The effect of an elevated maternal lysine concentration on placental lysine transport in pregnant sheep

Objectives In a previous study, the coinfusion into the maternal circulation of lysine and several other amino acids failed to increase significantly lysine umbilical uptake. The purpose of this study was to determine whether umbilical lysine uptake can be increased by infusing a lysine solution that does not contain any other amino acid. Study design Six late-gestation ewes were studied on 2 consecutive days. Samples were collected in both the control (first day) and experimental (second day) periods simultaneously from the maternal artery, uterine vein, fetal artery, and umbilical vein. In the control period, L-[1-13C] lysine was infused into the maternal circulation. During the experimental period, both L-[1-13C] lysine and L-12C lysine were infused to increase maternal lysine concentration. Uterine and umbilical blood flows were measured by the steady state diffusion technique. Uterine and umbilical uptake of lysine and of α-aminoaminoadipic acid (AAD, a biproduct of lysine oxidation) were calculated. Results In response to a 2.7-fold increase in maternal lysine concentration (P<.001), fetal lysine concentration increased approximately 70% (P<.05) and umbilical uptake 50% (P<.05). In the experimental period, there was a significant (P<.05) placental uptake of fetal AAD, and the fetal/maternal plasma 13C-lysine–specific activity ratio increased from 0.221±0.026 to 0.294±0.029 (P<.05). In response to the increase in maternal lysine concentration, the maternal and fetal concentrations of several other amino acids were significantly decreased. Conclusion This study establishes that the umbilical uptake of lysine can be increased by infusing lysine in the maternal circulation. However, the lysine infusion is associated with a decrease in the maternal concentration and umbilical uptake of other essential amino acids. These data, compared with the results of previous studies, indicate that attempts to increase the fetal uptake of an amino acid via maternal infusion may decrease the uptake of other amino acids by decreasing their maternal concentration and by inhibition of placental transport.