Myo-inositol and sorbitol metabolism in relation to peripheral nerve function in experimental diabetes in the rat: The effect of aldose reductase inhibition

A possible relationship between increased sorbitol concentration and decreased myo-inositol concentration in peripheral nerves of diabetic rats has been examined. To this end, sorbinil, an aldose reductase inhibitor, was used either to prevent or reverse elevation of nerve sorbitol concentration in diabetic rats. Sorbinil treatment at 20 mg . kg-1 . day-1 prevented elevation of nerve sorbitol levels in early diabetes and reduced sorbitol concentration from 2.38 to 0.51 mumol/g in rats diabetic for 10 weeks. This treatment reduced the increase in nerve fructose concentration and prevented the reduced myo-inositol concentration found in diabetic rat nerve (control 3.63, diabetic 2.40, diabetic/sorbinil, 3.56 mumol/g). Sorbinil treatment did not prevent a significant slowing of motor-nerve conduction velocity at 10 weeks although treatment reduced the extent of slowing. Sorbinil treatment at 25 mg . kg-1 . day-1 reduced elevated sorbitol and fructose concentrations in diabetic in diabetic rat nerve and normalised myo-inositol concentration. Myo-Inositol treatment at 650 mg . kg-1 . day-1 did not affect the elevated concentrations of sorbitol, fructose or glucose in peripheral nerves of diabetic rats, but it did restore reduced myo-inositol concentration. Both sorbinil and myo-inositol treatment partially reversed the slowing of motor-nerve conduction velocity in diabetic rats. These results are discussed in relation to the involvement of sorbitol and myo-inositol metabolism in the aetiology of diabetic neuropathy.     

Persistence of metabolic effects after long-term oral feeding of a structured triglyceride derived from medium-chain triglyceride and fish oil in burned and normal rats

The persistence of metabolic effects following long-term oral feeding of a structured triglyceride rich in omega-3 fatty acids was studied in burned and normal rats, and compared with controls fed safflower oil, a long-chain triglyceride high in omega-6 fatty acid content. Male Sprague-Dawley rats were pair-fed a high fat diet as either structured triglyceride or safflower oil for 42 days. On day 43, a jugular catheter was placed, and rats received either a dorsal surface scald or sham injury. Following a 48-hour fast, body weight, nitrogen loss, energy metabolism, and liver weight were measured, and whole-body and tissue-specific protein kinetics were studied by constant intravenous infusion of [1-14C]leucine. Plasma albumin, free fatty acids, glucose, insulin, and triglyceride fatty acid composition were determined. Urinary nitrogen loss, energy expenditure, and plasma leucine concentration were elevated in burned rats, confirming the presence of an injury response. Rats previously fed structured triglyceride had greater liver weight, total liver protein, and percentage of leucine flux oxidized, and plasma levels of glucose and insulin were increased. Plasma leucine concentration was decreased in rats previously fed structured triglyceride. Plasma triglyceride and phospholipid fatty acid analysis showed a reduction in arachidonic acid and an increase in omega-3 fatty acids in rats previously fed structured triglyceride. Long-term feeding of structured triglyceride induced major systemic metabolic changes related to the dietary fatty acid composition that persist after the diet is discontinued.     

Lactulose reduces intracolonic acetaldehyde concentration and ethanol elimination rate in rats

BACKGROUND: Normal colonic bacteria possessing alcohol dehydrogenase activity can oxidize ethanol to acetaldehyde. Acetaldehyde recently has been shown to be a local carcinogen in humans. The aim of the study was to examine the effect of lactulose feeding on fecal and cecal pH, intracolonic acetaldehyde concentration, and total ethanol elimination rate in rats. METHODS: Sixty Wistar rats were divided into four groups. Groups 2 and 4 received lactulose daily (11 g/kg body weight for 14 days). On days 7 and 14, groups 1 and 2 received ethanol (1.5 g/kg body weight) intraperitoneally, whereas groups 3 and 4 received saline. RESULTS: Fecal and cecal pH values decreased significantly after lactulose treatment compared with the controls. Lactulose feeding reduced the total ethanol elimination rate by 13.8% (257 +/- 0.008 mg/kg/hr vs. 298 +/- 0.003 mg/kg/hr, p < 0.001) and the intracecal acetaldehyde concentration by 66.2% after ethanol (49 +/- 29 microM vs. 145 +/- 47 microM, p = 0.03) compared with the controls. CONCLUSION: Lactulose feeding to rats significantly reduces ethanol elimination rate and intraluminal acetaldehyde concentration in the colon after ethanol administration. This prebiotic thus could be used as an effective agent to block the microbial production of carcinogenic acetaldehyde in the large intestine.     

