Dietary nitrogen-to-energy ratio alters amino acid partition in the whole body and among the splanchnic tissues of growing rams.

The aim of this study was to determine whether subtle changes in the energy-to-N ratio of medium-concentrate diets alters hepatic export protein synthesis and the partition of protein metabolism in the whole body of growing rams. Rams (n = 6; 41.5 +/- 2.6 kg of BW) were fitted with catheters for measurement of Leu and Phe tracer kinetics across the portal drained-viscera (PDV) and liver. Rams were assigned to receive 3 dietary treatments according to a duplicated Latin square design. Animals received forage-concentrate-based diets that were balanced for ME and available N (CON), 20% imbalanced (reduced) in available N (LN), or 20% imbalanced in ME (LE). After 15 d on each experimental diet, [ring-(2)H(5)]Phe (4.3 micromolxkg(-1)xh(-1)) and [1-(13)C]Leu (8.6 micromolxkg(-1)xh(-1)) were continuously infused into the vena cava for 10 h and, over the last 7 h of infusion, matched sets of blood samples were taken. Daily BW gain was less (P < 0.05) for the LE (0.191 kgxd(-1)) diet compared with CON (0.265 kg/d) and LN (258 kgxd(-1)) diets. Compared with CON, whole body irreversible loss rate (ILR) of Leu and Phe was less (10 to 16%, P < 0.02) for LN and LE diets, which for Leu reflected its decreased (20 to 24%, P < 0.05) net PDV absorption. The decreased whole body ILR is due to a decreased PDV ILR in both diets with a relative contribution of the PDV to the whole body ILR decreased (P < 0.05) in the LN (27%) diet compared with the CON (36%) and LE (33%) diets. This decreased PDV ILR was associated with a decreased net Leu PDV uptake in LN and LE diets (-25 and -20%, respectively; P < 0.05). Conversely, the decreased whole body Phe ILR is explained by a decreased hepatic ILR (and contribution to the whole body ILR) and was associated with a decreased net hepatic uptake of Phe in LN (-25%) and LE (-20%) diets compared with CON (P = 0.03). The fractional and absolute synthesis rates of total proteins and albumin were decreased by 10% in LE animals (P < 0.05), whereas they were not affected by the LN diet. These results suggest a specific decreased utilization of Leu at the PDV due to a specific sparing mechanism in the LN diet. Conversely, a decreased Phe utilization occurred in the liver in both diets (due to a decreased export protein synthesis and a probable decreased oxidation in LE diet, whereas only oxidation is reduced in LN diet).