Lotfi Ahmed-Mohamed ,Fidel Gallinas-Victoriano ,María Malumbres-Chacón ,María Urretavizcaya-Martinez ,Paula Moreno-González ,Teodoro Durá-Travé,
Amino Acid Plasma Profile in Children with Type 1 Diabetes
Journal of Diabetes Metabolism and its Complications
2020
2674-4163
http://dx.doi.org/10.31487/j.JDMC.2020.01.01
https://www.sciencerepository.org/amino-acid-plasma-profile-in-children_JDMC-2020-1-101 
Abstract: Background: Insulin deficiency inhibits protein synthesis and stimulates protein degradation, and
therefore amino acid metabolism could be altered in diabetes mellitus.
Objective: To analyze amino acid plasma profile in a group of children with type 1 diabetes, and to
evaluate its potential application as a marker of metabolic control for the disease.
Methods: A clinical assessment and metabolic study (amino acid plasma concentrations) was performed
in a group of 49 children diagnosed with type 1 diabetes, aged 8.6 to 14.3 years, and a group of 48 healthy
children (control group), aged 7.4 to 14.8 years.
Results: Plasma concentrations of ARG, GLN, ILE, PHE, THR, TYR, VAL and TAU were significantly
higher (p<0.05) within the diabetic group with respect to the control group. Likewise, plasma
concentrations of branched-chain (347.65±58.76 vs. 285.20±45.20 nmol/ml), glucogenic
(1252.74±236.82 vs. 1053.69±211.19 nmol/ml) and ketogenic amino acids (441.62±57.09 vs.
354.13±53.45 nmol/ml) were significantly higher (p< 0.05) in the diabetic group with respect to the
control group. There was no correlation between the single amino acid (or amino acid groups) plasma
levels and the evolution of the disease (years) or HbA1c levels.
Conclusion: The study of changes in amino acid plasma profile in the young diabetic, probably as a
consequence of insulinopenia, could have interest as a marker of metabolic control for the diseaseKeywords: Amino acids, children, glycosylated haemoglobin, type 1 diabetes, plasma concentration