Interactions among the branched-chain amino acids and their effects on methionine utilization in growing pigs: effects on plasma amino- and keto-acid concentrations and branched-chain keto-acid dehydrogenase activity.

The present experiment was designed to elucidate the mechanism of the methionine-sparing effect of excess branched-chain amino acids (BCAA) reported in the previous paper (Langer & Fuller, 2000). Twelve growing gilts (30-35 kg) were prepared with arterial catheters. After recovery, they received for 7 d a semipurified diet with a balanced amino acid pattern.

Chronic infusion of norepinephrine into the VMH of normal rats induces the obese glucose-intolerant state.

Increases in ventromedial hypothalamic (VMH) norepinephrine (NE) levels and/or activities have been observed in a variety of animal models of the obese insulin-resistant condition. This study examined the metabolic effects of chronic NE infusion (25 nmol/h) into the unilateral VMH of normal rats. Within 4 days, VMH NE infusion significantly increased plasma insulin (140%), glucagon (45%), leptin (300%), triglyceride (100%), abdominal fat pad weight (50%), and white adipocyte lipogenic (100%) and lipolytic (100%) activities relative to vehicle-infused rats.

Bromocriptine/SKF38393 treatment ameliorates dyslipidemia in ob/ob mice.

Our previous studies have shown that the dopaminergic D1 receptor agonist SKF38393 (SKF) plus the D2 receptor agonist bromocriptine (BC) act synergistically to reduce obesity in obese C57BL/6J (ob/ob) mice. The present study investigated the effects of this combination on dyslipidemia in ob/ob mice. Female ob/ob mice were treated daily with vehicle or SKF (20 mg/kg body weight [BW]) plus BC (16 mg/kg BW [BC/SKF]) for 14 days.

Biochemical mechanisms responsible for the attenuation of diabetic and obese conditions in ob/ob mice treated with dopaminergic agonists.

Objective: We previously reported that a two week treatment with SKF 38393 (SKF, a dopamine D1 receptor agonist), plus bromocriptine (BC, a dopamine D2 receptor agonist) acted synergistically to normalize hyperphagia, body fat, hyperglycaemia and hyperlipidaemia in ob/ob mice. The present study further investigates the biochemical mechanisms triggered by this drug treatment.

Design: Six week old female C57BL/6J ob/ob mice were divided into three groups and treated for two weeks with either BC and SKF, vehicle (control), or vehicle and pair fed to match the drug-treated group's daily food intake.

Dopamine agonist treatment ameliorates hyperglycemia, hyperlipidemia, and the elevated basal insulin release from islets of ob/ob mice.

One of the characteristics of obesity-associated diabetes is an elevated fasting plasma insulin concentration with a weak insulin secretory response to subsequent glucose stimulation. Evidence suggests that hyperglycemia and hyperlipidemia may contribute to the initiation and progression of this disordered islet glucose sensing. It has been proposed that reducing hyperglycemia and hyperlipidemia per se may improve islet glucose sensing.

Bromocriptine/SKF38393 treatment ameliorates obesity and associated metabolic dysfunctions in obese (ob/ob) mice.

It has been postulated that dopaminergic activities comprise a major functional component of a central regulatory system for metabolism which can be manipulated by dopamine modulating drugs. The present study is aimed at delineating the role and importance of pharmacological dopaminergic activation in the regulation of metabolism during obesity and diabetes. We treated C57BL/6J ob/ob mice for 2 weeks with bromocriptine (dopamine D2 agonist), SKF38393 (dopamine D1 agonist), both drugs combined or vehicle and monitored the effects of such treatment on body composition, food consumption, and serum metabolites.

The utilization of lupin (Lupinus angustifolius) and faba bean globulins by rats is poorer than of soybean globulins or lactalbumin but the nutritional value of lupin seed meal is lower only than that of lactalbumin.

The effects of dietary sweet lupin (Lupinus angustifolius, Unicrop) seed meal or its insoluble fiber (nonstarch polysaccharides + lignin) on performance, digestibility and nitrogen utilization in growing rats were studied in four experiments. Globulin proteins isolated from lupin, faba bean (Vicia faba L. minor) or soybean (Glycine max) were also incorporated into purified diets as replacements for lactalbumin (control) and the nutritional effects were evaluated.

