The Effect of Leucine Supplementation on Liver Protein Synthesis in a Cancer Cachexia Model

Identifier

113

Author

Aaron Michael Persinger

Date

2018

Document Type

Honors Thesis

Degree Name

Bachelor of Science

Major

Health and Human Performance

Concentration

Exercise, Sport & Movement Sci

Committee Chair

Melissa Puppa

Committee Member

Helen Sable

Abstract

Cancer-induced Cachexia plays a major role in the interruption of protein synthesis pathways in both skeletal muscle and the liver. Diminishing protein synthesis leads to muscle atrophy and loss of quality of life. Branched chain amino acids, specifically leucine, have been shown to increase protein synthesis in both diseased and regular populations. We supplemented leucine into the food of mice to see if leucine could counteract the effect of cachexia. We wanted to see exactly how this happened, so we looked at 6 different proteins run on western blots to analyze the protein pathway. Our results seem to suggest that our dose of leucine does not impact liver protein synthesis in a cancer cachexia model. There may be a different pathway the liver uses to promote protein synthesis.

Comments

Undergraduate Honor's Thesis

Library Comment

Honors thesis originally submitted to the Local University of Memphis Honor’s Thesis Repository.

Notes

Data is provided by the student.

Recommended Citation

Persinger, Aaron Michael, "The Effect of Leucine Supplementation on Liver Protein Synthesis in a Cancer Cachexia Model" (2018). Honors Theses. 69.
https://digitalcommons.memphis.edu/honors_theses/69