Acute in Vivo Effects of Low Ethanol Concentration on the Capacity of Urea Synthesis in Rats

We studied the effect of acute exposure, by constant intravenous infusion, to a low blood ethanol concentration (range 8-14 mmol/l) on the in vivo capacity of urea-N synthesis (CUNS), alanine elimination, and the nitrogen retention in fed and fasted rats. Alanine was infused to obtain a constant blood concentration of alpha-amino nitrogen between 7.3 and 11.7 mmol/l, at which concentrations urea synthesis is at maximum. CUNS was calculated after nephrectomy as accumulation of urea in body water, elimination of alanine as alanine infusion rate corrected for accumulation, and nitrogen retention as the difference. In the fed state ethanol decreased CUNS from 7.84 +/- 0.32 mumol N/(min 100 g body weight (BW] (mean +/- SEM) (n = 7) to 6.30 +/- 0.58 (n = 6) (p less than 0.001) and in the fasted state from 8.25 +/- 0.27 mumol N/(min 100 g BW) (n = 10) to 6.90 +/- 0.25 (n = 10) (p less than 0.001). In the fed state ethanol increased the elimination of alanine from 6.49 +/- 0.28 mumol/(min 100 g BW) (n = 7) to 6.95 +/- 0.25 (n = 6) (p less than 0.01), and in the fasted state decreased it from 6.25 +/- 0.12 mumol/(min 100 g BW) (n = 10) to 5.67 +/- 0.20 (n = 10) (p less than .001).(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)     

S-adenosyl-L-methionine attenuates alcohol-induced liver injury in the baboon

Chronic ethanol consumption by baboons (50% of energy from a liquid diet) for 18 to 36 mo resulted in significant depletion of hepatic S-adenosyl-L-methionine concentration: 74.6 +/- 2.4 nmol/gm vs. 108.9 +/- 8.2 nmol/gm liver in controls (p less than 0.005). The depletion was corrected with S-adenosyl-L-methionine (0.4 mg/kcal) administration (102.1 +/- 15.4 nmol/gm after S-adenosyl-L-methionine-ethanol, with 121.4 +/- 11.9 nmol/gm in controls). Ethanol also induced a depletion of glutathione (2.63 +/- 0.13 mumol/gm after ethanol vs. 4.87 +/- 0.36 mumol/gm in controls) that was attenuated by S-adenosyl-L-methionine (3.89 +/- 0.51 mumol/gm in S-adenosyl-L-methionine-methanol vs. 5.22 +/- 0.53 mumol/gm in S-adenosyl-L-methionine controls). There was a significant correlation between hepatic S-adenosyl-L-methionine and glutathione level (r = 0.497; p less than 0.01). After the baboons received ethanol, we observed the expected increase in circulating levels of the mitochondrial enzyme glutamic dehydrogenase: 95.1 +/- 21.4 IU/L vs. 13.4 +/- 1.8 IU/L; p less than 0.001, whereas in a corresponding group of animals given S-adenosyl-L-methionine with ethanol, the values were only 30.3 +/- 7.1 IU/L (vs. 9.6 +/- 0.7 IU/L in the S-adenosyl-L-methionine controls). This attenuation by S-adenosyl-L-methionine of the ethanol-induced increase in plasma glutamic dehydrogenase (p less than 0.005) was associated with a decrease in the number of giant mitochondria (assessed in percutaneous liver biopsy specimens), with a corresponding change in the activity of succinate dehydrogenase, a mitochondrial marker enzyme.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)     

In vivo interactions between H2-receptor antagonists and ethanol metabolism in man and in rats

