Dietary variation of protein–carbohydrate: Effect on hypothalamic and hippocampal GABA–glutamate in relation to aging

Abstract

Dietary protein variation has been found to alter brain regional neurochemistry with aging. In the present investigation, we studied the effect of short-term treatment of protein–carbohydrate variable diet to rat on hypothalamic and hippocampal γ-amino butyric acid (GABA)–glutamate metabolism with increase of age. Exposure of male albino rats with diet containing normal protein (20%)–normal carbohydrate (68%) increased GABA metabolism and decreased glutamate metabolism in both hypothalamus and hippocampus with the increase of age. GABA–glutamate metabolism of rats having low protein (8%)–high carbohydrate (80%) diet for short-term period (STP), was activated in young age (3 months) and decreased in old age (18 months) in both the brain regions. On the contrary, intake of high protein (50%)–low carbohydrate (38%) diet under similar condition decreased GABA–glutamate metabolism in both hypothalamus and hippocampus of young brain and increased only in hypothalamus of aged brain. In hippocampus of aged brain the same diet decreased glutamate metabolism without changing its GABA metabolism. These results suggest that an age-associated change in GABA–glutamate metabolism depends on the amount of dietary protein and carbohydrate and also on the brain region.     

Effects of ethanol and low-carbohydrate diet on contents of noradrenaline, dopamine, serotonin and their metabolites in rat brain]

Effects of ethanol consumption and intake of low-carbohydrate (low-CHO) diet on noradrenaline (NA), dopamine (DA) and its metabolite, 3,4-dihydroxyphenylacetic acid (DOPAC) and homovanillic acid (HVA), serotonin (5HT) and its metabolite, 5-hydroxyindoleacetic acid (5HIAA) contents in six brain regions of rats were investigated. 1) Change of DA neuron Ethanol-containing control diet (hypercaloric ethanol diet) did not affect DA content in any area of brain, but decreased HVA in cortex and hypothalamus and increased DOPAC and HVA in midbrain. Low-CHO diet increased DA content in striatum, DOPAC and HVA in midbrain, but decreased DOPAC in hippocampus and hypothalamus, and HVA in cortex, pons and medulla, hippocampus and hypothalamus. Ethanol-containing low-CHO diet (isocaloric ethanol diet) increased DA level in striatum, DOPAC and HVA in midbrain, but decreased HVA in cortex, hippocampus, striatum and hypothalamus. These results suggest that i) hypercaloric ethanol diet has an opposite effect to carbohydrate on DA metabolism: hypercaloric ethanol diet and lowered carbohydrate intake per se enhance DA metabolism in midbrain, whereas inhibit it in cortex and hypothalamus, ii) lowered carbohydrate intake also declines DA metabolism in pons and medulla and hippocampus, whereas enhances DA synthesis in striatum, iii) the combined effect of ethanol and carbohydrate intake on DA metabolism is inhibited each other in the rats of isocaloric ethanol diet feeding, and this diet decreased DA metabolism in striatum. 2) Change of 5HT neuron Hypercaloric ethanol diet did not affect the contents of 5HT and 5HIAA in any region of brain.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)     

Low dietary protein is associated with an increase in food intake and a decrease in the in vitro release of radiolabeled glutamate and GABA from the lateral hypothalamus

Moderately low-protein diets lead to a rapid increase in food intake and body fat. The increase in feeding is associated with a decrease in the concentration of serum urea nitrogen, suggesting that the low-protein-induced increase in food intake may be related to the decreased metabolism of nitrogen from amino acids. We hypothesized that low dietary protein would be associated with a decrease in the synaptic release of two nitrogen-containing neurotransmitters, GABA and glutamate, whose nitrogen can be derived from amino acids. In this study, we examined the effects of a low-protein diet (10% casein) in Sprague-Dawley rats on the in vitro release of 3H-GABA and 14C-glutamate from the lateral and medial hypothalamus. The low-protein diet increased food intake by about 25% after one day. After four days, the in vitro release of radiolabeled GABA and glutamate was assessed. The calcium-dependent, potassium-stimulated release of radiolabeled GABA and glutamate from the lateral hypothalamus was decreased in rats fed the low-protein diet. The magnitude of neurotransmitter release from the lateral hypothalamus inversely correlated with food intake. No dietary differences in the release of neurotransmitters from the medial hypothalamus were observed. These results support the contention that alterations in nitrogen metabolism are associated with low-protein-induced feeding.     

