labeled carbon dioxide from galactose-1-C14, and a lesser increase from glucose-1-C14, by erythrocytes of newborn infants as compared to those of adults. It is considered that the increased metabolic activity reflects a greater capability of erythrocytes of newborns to phosphorylate the particular sugars.

Estimates were made of galactose-1-phosphate uridyl transferase and galactokinase activities of intact erythrocytes by incubation with galactose-1-C14. Intracellular transferase activity, as measured by the ratio of labeled galactose-1-phosphate to labeled uridine diphosphate galactose, correlated with hemolysate measurements, but the amount of labeled nucleotide alone did not. Intracellular galactokinase activity correlated with hemolysate values provided that galactokinase activity was considered to be represented by the sum of the galactose-1-phosphate and nucleotide produced during incubation with galactose.

The rate of removal of galactose from the blood of newborns after intravenous administration was slower than with adults. However, the rate of disappearance cannot be considered to reflect galactose utilization until more is known concerning regulatory factors in the newborn infant.

Submitted on July 14, 1966
Accepted on January 9, 1967