The influence of a 7-day medication of either cimetidine (1,000 mg per day) or ranitidine (300 mg per day) on serum ethanol concentrations after a single oral dose of ethanol (0.8 gm per kg body weight) was investigated in a randomized placebo-controlled study in eight male volunteers. Compared with the placebo, cimetidine but not ranitidine produced a significant increase in both the peak serum ethanol concentration (85.9 +/- 3.5 vs. 73.0 +/- 3.2 mg dl-1, p less than 0.02) and in the area under the serum ethanol concentration time curve (350 +/- 19 vs. 304 +/- 25 mg dl-1 hr-1, p less than 0.05). However, the ethanol elimination rate was not affected by cimetidine. When ethanol (1.0 gm per kg body weight) was administered intravenously, cimetidine failed to induce a change in ethanol metabolism. Furthermore, the effect of H2-receptor antagonists was studied in animal experiments. Female Sprague-Dawley rats received a single dose of ethanol (7 or 3 gm per kg body weight) together with an intraperitoneal injection of either cimetidine (120 mg per kg body weight), ranitidine (120 mg per kg body weight) or isotonic saline. After alcohol absorption, ethanol elimination was significantly inhibited by both cimetidine (3.99 +/- 0.39 vs. 5.68 +/- 0.23 mmoles kg-1 hr-1, p less than 0.02) and ranitidine (4.21 +/- 0.14 vs. 5.68 +/- 0.23 mmoles kg-1 hr-1, p less than 0.02) at high ethanol concentrations (60 to 20 mM) but not at blood ethanol concentrations below 20 mM.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)     

Effect of 2-buten-4-olide, an endogenous suppressant of feeding, on reproductive function in rats

The effects of 2-buten-4-olide, an endogenous feeding suppressant, on the estrous cycle and LH secretion were studied to determine the influence of this compound on reproductive function. Estrous cycling female Wistar rats were treated ip with 2-buten-4-olide (0, 30 or 100 mg.kg-1.day-1) for 2 weeks. Treatment with 100 mg.kg-1.day-1 delayed the estrous cycle. 2-Buten-4-olide increased the pituitary content of LH (1651.3 +/- 164.4 vs 927.7 +/- 65.1 ng/pituitary; p less than 0.01), and decreased the serum LH level compared with the control level in diestrus (0.16 +/- 0.01 vs 0.26 +/- 0.03 microgram/l; p less than 0.05). However, it did not affect the GnRH content of the mediobasal hypothalamus. The direct effects of 2-buten-4-olide on the pituitary response to GnRH was examined by perifusing the pituitary. Medium containing 2-buten-4-olide (10(-4) mol/l) suppressed the pituitary response to GnRH (2 micrograms/l) (percent increase at 50 min after start of GnRH stimulation: 180 +/- 47 vs 406 +/- 66%; p less than 0.05). These findings suggest that 2-buten-4-olide is involved in the regulation of pituitary gonadotropin secretion directly by suppressing the pituitary responsiveness to GnRH, and that 2-buten-4-olide may play an important role in starvation-induced anestrus.     

Possible role of acetaldehyde in ethanol-related rectal cocarcinogenesis in the rat

Prospective epidemiologic studies have reported an increased risk of rectal cancer following chronic ethanol ingestion. The effect of ethanol on chemically induced colorectal carcinogenesis is controversial depending on the experimental conditions. In the present study the effect of chronic ethanol administration on acetoxymethylmethylnitrosamine-induced rectal cancer and the possible role of acetaldehyde in this process were investigated. Chronic ethanol administration resulted in an earlier occurrence of rectal tumors in this animal model. Because the concomitant administration of cyanamide, a potent acetaldehyde dehydrogenase inhibitor, showed a positive trend toward increased incidences of tumors, acetaldehyde could be involved in the ethanol-associated carcinogenesis. To measure colonic acetaldehyde, 12 chronically ethanol-fed and control rats received an acute dose of ethanol (2.5 g/kg body wt). The mucosal concentration of acetaldehyde was significantly higher in the rectum compared with the cecum (198 +/- 23 vs. 120 +/- 23 nmoles.g colon-1, p less than 0.05), but was not affected by chronic ethanol feeding. Furthermore, 6 germ-free rats had significantly lower acetaldehyde concentrations in the rectum (84 +/- 11 vs. 234 +/- 33 nmoles.g colon-1, p less than 0.01) and in the cecum (59 +/- 13 vs. 121 +/- 33 nmoles.g colon-1, p less than 0.05) compared with 6 conventional animals, and this was paralleled by the number of fecal bacteria in the 2 intestinal segments. In addition, to determine the effect of chronic ethanol feeding on colorectal cell turnover, 30 animals were pair-fed liquid diets. Using the metaphase-arrest technique, alcohol feeding induced rectal (19.1 +/- 2.0 vs. 9.1 +/- 1.8 cells.crypt-1.h-1, p less than 0.01), but not cecal (18.9 +/- 1.3 vs. 22.2 +/- 3.3 cells.crypt-1.h-1, p greater than 0.05) hyperregeneration. This was accompanied by an increase in the crypt proliferative compartment and increased mucosal ornithine decarboxylase activity (63 +/- 18 vs. 22 +/- 6 pmoles.hr-1.mg protein-1, p less than 0.05). The data show that chronic ethanol ingestion accelerates chemically induced rectal carcinogenesis and raise the possibility that acetaldehyde probably generated through bacterial ethanol oxidation may be involved in this process. The secondary hyperregeneration of the mucosa, observed after alcohol feeding, could by itself favour carcinogenesis.     