Effects of nutritional status on contents of tryptophan, serotonin and 5-hydroxyindoleacetic acid in rat brain]

Effects of nutritional status on the levels of tryptophan (Trp), serotonin (5HT), and its metabolite, 5-hydroxyindoleacetic acid (5HIAA) in six brain regions of rats were investigated. 1) A low-protein high-carbohydrate diet decreased Trp, 5HT and 5HIAA levels in the cortex and hippocampus, and those of 5HT and 5HIAA in the hypothalamus. This diet did not affect the contents of Trp and 5HT in the midbrain, but decreased 5HIAA. No significant changes of Trp, 5HT and 5HIAA were observed in the pons and medulla and striatum. 2) A low-carbohydrate high-protein diet increased the levels of Trp, 5HT and 5HIAA in the striatum, and 5HT and 5HIAA in the cortex, but showed no effect on the contents of Trp, 5HT and 5HIAA in the hippocampus, midbrain, pons and medulla and hypothalamus. 3) An energy-restriction low-carbohydrate diet increased Trp, 5HT and 5HIAA contents in the striatum, and 5HT and 5HIAA in the cortex and pons and medulla. In the hypothalamus, only 5HIAA was increased by this diet. The diet did not influence Trp, 5HT and 5HIAA contents of the midbrain and hippocampus. These results suggest that i) lowered fat and carbohydrate intakes enhance 5HT synthesis and metabolism in the cortex and that lowered carbohydrate intake enhances them in the striatum, ii) energy restriction enhances the 5HT metabolism in the cortex, pons and medulla and hypothalamus, and 5HT synthesis in the cortex and pons and medulla, iii) lowered protein intake inhibits 5HT metabolism in the cortex, midbrain, hippocampus and hypothalamus, and 5HT synthesis in the cortex, hippocampus and hypothalamus.     

Low Dietary Protein is Associated with an Increase in Food Intake and a Decrease in the In Vitro Release of Radiolabeled Glutamate and GABA from the Lateral Hypothalamus

Abstract

Moderately low-protein diets lead to a rapid increase in food intake and body fat. The increase in feeding is associated with a decrease in the concentration of serum urea nitrogen, suggesting that the low-protein-induced increase in food intake may be related to the decreased metabolism of nitrogen from amino acids. We hypothesized that low dietary protein would be associated with a decrease in the synaptic release of two nitrogen-containing neurotransmitters, GABA and glutamate, whose nitrogen can be derived from amino acids. In this study, we examined the effects of a low-protein diet (10% casein) in Sprague-Dawley rats on the in vitro release of <PRE>3</PRE>H-GABA and <PRE>14</PRE>C-glutamate from the lateral and medial hypothalamus. The low-protein diet increased food intake by about 25% after one day. After four days, the in vitro release of radiolabeled GABA and glutamate was assessed. The calcium-dependent, potassium-stimulated release of radiolabeled GABA and glutamate from the lateral hypothalamus was decreased in rats fed the low-protein diet. The magnitude of neurotransmitter release from the lateral hypothalamus inversely correlated with food intake. No dietary differences in the release of neurotransmitters from the medial hypothalamus were observed. These results support the contention that alterations in nitrogen metabolism are associated with low-protein-induced feeding.     

Effect of wheat and Bengalgram diets on brain glutamate metabolism in postweanling rats

Six groups of five female rats each aged 6 weeks at start were fed different diets for a period of 15 days. The protein sources of diets used were: a) 10% casein: b) wheat: c) Bengalgram: d) wheat + lysine: and e) Bengalgram + methionine + cystine + tryptophan, all containing 1.6 g nitrogen/100 g, and f) 20% casein (3.2 g nitrogen/100 g diet). The group of five rats fed a 10% casein diet served as control. It was observed that total brain RNA, protein and free alpha amino nitrogen content and protein/DNA ratio were significantly decreased on wheat and Bengalgram diets as compared to the control. The specific activities of glutamine synthetase, glutaminase I, glutaminase II and glutamate decarboxylase and concentrations of aspartic acid, glutamic acid, glutamine and gamma-aminobutyric acid (GABA) in the brain were also decreased on wheat and Bengalgram diets. The fortification of wheat with lysine and of Bengalgram with methionine, cystine and tryptophan did not alter brain weight and DNA content. While brain RNA, protein free alpha amino nitrogen (F alpha AN) and activities of enzymes of glutamic acid metabolism and related amino acid levels were restored, the activity of enzyme glutamine transferase and alanine concentration remained unaltered on various diets fed. The observations on 20% casein diet showed that levels were similar to those observed on 10% casein diet.     

