Vitamins Flashcards
What is a vitamin?
An organic micronutrient that cannot be synthesized in adequate quantities in humans and must be supplied by the diet
What are the four functional classes of vitamins?
Coenzymes, free-radical scavengers, photopigments, hormone-like transcription factors
What is the common name for Vitamin B9?
Folic Acid
What processes is folate critical for?
Synthesis of amino acids, purines, thymidine
What is sulfonamide’s mechanism of action?
Competative inhibition of dihydropteroate synthase which is involved in synthesis of folate
What is methotrexate’s mechanism of action?
Inhibition of dihydrofolate reductase
What are the three major fates of THF?
Amino Acid synthesis (esp. Methionine); purine biosynthesis; thiamine biosynthesis
What is the most common vitamin deficiency in America and Europe?
Folate (B9)
What are the two main systemic functions for folate?
Nucleotide biosynthesis and DNA methylation in the cytoskeleton
What will folate deficiency lead to in adults?
Downregulation of DNA synthesis–> megaloblastic anemia , neuropathy
How does folate deficiency lead to neuropathies?
Destabilization of cytoskeletal elements
What developmental defect can result as a consequence of folate deficiency?
Spina bifida
What is the functional form of B9 vitamin?
THF
How does folate deficiency contribute to the onset of megaloblastic anemia?
DNA synthesis is inhibited, but stem cells in the bone marrow continue to divide. The cells accumulate fragmented chromosomes and end up with polyploidy nuclei
What is the diagnostic feature of folate deficiency?
Megaloblastic anemia
What is the physical difference between anemia caused by iron defiency and by folate deficincy?
Iron defiecincy anemia results in small cell size- Microcytic; folate deficincy anemia causes large RBC size
Why can excess folate be problematic?
It can mask a Vitamin B12 deficiency
What is the common name of Vitamin B12?
Cobalamin
What are the active forms of vitamin B12?
Deoxyadenosyl cobalamin and methyl cobalamin
For what processes is cobalamin required?
Methionine biosynthesis, isomerization of methylmalonyl CoA to Succinyl CoA, fatty acid catabolism
How is cobalamin absorbed?
Cobalamin binds to intrinsic factor secreted by stomach parietal cells, which binds to intrinsic factor receptors in the ileum
What is the connection between Vitamins B9 and B12?
Methionine Synthase recycles 5-methyl THF to THF using cobalamin as a factor
What processes are inhibited with cobalamin deficiency?
Methylation and purine synthesis
How does a vitamin B12 deficiency result in neuropathies?
Methionine synthase uses the methylated form of cobakamin as a methyl donor for homocysteine–> methionine; no SAM is produced–> no methylation
How does a vitamin B12 deficiency result in megaloblastic anemia?
No recycling of 5-methyl THF–> THF; inhibition of Met (SAM) synthesis
What are the most common causes of cobalamin deficiency?
Autoimmune atrophic gastritis; gastrectomy; age