The regulation of transaminative flux of methionine in rat liver mitochondria.

We have demonstrated methanethiol production from methionine in isolated rat liver mitochondria and shown how it is affected by other metabolites. The enzymes involved include several transaminases, branched chain 2-oxoacid dehydrogenase, acyl-CoA dehydrogenase, and crotonase. Methanethiol production from methionine in mitochondria isolated from rat liver was increased by 50% after the rats had been given a single injection of glucagon, but was reduced by 25% when the rats had been starved for 24 h.

Regulation of oxidative degradation of L-lysine in rat liver mitochondria.

The generation of 14CO2 from [1-14C]lysine by hepatic mitochondria through the saccharopine pathway is controlled by intramitochondrial concentrations of lysine, 2-oxoglutarate and NADPH. Mitochondria, isolated from rats pre-treated with glucagon, exhibited higher activities of L-lysine: 2-oxoglutarate reductase, saccharopine dehydrogenase and 2-aminoadipate aminotransferase. The flux through this pathway is stimulated in liver mitochondria after glucagon treatment.

Methionine transamination--metabolic function and subcellular compartmentation.

Enzymatic activities catalysing the inter-conversion of L-methionine and its oxy analogue 4-methylthio-2-oxobutyric acid (2,4-KMB) were detected in the liver, skeletal muscle and heart of the laboratory rat and of sheep. In both species the highest activity of methionine transamination was found in the liver and was located in the cytoplasm and mitochondria. We propose that physiological and nutritional role of the cytoplasmic methionine transamination is amination of 2,4 KMB and formation of L-methionine while in mitochondria the activity is responsible for disposal of excess methionine is oxidised through oxidative decarboxylation of 2,4 KMB.

Determination of L-methionine-dl-sulphoxide in tissue extracts.

The amino acid fraction from rat liver, heart and skeletal muscle was prepared by the separation of sulphosalicylic acid extract on Dowex 50 H+ form. The presence of L-methionine-dl-sulphoxide in these extracts was identified and compared by three independent chromatographic methods: ion-exchange, Pico-Tag and reversed-phase high-performance liquid chromatography after precolumn derivatisation with diethylethoxymethylenemalonate. Quantitative data indicate that L-methionine-dl-sulphoxide is present in the intracellular pool at the levels of free methionine.

Characterization of sheep hepatocytes in primary culture.

1. Primary cultures of isolated sheep hepatocytes were used to characterize metabolic functions of liver: gluconeogenesis, ureagenesis and protein synthesis. The rates of all three metabolic activities were linear over a 20 hr culture period.

Urea synthesis in rats fed diet containing kidney beans.

When rats were fed a diet containing kidney bean (Phaesolus vulgaris) urea excretion was increased 3-5 fold. Isolated liver mitochondria from rats fed the kidney bean diet produced 40% more citrulline in the presence of arginine than mitochondria isolated from control rats. Mitochondrial activities of urea cycle enzymes and N-acetylglutamate synthetase were similar in animals fed diets containing kidney bean or lactalbumin.

Metabolic effects of proglycosyn.

Proglycosyn, a phenylacyl imidazolium compound that lowers blood glucose levels, was demonstrated previously to promote hepatic glycogen synthesis, stabilize hepatic glycogen stores, activate glycogen synthase, inactivate glycogen phosphorylase, and inhibit glycolysis. In the present study proglycosyn was found to inhibit fatty acid synthesis, stimulate fatty acid oxidation, and lower fructose 2,6-bisphosphate levels, but to have no significant effects on cell swelling and the levels of cAMP in hepatocytes prepared from fed rats. Verapamil and atropine blocked the effects of proglycosyn on glycogen metabolism, but these compounds inhibit proglycosyn accumulation by hepatocytes.

Heart mitochondria metabolize 3-methylthiopropionate to CO2 and methanethiol.

3-Methylthiopropionate (MTP) stimulates respiration of substrate-depleted heart mitochondria. This is blocked by uncouplers and by malonate. With the use of methyl-14C- and uniformly 14C-labeled MTP, it was found that methanethiol and CO2 are reaction products.

Sulfur oxidation of free methionine by oxygen free radicals.

