Free amino acid concentration in serum and trapezius muscle from male and female silver foxes (Vulpes vulpes)

Abstract

Serum and muscle concentrations of 29 amino acids were determined in Silver fox. Serum concentrations of proline, alanine, tyrosine and aromatic amino acids were significantly higher in males than in females (all P = 0.05). Taurine and glycine concentrations in skeletal muscles were significantly higher in males than in females (P < 0.01). Muscle concentrations of cysteic acid, taurine, aspartate, threonine, serine, glycine, alanine, citruline, valine, leucine, gamma-amino-butyrate, ethanoloamine, lysine and histidine were significantly higher than in serum in both sexes (P < 0.05). In females, the concentrations of glutamate, glutamine, cystathionine, isoleucine, tyrosine, phenylalanine, arginine and amino-adipic acid were significantly higher in muscles than in serum (P < 0.05). Tryptophan concentration was significantly higher in serum from males than in muscles (P = 0.01). The concentration of branched-chain amino acids in skeletal muscles was approximately two times higher than in serum in both groups of foxes (P ≤ 0.01). Similar differences were obtained for aromatic amino acids in females (P = 0.04). The elaborated experimental model may serve for further studies focused on amino acid metabolism regulation in Canide and other monogastric mammals, especially with the use of environmental, dietary, pharmacological and toxicological factors. The elaborated experimental model may be an attractive alternative to replace some experiments on dogs.

Keywords

• amino acids
• animal model
• ion-exchange chromatography
• carnivora
• predator