Relationship between glucose oxidation and FFA concentration in septic cancer-bearing patients

Glucose oxidation is inhibited in severely ill patients. The present investigation was designed to study the relationship between glucose tissue uptake, glucose oxidation, and FFA concentration in septic cancer-bearing patients. The influence of glucose infusion alone (3.9 mg x kg-1 x min-1), followed by a euglycemic clamp with the same glucose load, on oxidation of glucose, plasma FFA concentration, and lipid oxidation were measured in eight septic cancer-bearing patients. During infusion of 3.9 mg glucose x kg-1 x min-1 glucose tissue uptake was 4.6 +/- 0.3 mg x kg-1 x min-1, glucose oxidation 0.5 +/- 0.2 mg x kg-1 x min-1, FFA concentration 377 +/- 52 mumol x L-1, and lipid oxidation 2.0 +/- 0.2 mumol x kg-1 x min-1. During the euglycemic clamp glucose tissue uptake was 4.4 +/- 0.3 mg x kg-1 x min-1, glucose oxidation rose to 1.8 mg x kg-1 x min-1 (.001 less than P less than .01), FFA concentration dropped to 202 +/- 23 mumol x L-1 (P less than .001), and lipid oxidation to 1.2 +/- 0.2 mumol x kg-1 x min-1 (.001 less than P less than .01). Nonprotein respiratory quotient rose from 0.73 +/- 0.02 to 0.85 +/- 0.02 (.001 less than P less than .01); 11% +/- 5% of the total amount of glucose taken up by the tissues was oxidized during infusion of glucose alone and increased to 42% +/- 6% during the euglycemic glucose clamp. It is concluded that in septic cancer-bearing patients glucose oxidation is inhibited during infusion of 3.9 mg glucose x kg-1 x min-1, even when expressed as percentage of glucose tissue uptake. With insulin, glucose tissue uptake was not influenced, but glucose oxidation expressed as percentage of glucose tissue uptake was normalized.     

Gestational Ethanol Consumption on Tissue Amino Acid Levels: Decreased Free Histidine and Tryptophan in Fetal Tissues with Concomitant Increase in Urinary Histamine Excretion

The effects of ethanol consumption during pregnancy on maternal, placental, and fetal tissue amino acid levels and metabolism were investigated. Pregnant Sprague-Dawley rats were given 35% ethanol-calorie liquid diet, ad libitum, from gestation day 7 to 21. Control rats were pair-fed with isocaloric sucrose substituted for ethanol. Ethanol consumption decreased fetal body weight and increased placental weight. Twenty-four amino acids were determined in six tissues (maternal plasma and liver, placenta, fetal plasma, liver, and brain) by HPLC with orthophthalaldehyde derivatization. The effects of ethanol on free amino acid levels differed from tissue to tissue. In general, ethanol affected more amino acids in maternal plasma, fetal plasma, and liver. Maternal liver, placenta, and fetal brain amino acids were more resistant to ethanol effect. Two essential amino acids, histidine and tryptophan, were consistently decreased in fetal tissues by maternal ethanol consumption. The values (ethanol vs. control, nmole/ml or g, mean +/- SEM, N = 20) of fetal plasma, liver, and brain for histidine were 51.8 +/- 6.0 vs. 85.3 +/- 4.5 (p = 0.001), 269.0 +/- 26.4 vs. 503.7 +/- 47.3 (p = 0.0004), and 117.9 +/- 7.7 vs. 154.6 +/- 8.7 (p = 0.0055), respectively; and for tryptophan were 105.7 +/- 3.1 vs. 132.2 +/- 4.1 (p = 0.0001), 128.8 +/- 3.7 vs. 144.3 +/- 6.0 (p = 0.0407), and 83.4 +/- 7.2 vs. 103.6 +/- 3.2 (p = 0.0198), respectively. Histidine was also decreased in placenta by ethanol (138.1 +/- 6.6 vs. 189.1 +/- 11.8 nmole/g, p = 0.0014).(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)     

