SEARCH · Search PubMed
Search indexed PubMed citations on genomics, clinical trials, systematic reviews and public health. Explore titles, authors and supplied subject terms, then open the PubMed record.
Quote a phrase for an exact phrase match. Source license links do not imply unrestricted reuse.
Explore the source record for details and available documents.
The demonstrated teratogenicity of maternal zinc deficiency in rats has led to burgeoning interest in zinc and other trace elements as important factors in embryonic development. Levels of zinc, copper, manganese, magnesium, folic acid, vitamin B12 and vitamin A were evaluated at the beginning of pregnancy in the plasma of pregnant women who later delivered a malformed newborn. Fetal chromosomal anomalies and recognizable nonchromosomal syndromes were excluded. The results were compared to control women who delivered normal babies. One hundred seventy mothers had malformed children. The more frequent congenital malformations were congenital heart diseases (72 cases including 24 VSD), musculoskeletal malformations (21 cases), urogenital malformations (23 cases), spina bifida (6 cases), hydrocephaly (6 cases), and labial cleft (14 cases). Maternal plasma concentrations of zinc, copper, magnesium, manganese, folate, vitamin B12, and vitamin A of malformed children did not differ from controls. Thus vitamin profiles do not form a suitable means for identifying women at risk for having a child with congenital malformations.
Explore the source record for details and available documents.
Explore the source record for details and available documents.
Explore the source record for details and available documents.
Explore the source record for details and available documents.
Explore the source record for details and available documents.
Explore the source record for details and available documents.
Explore the source record for details and available documents.
Serum vitamin B12, serum and red cell folate and serum vitamin B12 binding proteins were determined in 18 patients with neuroblastoma, with ages ranging from 8 months to 14 years. A mean value of serum vitamin B12 level was slightly but not significantly lower than that of the normal subjects but all of them had serum vitamin B12 levels over 150 pg/ml. There was no relationship between serum vitamin B12 levels and hemoglobin, hematocrit or white cells. Transcobalamin I (TCI) was significantly increased resulting in slightly elevated UBBC and normal TBBC levels in these patients. This could be a compensatory mechanism for the low serum vitamin B12 by increasing the unsaturated vitamin B12 binding capacity of TCI. All these findings indicated that the status of vitamin B12 in patients with neuroblastoma was within the normal limits. Treatment of neuroblastoma by giving a high dose of vitamin B12 would therefore not give any direct therapeutic effect. Both serum and red cell folate concentrations were significantly lower in the group of patients. As only 2 out of 18 patients had low serum folate and none of them had red cell folate lower than the lower limit of normal subjects; therefore these patients were only in the state of negative folate balance.
Serum vitamin B12 and vitamin B12 binding proteins (transcobalamins, TCS) were determined in patients with malaria, amoebic liver abscess, carcinoma of the liver, infectious hepatitis, cirrhosis and chronic myelocytic leukemia (CML) as well as in 60 blood donor subjects. Serum vitamin B12 in patients with infectious hepatitis, cirrhosis and CML were higher than that of the normal subjects. The values of unsaturated vitamin B12 binding capacity (UBBC) in patients with carcinoma of the liver, infectious hepatitis, cirrhosis were lower while that of patients with CML were higher than that of the normal subjects. A markedly increased TCI and decreased TCII was observed in patients with CML while these changes was much less in patients with other liver diseases. The difference was possibly due to a flooding of vitamin B12 from damaged liver cells into the circulation and the decreased synthesis of transcobalamins in patients with liver diseases while the increased granulocytes, the source of TCI, was much increased in patients with CML.
Vitamin B12 and vitamin B12 binding proteins were determined in 20 patients with iron deficiency anaemia who showed low haemoglobin, haematocrit, serum iron levels and hypochromic microcytic red blood cells. The serum vitamin B12 levels in these patients were significantly lower than that of the normal subjects. Nine of 20 patients had serum vitamin B12 less than 350 pg/ml. There was a significant increase in serum UBBC and TBBC levels in patient group and 9 of 20 patients had higher UBBC values than those of the normal subjects. The absolute values of TCI and TCII increased significantly while TCIII was within the normal limit even though the percentage of UBBC were not different from that of the normal subjects.
Vitamin B12 is unique among all the vitamins in that it contains not only a complex organic molecule but also an essential trace element, cobalt. Vitamin B12 is synthesized in some bacteria but not in animals and plants. Intestinal absorption and subsequent plasma transport of vitamin B12 are mediated by specific vitamin B12-binding proteins and their receptors in mammals. Vitamin B12 taken up by the cells is enzymatically converted to coenzyme forms of vitamin B12, methyl- and adenosyl-vitamin B12, which function as coenzymes of methionine synthase (EC 2.1.13), involved in methionine biosynthesis, and methylmalonyl-CoA mutase (EC 5.4.99.2), involved in oxidation of odd-numbered fatty acids and amino acids (valine, isoleucine, and threonine), respectively. Chemical properties, physiological function, and intracellular metabolism of vitamin B12 are summarized in this section.
Vitamin B12 has been reported to improve sleep-wake rhythm disorders. Although the mechanism is still unclear, a change in the sensitivity of the circadian clock system to photic input is thought to be a possible mechanism of the effect. In this study, the effect of the vitamin B12 on the circadian aspect of the electroretinogram (ERG) and serum melatonin level was analyzed in rats. Vitamin B12, alpha-(5,6-dimethylbenzimidazolyl)-co-methyl-cobamide was daily administrated subcutaneously for 8 weeks to adult male Wister rats in the experimental group, and saline was given to the control group. The ERGs were recorded under dark adaptation during the night and day, and under light adaptation (0.1 lux) during the night. Blood was drawn before and after ERG recording. The amplitudes of the a-wave, b-wave, and trough-to-peak of both waves and latencies of ERG were analyzed following various exposures to stimuli of light intensity. These parameters in the group treated with vitamin B12 showed similar characteristics to the control group, and no significant difference was observed between the two groups. The melatonin levels of both groups before the measurement of ERG were similar under each measurement condition. The elevated serum melatonin concentration in the control group under dark adaptation at night was suppressed after the series of 10-msec light stimuli used for measurement of ERG. However, this suppressing effect of light pulses on melatonin level was significantly inhibited in the group treated with vitamin B12. Under light adaptation during the night and under dark adaptation during the day, melatonin levels after the measurement of ERG were not different between the groups. From these results, it is suggested that vitamin B12 if effective in suppressing melatonin rhythm disturbances introduced by transient light stimulation, and it affects the site more central than the retinal level.
Explore the source record for details and available documents.
Vitamin B12 is the anti-pernicious anemia vitamin. It functions as the main part of a coenzyme for a range of remarkable rearrangement reactions. The macrocycle for vitamin B12 is smaller by one carbon than that for chlorophyll and protoheme. Research is described involving numerous skills at the microscale level. In addition, synthesis of new pigments that have been encountered has been undertaken. A large part of the biosynthetic pathway to vitamin B12 has been revealed.
Explore the source record for details and available documents.
Explore the source record for details and available documents.