Exam 3 Flashcards
Biochemical basis for megaloblastic anemia – explain how B12 deficiency leads to functional folate deficiency
- Vitamin B12 deficiency results in deficiency in methionine synthase deficiency and therefore accumulation of N5-methyl THF and concomitant decreased in concentrations of more oxidized forms of THF, therefore Vitamin B12 leads to a functional folate deficiency - N5 N10 methylene is one of these more oxidized forms that would decrease. This is required for DNA synthesis (thymidine) - N10 formyl THF is required for purine synthesis, it is however decreased now too - Therefore lack of THF in oxidation states blocks DNA replication - Result is production of megaloblastic anemia – RBCs with large cytoplasm, but unable to divide
Describe how Phe, Tyr are degraded

Role of glutathione-S-transferase enzyme family?
- catalyze transfer of glutathione to molecules with reactive electrophiles, generating thioether linkage bw compound and cysteine of glutathione, preventing interaction with other molecules
How to decipher folate or vitamin B12 or combined deficiency in clinical setting?
- Megaloblastic anemia can occur when deficiency in both and can be treated with folate in either cases. Folate given to B12 pt with allow sufficient oxidized THF to be available for DNA synthesis and resolving of megaloblastic anemia - Folate alone will not resolve the neurologic symptoms that go along with vit B12 deficient patients – demyelination leading to brain and nerve damage. Methylmalonyl acidemia seen in vitamin B12 deficient pt, not in folate deficient pt - Combined deficiency seen in chronic malnourished (eg. Alcoholic pts)
Describe how ammonium ions are transported and excreted within the blood
- Glutamine produced in peripheral tissues enters the bloodstream and is absorbed by the kidneys, liver and gut - Amide group is hydrolyzed by glutaminase and produces glutamate and ammonium ion - Kidney excretes NH4+ directly and liver produces urea in urea cycle. Glutamine is nutrient in gut, ammonium enters hepatic portal and metabolized by liver
Synthesis of proline

Describe reactions of urea cycle. Where is each reaction taking place?

Describe degradation of GMP vs degradation of AMP to their constituent parts
- General theme is to remove phosphate, then ribose, leaving you with base a.) GMP: - GMP = Guanosine + Pi (ez: 5-nucleotidase) - Guanosine + Pi = Guanine + Ribose-1-P (ez: purine nucleoside phosphorylase) b.) AMP pathway 1: - AMP = IMP + NH4+ (ez: AMP deaminase) - IMP = Inosine + Pi (ez: 5-nucleotidase) - Insoine + Pi = hypoxanthine + Ribose-1-P (ez: purine nucleoside phosphorylase) c.) AMP pathway 2: - AMP = Adenosine + Pi (ez: 5-nucleotidase) - Adenosine = inosine + NH4+ (ez: adenosine deaminase) - Insoine + Pi = hypoxanthine + Ribose-1-P (ez: purine nucleoside phosphorylase)
Asparagine synthesis

Describe orotic aciduria
- Rare hereditary condition resulting in UMP synthase mutation - Crystalluria, hypochromic megaloblastic anemia, growth retardation, neurologic abnormalities - Anemia is unresponsive to B12 and folic acid - Treatment with uridine
What molecule is the temporary ammonium ion carrier in the body?
- glutamine
Describe synthesis of OAA from AAs

Outline synthesis of catecholamines. Where does each reaction occur?

What AAs are made from pyruvate and 3-PG?
- Ala, Ser
Common alpha-ketoacid/aminoacid pairs in reactions with alpha-ketoglutarate/glutamate?
- pyruvate/alanine - oxaloacetate/aspartate
What is meant by glucogenic AAs? Which are these? What is meant by ketogenic AAs? Which are these? Which are both?
- Glucogenic = These AAs can be converted into glucose via TCA intermediates (alpha-kg, succ coa, fumarate, OAA) and pyruvate – anything that generates OAA, an intermediate in gluconeogenesis - Ketogenic = These AAs can be converted into acetyl-CoA and acetoacetyl-CoA, can never become glucose - Gluco/ketogenic AAs = TIPhe mnemomic = all T AAs (thr, tyr, trp), iso, phe - Ketogenic AAs = all L AAs - Glucogenic AAs = all others
Which AAs are converted into pyruvate?
- Mnemonic: Some Good Children are Pyrates - Serine, Glycine, Cysteine, Alanine = Pyruvate
Explain the role of sorbitol in the pathology of diabetes
- In DM pts, there is more free glucose in the cells than in other pts. This is a result of many things, including the failure of phosphorylation by hexokinase/glucokinase. This turns on aldose reductase, which uses NADPH to general sorbitol, which is used by polyol DH to form fructose, consuming NAD. As a result, antioxidant defenses that rely on NADPH are weakened and NADH is high, so glycolytic capacity is reduced. - Sorbitol also is osmotically active and draws water into cells, distorting cellular/tissue structure
What is meant by term ‘salvage pathways’? What are the sources of substrates for these pathways?
- Conversion of free bases and nucleosides to nucleotides - Sources are: diet, purine/pyrmidine nt degradation products
Three types of jaundice: Causes of each? Explain? What happens to color of urine and feces in each case?
- Pre-hepatic jaundice: hemolysis. More unconjugated bili in blood than liver can deal with. Moves into tissue membranes. No change to urine or feces color - Hepatic/hepatocellular jaundice: liver disease prevents conversion of unconjugatd bilirubin into bilirubin diglucuronide. Unconjugated bilirubin moves into other tissue membranes. Urine is pale, feces is pale - Post-hepatic/cholestatic jaundice: obstruction of liver exits allows for some processing of unconjugated to conjugated bilirubin, but prevents conjugated form from moving out (into gut). Conjugated form can move into blood and embed into tissue membranes with unconjugated. Also moves to kidney where it causes orange color in urine. Feces are pale
Which AAs can be used to synthesize Oxaloacetate?
- Every AAs used to generate pyruvate, then pyruvate into OAA via pyruvate carboxylase - In addition, aspartate and asparagine – Ox with a big ASP (ass)
What are the products of pyrimidine degradation? How are these secreted?
- Beta-alanine and beta-aminoisobutyrate - Water soluble and eliminated in urine
Describe de novo synthesis of purines
- PRPP = 5 phosphoribosyl 1 pyrophosphate - Ribose 5 phosphate + ATP = PRPP (ez: PRPP synthetase) - PRPP + gln = PRA (phosphoribosylamine) + PPi (ez: amidophosphoribosyltransferase) - 9 step process to convert PRA to IMP (4 reactions require ATP, C and N donated from gly, gln, asp, CO2 and N10-formyl THF). IMP = inosine monophosphate - IMP precursor for AMP and GMP via following rxns: - IMP + Asp + GTP = adenylosuccinate + GDP + Pi (ez: adenylosuccinate synthetase) - Adenylosuccinate = AMP + fumarate (ez: adenylosuccinase) - IMP + NAD = xanthosine5monophosphate (ez: IMP dehydrogenase) - XMP + Gln + ATP = GMP + glu + AMP (ez: GMP synthase) - Specific Nucleoside monophosphate kinases (convert XMP to XDP) and diphosphate kinases (XDP to XTP)
From what compound is PRPP synthesized? What enzyme catalyzes this reaction
- Ribose 5 phosphate - Ez: PRPP synthetase





















