Biochemical consequences of biotin deficiency in osteogenic disorder shionogi rats.

The biological consequences of biotin deficiency in rats were investigated using osteogenic disorder Shionogi rats which have a hereditary defect in ascorbic acid synthesizing ability. Decrease of liver ascorbic acid content and fasting plasma glucose and an increase of plasma non-esterified fatty acid (NEFA) appeared in biotin deficient rats fed a diet containing 200 mg ascorbic acid per 100 g diet, compared with the pair fed control. On the other hand, in the case of rats fed a diet containing 500 mg ascorbic acid, although the clinical features of biotin deficiency developed, the ascorbic acid contents of liver and adrenal gland increased in comparison with those of AsA 200 mg groups, and the alterations of plasma levels of glucose and NEFA were improved partially in glucose and greatly in NEFA, respectively. This suggests that ascorbic acid may be consumed in the improvement of the metabolic impairments induced by biotin deficiency.