HEPATIC ZONATION OF CARBOHYDRATE METABOLISM

Periportal cells synthesize twice as much glucose from lactate than do cells from the perivenous zone.     

Alterations in alanine metabolism in diabetic dogs during short-term treatment with an artificial B cell

Summary The flux rates of plasma glucose and alanine were studied isotopically (6-³H-glucose and U-¹⁴C-alanine simultaneously) in resting chronically diabetic dogs during short-term treatment with an artificial B cell where the insulin was infused into a peripheral vein. Despite perfect blood glucose control and normal glucose flux rates, the concentration and rates of appearance and disappearance of alanine were significantly elevated in the diabetic animals before, during and after an exogenous glucose load. The incorporation of the carbon moiety of alanine into circulating glucose was also increased, but diminished to a near-normal extent when exogenous glucose was given. The plasma clearance rates for alanine in the diabetic dogs were normal throughout the study. It is concluded that normal blood glucose control in diabetes does not necessarily mean normalization of the entire metabolic network. On the basis of peripheral hyperinsulinaemia alanine formation from glucose and branched chain amino acids is elevated in muscle. This may explain increased flux of alanine despite normal blood glucose control.     

Melatonin-induced modulation of glucose metabolism in primary cultures of rabbit kidney-cortex tubules

The effect of melatonin on glucose metabolism in the presence and absence of insulin has been investigated in the primary cultures of renal tubules grown in a defined medium. In the absence of glucose in the medium containing 5 microg/mL of insulin and 2 mm alanine + 5 mm glycerol + 0.5 mm octanoate, 100 nm melatonin stimulated both glucose and lactate synthesis, while in the medium devoid of insulin melatonin action was negligible. Melatonin-induced increase in glucose and lactate synthesis was accompanied by an enhancement of alanine and glycerol consumption. In view of measurements of [U-14C]L-alanine and [U-14C]L-glycerol incorporation into glucose, it is likely that melatonin increased alanine utilization for glucose production, while accelerated lactate synthesis was because of an enhanced glycerol consumption. As (i) 10 nm luzindole attenuated the stimulatory action of melatonin on glucose formation and (ii) the indole induced a decrease in intracellular cAMP level, it seems likely that in renal tubules melatonin binds to ML1 membrane receptor subtype. In view of a decline of intracellular fructose-1,6-bisphosphate content accompanied by a significant rise in hexose-6-phosphate and glucose levels, melatonin might result in an acceleration of flux through fructose-1,6-bisphosphatase probably because of an increase in the active, dephosphorylated form of this enzyme. Thus, the administration of melatonin in combination with insulin might be beneficial for diabetic therapy because of protection against hypoglycemia.     

Effect of insulin in vitro on the isolated,perfused alloxan-diabetic rat liver

Summary Withdrawal of exogenous insulin and a subsequent fast (24 h) of alloxan diabetic rats stimulated rates of gluconeogenesis, ureogenesis, ketogenesis, and amino acid release by in situ perfused livers when compared to those from normal, fasted rats. The contribution of liver glycogen to the high rates of gluconeogenesis observed with the diabetic liver could be excluded. Perfusate lactate concentrations remained constant during the period when the elevated rate of gluconeogenesis was observed with diabetic liver. Addition of insulin as a bolus (750 mU) and continuous infusion (12.5 mU/min) to the perfusion medium of diabetic livers resulted in constant perfusate levels of glucose, urea and -amino nitrogen indicating a suppression of the catabolic processes present in the fasted, diabetic liver. The rate of ketogenesis was also slowed by insulin to about half the rate prior to addition of the hormone. These data indicate that insulin has an immediate anti-catabolic effect in the perfused, diabetic liver.     

A differential action of phenformin in normal and diabetic rat livers

Summary Phenformin inhibited gluconeogenesis by livers from both normal and diabetic rats. However, the concentration of phenformin which inhibited gluconeogenesis by the diabetic livers was not effective in normal livers. It is suggested that an action which is differentially effective in the diabetic state is likely to be clinically relevant.     

The metabolic effects of sodium dichloroacetate in the suckling newborn rat

Summary Subcutaneous injection of sodium dichloroacetate (1 mg/g body wt every 3 h) in suckling newborn rats caused in 6 h a fall of 2.5 mmol/l in blood glucose concentrations, and a rise of 2.4 mmol/ l in total blood ketone body levels, but no change in the high levels of plasma non esterified fatty acids. Glucose utilization, measured after intraperitoneal injection of D-glucose (2 mg/g body wt), was not increased in newborns injected with dichloroacetate. The hypoglycaemia resulted from a decrease in gluconeogenic rate, secondarily to a lowering effect of dichloroacetate on blood levels of lactate, pyruvate and alanine. The hypoglycaemia induced by dichloroacetate was completely reversed by injecting newborn rats with a mixture of gluconeogenic precursors (lactate, pyruvate and alanine). It is concluded that the high rate of gluconeogenesis observed in suckling newborn rats in sustained by an increased release of lactate and, to a much smaller extent of pyruvate and alanine, by peripheral tissues. This probably resulted from the low pyruvate dehydrogenase activity found in peripheral tissues of the newborn rat. The hyperketonaemia induced by dichloroacetate could result from an increased ketogenesis and/or a decreased ketone body utilization.     