Effects of weight loss and weight maintenance on the serum lipids, lipoprotein lipase and hepatic triglyceride lipase activities in obese rats

The effects of obesity, weight loss and weight maintenance on the serum lipid levels and lipoprotein lipase and hepatic triglyceride lipase were investigated in rats. Obesity induced by high-fat (HF) feeding was associated with decreased serum triglyceride levels (HF: 70.3 +/- 8.2, control (CON): 140.0 +/- 26.9 mg/dl, P less than 0.05), increased lipoprotein lipase (LPL, HF: 593.2 +/- 10.6 vs CON: 280 +/- 19.5 nmol FFA/min per mg tissue, P less than 0.05) and suppressed hepatic triglyceride lipase activities (HTGL, HF: 14.2 +/- 0.5 vs CON: 18.0 +/- 0.4 nmol FFA/min per mg tissue, P less than 0.01). After a weight loss to the level of control rats, weight maintenance was achieved either by high-protein (HP) or chow feedings (CH). Both high-protein (HFHP) and chow (HFHC) groups had similar weights but only high-protein feeding restored the normal body compositions. Both groups of rats had higher total (TC, HFHP: 146 +/- 10.7; HFCH: 104.8 +/- 5.1 mg/dl), and high density lipoprotein cholesterol levels (HDL-C, HFHP: 100.8 +/- 15.6; HFCH: 75.5 +/- 5.5 mg/dl) and lower lipoprotein lipase (HFHP: 238.2 +/- 15.8, HFCH: 354.8 +/- 34.9 nmol FFA/min per mg tissue) and hepatic triglyceride activities (HFHP: 16.3 +/- 1.1; HFCH: 14.5 +/- 0.6 nmol FFA/min per mg tissue) than control rats (TC: 70.1 +/- 4.7 mg/dl; HDL-C: 14.2 +/- 4.3 mg/dl; LPL: 742.4 +/- 82.3 nmol FFA/min per mg tissue; HTGL: 20.5 +/- 1.0 nmol FFA/min per mg tissue, P less than 0.05 to 0.005) or the rats who regained weight by resuming high-fat feeding (TC: 59.5 +/- 6.7 mg/dl; HDL-C: 10.2 +/- 6.7 mg/dl; LPL: 1284.3 +/- 90 nmol FFA/min per mg tissue; HTGL: 22.2 +/- 1.9 nmol FFA/min per mg tissue, P less than 0.05 to 0.005). The high protein-group had significantly higher total and high-density-lipoprotein cholesterol levels than the chow fed animals despite comparable body weights in both groups. The findings of this study suggest that weight maintenance induced by high protein feeding is more successful in restoring the normal body composition. However, high protein feeding is also associated with high serum cholesterol levels. The clinical applications of these findings need to be evaluated further.     

Effect of administration of growth hormone on plasma and intracellular levels of thyroxine and tri-iodothyronine in thyroidectomized thyroxine-treated rats.

We have studied the effects of the administration of GH on plasma levels and peripheral production of tri-iodothyronine (T3) from thyroxine (T4) in thyroidectomized male Wistar rats given a continuous i.v. infusion of T4 (1 microgram/100 g body weight per day) and GH (120 micrograms per day) for 3 weeks. Tracer doses of 131I-labelled T3 and 125I-labelled T4 were added to the infusion. At isotopic equilibrium (10 days after the addition of 125I-labelled T4) the rats were bled and perfused. The plasma appearance rate for T3 was higher (10.6 +/- 1.3 vs 8.4 +/- 2.8 pmol/h per 100 g body weight, P = 0.05) and plasma TSH was lower (246 +/- 24 vs 470 +/- 135 pmol/l, P less than 0.01) in GH-treated rats. The amount of T3 in liver (12.3 +/- 2.8 vs 5.5 +/- 1.7 pmol/g wet weight, P less than 0.01), kidney (11.5 +/- 1.4 vs 6.5 +/- 1.4 pmol/g wet weight, P less than 0.01) and pituitary (8.8 +/- 2.7 vs 4.8 +/- 0.5 pmol/g wet weight, P less than 0.01) was higher than in controls, mainly as a result of an increased local production of T3 from T4, but plasma-derived T3 was also higher in most organs. We found an increased intracellular T3 concentration in the pituitary which may be responsible for the lower plasma TSH concentration in the GH-treated rats. Since the increase in locally produced T3 is found particularly in liver, kidney and pituitary, typical organs that express 5'-deiodinase activity, we suggest that GH acts on thyroid hormone metabolism by stimulating type-I deiodinase activity.     

