Sequential Changes in Plasma Methylmalonic Acid and Vitamin B12 in Sheep Eating Cobalt-deficient Grass

Overview

Journal Biol Trace Elem Res

Date 1989 Nov 1

PMID 2484236

Citations 3

Authors

D A Rice

M McLoughlin

W J Blanchflower

C H McMurray

E A Goodall

Affiliations

Soon will be listed here.

Abstract

Methylmalonic acid (MMA) concentrations are elevated in plasma as a result of vitamin B12 deficiency. This study reports the sequential changes in plasma MMA in lambs maintained on a cobalt-deficient pasture compared with supplemented controls. The results indicate that MMA is elevated in the early stages of deficiency, preceding the onset of loss of production and clinical signs of disease. It remains elevated as long as the lambs are unsupplemented with cobalt (Co). The most striking clinical sign was a loss of body condition as opposed to weight. The defect in the methylmalonyl CoA mutase is obviously an early defect in cobalt deficiency.

Citing Articles

A Case of Concurrent Molybdenosis, Secondary Copper, Cobalt and Selenium Deficiency in a Small Sheep Herd in Northern Germany.

Helmer C, Hannemann R, Humann-Ziehank E, Kleinschmidt S, Koelln M, Kamphues J Animals (Basel). 2021; 11(7).

PMID: 34201521 PMC: 8300357. DOI: 10.3390/ani11071864.

Optimization and validation of a reversed-phase high performance liquid chromatography method for the measurement of bovine liver methylmalonyl-coenzyme a mutase activity.

Ouattara B, Duplessis M, Girard C BMC Biochem. 2013; 14:25.

PMID: 24131771 PMC: 3856599. DOI: 10.1186/1471-2091-14-25.

Sequential changes in propionate metabolism during the development of cobalt/vitamin B12 deficiency in sheep.

Kennedy D, OHarte F, Blanchflower W, Rice D Biol Trace Elem Res. 1991; 28(3):233-41.

PMID: 1713046 DOI: 10.1007/BF02990470.

References

MOLLIN D, Hoffbrand A, WARD P, Lewis S . Interlaboratory comparison of serum vitamin B12 assay. J Clin Pathol. 1980; 33(3):243-8. PMC: 1146047. DOI: 10.1136/jcp.33.3.243. View

Millar K, Lorentz P . Urinary methylmalonic acid as an indicator of the vitamin B12 status of grazing sheep. N Z Vet J. 1979; 27(5):90-2. DOI: 10.1080/00480169.1979.34608. View

Xue G, SNOSWELL A . Comparative studies on the methionine synthesis in sheep and rat tissues. Comp Biochem Physiol B. 1985; 80(3):489-94. DOI: 10.1016/0305-0491(85)90278-0. View

Gawthorne J . The effect of cobalt intake on the cobamide and cobinamide composition of the rumen contents and blood plasma of sheep. Aust J Exp Biol Med Sci. 1970; 48(3):285-92. DOI: 10.1038/icb.1970.30. View

Russel A . Body condition scoring of sheep. In Pract. 1984; 6(3):91-3. DOI: 10.1136/inpract.6.3.91. View

Duncan W, Morrison E, GARTON G . Effects of cobalt deficiency in pregnant and post-parturient ewes and their lambs. Br J Nutr. 1981; 46(2):337-44. DOI: 10.1079/bjn19810039. View

Marston H, Allen S, Smith R . Production within the rumen and removal from the blood-stream of volatile fatty acids in sheep given a diet deficient in cobalt. Br J Nutr. 1972; 27(1):147-57. DOI: 10.1079/bjn19720078. View

Matchar D, Feussner J, Millington D, WILKINSON Jr R, Watson D, Gale D . Isotope-dilution assay for urinary methylmalonic acid in the diagnosis of vitamin B12 deficiency. A prospective clinical evaluation. Ann Intern Med. 1987; 106(5):707-10. DOI: 10.7326/0003-4819-106-5-707. View

Hogan K, Lorentz P, Gibb F . The diagnosis and treatment of vitamin B12 deficiency in young lambs. N Z Vet J. 1973; 21(11):234-7. DOI: 10.1080/00480169.1973.34115. View

10.

Rice D, McLoughlin M, Blanchflower W, Goodall E, McMurray C . Methylmalonic acid as an indicator of vitamin B12 deficiency in grazing sheep. Vet Rec. 1987; 121(20):472-3. DOI: 10.1136/vr.121.20.472. View

11.

Millar K, Lorentz P . A gas chromatographic method for the determination of methylmalonic acid in urine. J Chromatogr. 1974; 101(1):177-81. DOI: 10.1016/s0021-9673(01)94744-2. View

12.

McLoughlin M, Rice D, Taylor S . Liver lesions resembling ovine white liver disease in cobalt deficient lambs. Vet Rec. 1984; 115(13):325. DOI: 10.1136/vr.115.13.325. View

13.

Scott J, Weir D . The methyl folate trap. A physiological response in man to prevent methyl group deficiency in kwashiorkor (methionine deficiency) and an explanation for folic-acid induced exacerbation of subacute combined degeneration in pernicious anaemia. Lancet. 1981; 2(8242):337-40. DOI: 10.1016/s0140-6736(81)90650-4. View

14.

McDonald P, Suttle N . Abnormal fermentations in continuous cultures of rumen micro-organisms given cobalt-deficient hay or barley as the food substrate. Br J Nutr. 1986; 56(2):369-78. DOI: 10.1079/bjn19860118. View

15.

Norman E, Logan D, Terrell P . Falsely high serum B12 levels. Am J Clin Pathol. 1986; 86(5):692. DOI: 10.1093/ajcp/86.5.692. View

16.

Gawthorne J . In vitro studies of the factors affecting the metabolism of cobamides and cobinamides by sheep rumen micro-organisms. Aust J Exp Biol Med Sci. 1970; 48(3):293-300. View

17.

Gawthorne J, Smith R . Folic acid metabolism in vitamin B12-deficient sheep. Effects of injected methionine on methotrexate transport and the activity of enzymes associated with folate metabolism in liver. Biochem J. 1974; 142(1):119-26. PMC: 1168217. DOI: 10.1042/bj1420119. View

18.

Gawthorne J . The excretion of methylmalonic and formininoglutamic acids during the induction and remission of vitamin B12 deficiency in sheep. Aust J Biol Sci. 1968; 21(4):789-94. DOI: 10.1071/bi9680789. View

19.

McMurray C, Blanchflower W, Rice D, McLoughlin M . Sensitive and specific gas chromatographic method for the determination of methylmalonic acid in the plasma and urine of ruminants. J Chromatogr. 1986; 378(1):201-7. DOI: 10.1016/s0378-4347(00)80713-6. View

20.

Allen S, KELLERMEYER R, STJERNHOLM R, Wood H . PURIFICATION AND PROPERTIES OF ENZYMES INVOLVED IN THE PROPIONIC ACID FERMENTATION. J Bacteriol. 1964; 87:171-87. PMC: 276977. DOI: 10.1128/jb.87.1.171-187.1964. View