Lipid-dependent control of hepatic glycogen stores in healthy humans

Aims/hypothesis. Non-esterified fatty acids and glycerol could stimulate gluconeogenesis and also contribute to regulating hepatic glycogen stores. We examined their effect on liver glycogen breakdown in humans.¶Methods. After an overnight fast healthy subjects participated in three protocols with lipid/heparin (plasma non-esterified fatty acids: 2.2 ± 0.1 mol/l; plasma glycerol: 0.5 ± 0.03 mol/l; n = 7), glycerol (0.4 ± 0.1 mol/l; 1.5 ± 0.2 mol/l; n = 5) and saline infusion (control; 0.5 ± 0.1 mol/l; 0.2 ± 0.02 mol/l; n = 7). Net rates of glycogen breakdown were calculated from the decrease of liver glycogen within 9 h using ¹³C nuclear magnetic resonance spectroscopy. Endogenous glucose production was measured with infusion of D-[6,6-²H₂]glucose.¶Results. Endogenous glucose production decreased by about 25 % during lipid and saline infusion (p < 0.005) but not during glycerol infusion (p < 0.001 vs lipid, saline). An increase of plasma non-esterified fatty acids or glycerol reduced the net glycogen breakdown by about 84 % to 0.6 ± 0.3 μmol · kg^–1· min^–1 (p < 0.001 vs saline: 3.7 ± 0.5 μmol · kg^–1· min^–1) and by about 46 % to 2.0 ± 0.4 μmol · kg^–1· min^–1 (p < 0.01 vs saline and lipid), respectively. Rates of gluconeogenesis increased to 11.5 ± 0.8 μmol · kg^–1· min^–1 (p < 0.01) and 12.8 ± 1.0 μmol · kg^–1· min^–1 (p < 0.01 vs saline: 8.2 ± 0.7 μmol · l^–1· min^–1), respectively.¶Conclusion/interpretation: An increase of non-esterified fatty acid leads to a pronounced inhibition of net hepatic glycogen breakdown and increases gluconeogenesis whereas glucose production does not differ from the control condition. We suggest that this effect is not due to increased availability of glycerol alone but rather to lipid-dependent control of hepatic glycogen stores. [Diabetologia (2001) 44: 48–54]     

Adrenocortical hormones

The adrenal glands lie on top of the kidneys. The adrenal medulla produces catecholamines and the adrenal cortex produces three types of steroid hormone (mineralocorticoids (aldosterone), glucocorticoids (cortisol) and androgens (dehydroepiandrosterone, DHEA)). All are synthesized from cholesterol. Cortisol secretion is controlled by adrenocorticotrophic hormone from the pituitary. It rises in response to stress and is essential for life. It stimulates gluconeogenesis, breaking down lean tissue, and is anti-inflammatory. Aldosterone secretion is controlled by angiotensin II and extracellular potassium concentrations, so is influenced by renal perfusion. It provides the fine tuning for sodium and potassium, and thus water balance via its action on the distal renal tubule. DHEA is a weak androgen. In the male it is unimportant; in the female DHEA produced by the adrenal gland accounts for most of the androgen in the blood.     

p38丝裂原活化蛋白激酶在能量代谢控制和心血管疾病中的作用

p38是丝裂原活化蛋白激酶家族中的成员之一,大量研究显示p38在能量代谢中具有广泛的作用.p38参与脂肪组织、骨骼肌、胰岛细胞和肝脏等组织、器官的能量代谢,这些组织、器官都是控制能量代谢的主要组织与器官.在白色脂肪组织,p38对脂肪细胞分化和葡萄糖摄取的重要作用是一致公认的,尽管p38对脂肪细胞葡萄糖摄取究竟是促进还是抑制至今尚未定论;在棕色脂肪组织,p38对解偶联蛋白-1基因转录起促进作用.在骨骼肌,虽然p38对葡萄糖摄取的作用仍有争议,但p38对骨骼肌细胞分化和骨骼肌线粒体生成的重要作用是非常肯定的.在胰岛细胞,p38似乎与细胞凋亡有关;p38还可能控制胰岛素原基因转录,但对胰岛素分泌无明显作用.在肝脏,p38在肝脏的糖、脂代谢中起核心作用,一方面,p38通过抑制肝脏糖原合成,增加肝脏糖异生,使血糖升高;另一方面,p38通过抑制肝脏脂肪合成、促进脂肪酸在肝脏的氧化代谢,从而抑制脂肪在肝脏的贮存;另外,p38还通过调节低密度脂蛋白受体基因表达和胆汁代谢对胆固醇代谢起关键作用.p38不仅参与心肌细胞的各种生理、病理过程;也通过影响单核-巨噬细胞、血管内皮细胞和血管平滑肌细胞参与动脉粥样硬化斑块的形成.