Interaction of lipid and carbohydrate metabolism after infusions of lipids or of lipid lowering agents: lack of a direct relationship between free fatty acid concentrations and glucose disposal.

The present work was planned to study the effects of changes in lipid metabolism irrespective of FFA concentrations (FFA) on the regulation of oxidative and nonoxidative disposal of a glucose infusion during hyperinsulinaemia. Fifteen normal volunteers participated in the 3 protocols, in which 1) Intralipid 2) beta-pyridylcarbinol or 3) isotonic saline were infused during 2 hours. Thereafter, these infusions were discontinued and a two-hour euglycaemic hyperinsulinaemic clamp was performed. All three studies were carried out in combination with indirect calorimetry to measure glucose uptake, and oxidative and nonoxidative glucose disposal (corresponding essentially to glucose storage). Plasma FFA concentrations were 508 +/- 34, 601 +/- 43 and 546 +/- 45 mumol/l in the basal state during the Intralipid, beta-pyridylcarbinol and control protocols. It increased to 960 +/- 71 mumol/l after the Intralipid infusion, fell to 246 +/- 17 mumol/l after the beta-pyridylcarbinol infusion, vs 600 +/- 48 mumol/l in the control. At the end of the glucose-insulin clamp the values were low in the 3 protocols: 263 +/- 17, 233 +/- 19 and 204 +/- 14 mumol/l. Intralipid infusion prior to the clamp protocol induced a suppression of both insulin-mediated glucose uptake (4.91 +/- 0.46 (Intralipid) vs 6.83 +/- 0.63 mg.kg-1.min-1 (saline)) and storage (1.61 +/- 0.34 vs 2.99 +/- 0.53 mg.kg-1.min-1) while beta-pyridylcarbinol infusion induced an increased insulin-mediated glucose uptake (8.58 +/- 0.37 mg.kg-1.min-1) and in glucose storage (4.29 +/- 0.31 mg.kg-1.min-1) (p less than 0.5 vs Intralipid). These changes occurred even though FFA plasma concentrations were similar in the 3 experimental conditions.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)     

Circulating Neutrophils and Liver Injury in Rat Models of Experimental Alcoholic Liver Disease

The present study examined the relationship between circulating neutrophils and liver injury in two widely used rat models of chronic ethanol administration. Hematological alterations, liver histopathology, and biochemical indices of liver injury were assessed in rats receiving chronic ethanol by oral liquid diet feeding (Lieber-DeCarli method) or by continuous intragastric infusion (Tsukamoto-French method). Oral administration of ethanol did not affect circulating neutrophil counts, but resulted in minimal liver injury characterized by elevated serum alanine aminotransferase (79%), increased liver mass (15%), and moderate steatosis. In contrast, rats receiving ethanol by continuous intragastric infusion showed an ∼ 2-fold increase in circulating neutrophils, and a moderate degree of liver injury, indicated by a 169% elevation of serum alanine aminotransferase and a 2-fold increase in liver mass. Liver biopsies from these rats showed severe steatosis and scattered necrotic hepatocytes, and some neutrophil infiltrates. To determine whether an increase in the number of circulating neutrophils could potentiate liver injury induced by oral ethanol feeding, rats were treated with human recombinant granulocyte colony-stimulating factor at a dose of 100 μg/kg/day (sc) for 4 days. Treatment with granulocyte colony-stimulating factor resulted in a 6- to 9-fold increase in circulating neutrophil counts. Nevertheless, this change did not enhance the minor degree of ethanol-induced liver injury in this model. Our results indicate that, whereas neutrophil leukocytosis accompanies more severe manifestations of ethanol hepatotoxicity in rats, this condition per se does not directly induce or exacerbate ethanol-induced liver injury.     