The oxidation of free methionine to methionine sulfoxide by chemically or enzymatically generated oxygen free radicals is presented. The physiological significance of this process in living cells is suggested.

Methionine metabolism by rat muscle and other tissues. Occurrence of a new carnitine intermediate.

Perfused rat hindquarter preparations were shown to incorporate radioactivity from [U-14C]methionine into citrate-cycle intermediates, lactate, alanine, glutamate, glutamine and CO2. During perfusion, large amounts of methionine were also oxidized to methionine sulphoxide. The capacity for transamination of methionine or its oxo analogue, 4-methylthio-2-oxobutyrate, by muscle extracts was demonstrated.

Amino acid catabolism by perfused rat hindquarters: degradation of threonine and isoleucine.

Rat hindquarters were perfused without added substrate other than trace amounts of [U-14C]threonine or [U-14C]isoleucine. Comparison of incorporation of radiolabel into some nonessential amino acids, citrate cycle intermediates, and lactate is presented. Activities of three enzymes for the initial reactions in threonine degradation are reported.

A sensitive spectrophotometric assay of pyruvate dehydrogenase activity.

The recently reported highly sensitive method for assay of acetyl-CoA:arylamine N-acetyltransferase (EC 2.3.1.

Role of branched-chain 2-oxo acid dehydrogenase and pyruvate dehydrogenase in 2-oxobutyrate metabolism.

Purified branched-chain 2-oxo acid dehydrogenase (BCODH) and pyruvate dehydrogenase (PDH) had apparent Km values (microM) for 2-oxobutyrate of 26 and 114, with a relative Vmax. (% of Vmax. for 3-methyl-2-oxobutyrate and pyruvate) of 38 and 45% respectively.

Metabolic characterization of three hamster melanoma variants.

Some enzyme activities and metabolic features of the black Ma melanotic, brown MI melanotic and Ab amelanotic melanomas of hamster were investigated. The activities of hexokinase and phosphofructokinase were similar in all three melanomas, the activity of NAD-dependent glycerol-3-phosphate dehydrogenase was higher in the amelanotic melanoma and that of pyruvate kinase and lactate dehydrogenase were slightly lower in MI than in the other tumors. The activities of citrate synthase, succinate dehydrogenase and malate dehydrogenase were higher in the Ma and MI melanotic melanomas than in the Ab amelanotic melanoma.

Effects of actinomycin D and cycloheximide on the increase in tyrosinase activity of hamster amelanotic melanoma cells in vitro.

Tyrosinase activity in the Ab hamster amelanotic melanoma cells cultured in serum-free Eagle's MEM increased 3 times after 6 h of primary cell culture. This increase was inhibited completely by cycloheximide, while actinomycin D had no effect on this process. After 24 h of culture in MEM with calf serum, further increase of the tyrosinase activity was inhibited by both cycloheximide and actinomycin D.

Acetoacetate utilization by human placental mitochondria.

It has been shown that mitochondria from human placenta incubated in the presence of 2-oxoglutarate or its precursors utilize acetoacetate at the rate about I nmol/min/mg protein. Utilization of acetoacetate is completely inhibited by arsenite. Mitochondria from human placental tissue show activity of 3-oxoacid-CoA transferase and acetoacetyl-CoA thiolase.

Biochemical characterization of three hamster melanoma variants--II. Glycolysis and oxygen consumption.

Lactate production and oxygen consumption were studied in single cell suspension prepared from solid tumours of the black-melanotic (Ma), brown-melanotic (MI) and amelanotic (Ab) melanomas of hamster. Aerobic lactase production was about 5 times higher in the fast growing Ab melanoma than in the slow growing Ma and MI melanomas. Aerobic lactate production in both melanotic hamster melanomas was stimulated by 3-(3,4-dihydroxyphenyl)-L-alanine.

Evidence for the role of malic enzyme in the rapid oxidation of malate by cod heart mitochondria.

Mitochondria isolated from the heart of cod (Gadus morrhua callarias) oxidized malate as the only exogenous substrate very rapidly. Pyruvate only slightly increased malate oxidation by these mitochondria. This is in contrast with the mitochondria isolated from rat and rabbit heart which oxidized malate very slowly unless pyruvate was added.