Dexamethasone increases the capacity of urea synthesis time dependently and reduces the body weight of rats

Rats of 230 g were treated with 0.1 mg of dexamethasone twice daily for 2 days (n = 5) and 14 days (n = 9). Controls received isotonic saline. During the first week of dexamethasone treatment the rats lost weight rapidly (up to 9 g/day). The weight loss diminished during the second week of treatment. The fasting blood insulin concentration increased sevenfold in the dexamethasone-treated rats. Fasting blood glucagon and glucose concentrations were not different from controls. In the dexamethasone-treated rats the fasting alpha-amino-N concentrations were lower: 4.0 +/- 0.3 mmol/l (mean +/- SEM) versus 6.8 +/- 0.3 mmol/l in controls. The capacity of Urea-N Synthesis, determined during alanine loading was: after 2 days of treatment 14.7 +/- 1.7 mumol/(min 100 g), after 14 days of treatment 7.9 +/- 0.8 mumol/(min 100 g), and in controls 7.5 +/- 1.0 mumol/(min 100 g) (mean +/- SEM). In conclusion, glucocorticoid treatment leads to a transient change in the liver function as to hepatic amino-N conversion, implying that more amino-N than normal is eliminated as urea-N after 2 days of treatment. This may contribute to the early, but not the late body weight loss.     

Effect of aging on in vivo and in vitro ethanol metabolism and its toxicity in F344 rats

To investigate the effect of aging on ethanol metabolism, 24 male and female F344 rats aged 2 and 12 mo that were fed a laboratory diet received ethanol (1.2 and 2.5 g/kg body wt) intraperitoneally. In male rats, in vivo ethanol elimination significantly decreased according to age both at high (436 +/- 38 vs. 294 +/- 27 mg/kg.h; p less than 0.01) and low (365 +/- 19 vs. 261 +/- 8 mg/kg.h; p less than 0.01) blood ethanol concentrations. Age did not influence the specific activity of hepatic or gastric alcohol dehydrogenase, whereas the activity was significantly decreased with age in the liver (p less than 0.05) and in the stomach (p less than 0.001) when related to body weight. In addition, the activity of the hepatic microsomal ethanol oxidizing system decreased significantly according to age (8.7 +/- 0.5 vs. 6.00 +/- 0.3 nmol/min.mg micr. protein; p less than 0.001). To study the response of ethanol-metabolizing enzymes to chronic ethanol ingestion, 2- and 19-mo-old male F344 rats were pair-fed nutritionally adequate liquid diets containing 36% of total calories either as ethanol or isocaloric carbohydrate for 3 wk. In this experiment specific alcohol dehydrogenase activity was not significantly affected by age, whereas the hepatic microsomal function estimated by the determination of cytochrome P450, microsomal ethanol oxidizing system, and aniline hydroxylation as well as hepatic mitochondrial low Km-acetaldehyde dehydrogenase activity was found to be markedly depressed with age (p less than 0.01). Chronic ethanol consumption increased microsomal enzyme activities in older rats to levels comparable to those observed in young animals prior to ethanol administration. Chronic ethanol feeding also resulted in an increased hepatic fat accumulation, which was significantly enhanced in older rats. In contrast to male rats, in vivo ethanol metabolism was practically identical for 2- and 12-mo-old female rats. These data demonstrate an enhanced toxicity of alcohol in older compared to younger male but not female rats associated with a delay in alcohol elimination both at high and low ethanol blood concentrations and a decrease in ethanol- and acetaldehyde-metabolizing enzyme activities.     

Effect of epinephrine on the relationship between nonesterified fatty acid availability and ketone body production in postabsorptive man: evidence for a hepatic antiketogenic effect of epinephrine

The effect of epinephrine (EPI) on the transformation of nonesterified fatty acids (NEFA) into ketone bodies (KB) in normal subjects was determined by measuring simultaneously NEFA ([1-13C]palmitic acid) and KB ([3-13C]- or [3,4-13C2]acetoacetate) kinetics at different NEFA levels in the presence of basal (control test) or increased (EPI infusion test) EPI concentrations. During the control test the initial (postabsorptive state) concentrations and turnover rates of NEFA and KB were 476 +/- 47 (+/- SEM) and 4.30 +/- 0.17 mumol kg-1 min-1 (NEFA) and 126 +/- 17 and 2.49 +/- 0.07 mumol kg-1 min-1 (KB). The fraction of NEFA converted into KB was between 11.5-14.6%. Raising NEFA levels to about 650 mumol L-1 (iv infusion of a triglyceride emulsion) resulted in an increase in this fraction to between 26-30.3% (P less than 0.01). When NEFA concentrations were next abruptly raised to high levels (near 3 mmol L-1) by heparin injection this fraction returned to near the initial values (15-19.2%). During the EPI infusion test the initial (postabsorptive) concentrations and turnover rates of NEFA and KB as well as the fraction of NEFA converted into KB (10.5-11.5%) were comparable to the initial values of the control test. Intravenous infusion of EPI (10 ng kg-1 min-1) raised NEFA between 600 and 750 mumol L-1, comparable to values during the triglyceride test, but the fraction of NEFA converted into KB remained between 8.2-12% (P less than 0.05 vs. control test); when NEFA then were raised to even higher values (near 2.5 mmol L-1) by the infusion of a triglyceride emulsion and the injection of heparin, this fraction decreased to between 4-8% (P less than 0.05 vs. initial values of the EPI test and P less than 0.05 vs. the control test). In conclusion, 1) the fraction of NEFA converted into KB appears to depend in part on the NEFA concentration; and 2) the net effect of EPI infusion was to decrease the fraction of NEFA converted into KB.     

Differential contributions of C3, C5, and decay-accelerating factor to ethanol-induced fatty liver in mice

BACKGROUND AND AIMS: The complement pathway is an important component of the innate and adaptive immune response. Here we tested the hypothesis that activation of complement is required for development of ethanol-induced fatty liver. METHODS: Wild-type mice and mice lacking the third (C3) or fifth (C5) components of the complement activation pathway, as well as mice lacking decay-accelerating factor (CD55/DAF), a complement regulatory protein, were fed Lieber-DeCarli ethanol-containing diets for 6 weeks or pair-fed control diets. RESULTS: Ethanol feeding to wild-type mice increased C3a in plasma. Wild-type and C5-/- mice fed the ethanol diet developed hepatic steatosis characterized by microvesicular and macrovesicular lipid accumulation and increased triglyceride content. C3-/- mice did not develop steatosis, while CD55/DAF-/- mice accumulated even more hepatic triglyceride after ethanol feeding than wild-type mice. Levels of serum alanine aminotransferase and hepatic tumor necrosis factor alpha, indicators of hepatocyte injury and inflammation, respectively, were increased in wild-type and CD55/DAF-/- mice but not in C5-/- mice after ethanol feeding. In contrast to the protective effect of C3-/- against ethanol-induced steatosis, levels of both alanine aminotransferase and tumor necrosis factor alpha were increased in C3-/- mice after ethanol feeding. CONCLUSIONS: Here we have identified several elements of the complement system as important contributors to ethanol-induced fatty liver. C3 contributed primarily to the accumulation of triglyceride in the liver, whereas C5 was involved in inflammation and injury to hepatocytes. Further, the absence of CD55/DAF exacerbated these responses, suggesting that CD55/DAF serves as a barrier to ethanol-induced fatty liver.     

Metabolic actions of cortisol in a macropodid marsupial Thylogale billardierii

In undisturbed pademelon wallabies (Thylogale billardierii) with indwelling jugular venous catheters, an increase in the plasma cortisol concentration from 0.25 +/- 0.05 to 1.35 +/- 0.15 (S.E.M.) mumol/l in 2 h, during i.v. infusion of cortisol at 1.0 mg/kg per h, caused no significant change in the plasma glucose concentration from the control value of 4.26 +/- 0.25 mmol/l. The rates of appearance (Ra) and metabolic clearance (MCR) of glucose, measured by steady-state isotope dilution, also did not change significantly from the control values of 14.9 +/- 0.7 mumol/kg per min and 3.52 +/- 0.19 ml/kg per min respectively. Twice-daily i.m. injections of 7 mg cortisol/kg for 7 days caused increases in plasma concentrations of cortisol, from 0.26 +/- 0.02 to 0.66 +/- 0.04 mumol/l on day 7, and glucose, from 5.1 +/- 0.1 to 7.2 +/- 0.6 mmol/l by day 5. The concentration of glycogen in the liver of wallabies fasted for 24 h increased from the control level of 1.17 +/- 0.56 to 5.92 +/- 1.14 g/100 g on day 7 (P less than 0.01), but mean glucose Ra and MCR did not change significantly. Plasma concentrations of alpha-amino nitrogen rose from 2.73 +/- 0.13 to 3.22 +/- 0.12 mmol/l on day 1 and remained at this level. Plasma concentrations of urea rose from 8.59 +/- 0.62 to 9.70 +/- 0.32 mmol/l on day 1, but then declined below the control level. Food intake and urinary excretion of nitrogen did not change in undisturbed animals. However, fasting followed by liver biopsy was accompanied by urinary excretion of nitrogen in excess of food intake, persisting until day 2 of treatment.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)