Distribution, depletion and recovery of docosahexaenoic acid are region-specific in rat brain

The present study examined: (i) age-induced regional changes in fatty acid composition of brain phospholipids; (ii) alpha-linolenic acid deficiency-induced regional depletion and recovery of DHA in the brain. DHA and arachidonic acid (AA) did not distribute evenly in the brain. In weaning and adult rats, the region with the highest DHA percentage was the cortex whereas the medulla had the lowest DHA percentage. In the aged rats, both the cortex and cerebellum were the regions with the highest DHA percentage whereas in the neonatal rats, the striatum had the greatest percentage of DHA, and the hypothalamus and hippocampus had the least percentage of DHA. Regarding AA, the hippocampus was the region that had the highest percentage whereas the medulla was the region with the lowest percentage except for the neonatal rats, whose cerebellum, hypothalamus, striatum and midbrain had AA percentage lower than hippocampus and cortex. DHA was not proportionally depleted in various regions of brain when the rats were maintained on an n-3-deficient diet for two generations. The results demonstrated that the cortex, hippocampus, striatum, cerebellum and hypothalamus had DHA depleted by >71 %, whereas the midbrain and medulla had only 64 and 57 % DHA depleted, respectively. The most important observation was that the diet reversal for 12 weeks resulted in complete DHA recovery in all regions except for the medulla where the recovery was only 62 %. It was concluded that the location of DHA, n-3 deficiency-induced DHA depletion and reversibility of DHA deficiency across the brain were region-specific.     

Effects of poly-��-glutamic acid on serum and brain concentrations of glutamate and GABA in diet-induced obese rats

Poly-gamma-glutamic acid (γ-PGA) is a mucilaginous and biodegradable compound produced by Bacillus subtilis from fermented soybeans, and is found in the traditional Korean soy product, cheongkukjang. This study was carried out to evaluate the effects of γ-PGA from a food source on the concentration of the neurotransmitter GABA and its metabolic precursor glutamate in diet-induced obese rats. Eight-week old male Sprague-Dawley rats (n=60) were used. The rats were divided into two groups and obesity was induced by providing either a 10% control fat or 45% high fat diet for 5 weeks. The rats were then blocked into 6 groups and supplemented with a 0.1% γ-PGA diet for 4 weeks. After sacrifice, brain and serum GABA and glutamate concentrations were analyzed by high performance liquid chromatography with fluorometric detection. The rats fed the high fat diet had significantly increased body weights. γ-PGA supplementation significantly increased serum concentrations of glutamate and GABA in the control fat diet groups while this effect was not found in the high fat groups. In the brain, glutamate concentrations were significantly higher in the γ-PGA supplemented groups both in rats fed the normal and high fat diets than in the no γ-PGA controls. GABA concentrations showed the same tendency. The results indicated that γ-PGA intake increased GABA concentrations in the serum and brain. However, the effects were not shown in obese rats.     

Effect of dietary γ-aminobutyric acid on the brain protein synthesis rate in hypophysectomized aged rats

The purpose of this study was to determine whether the regulation of brain protein synthesis was mediated through changes in the plasma concentration of growth hormone (GH) when dietary γ-aminobutyric acid (GABA) treatment was manipulated in hypophysectomized or sham-operated aged rats. Experiments were done on four groups of hypophysectomized and sham-operated (24-wk-old) male rats given 0% or 0.5% GABA added to a 20% casein diet. The concentrations of plasma GH and fractional rates of protein synthesis in the brains increased significantly with the 20% casein+0.5% GABA compared with the 20% casein diet alone in the sham-operated rats. However GABA treatment to the basal diet did not affect the rates of protein synthesis in the hypophysectomized rats. In the cerebral cortex and cerebellum, the RNA activity [g protein synthesized/(g RNA·d)] significantly correlated with the fractional rate of protein synthesis. The RNA concentration (mg RNA/g protein) was also related to the fractional rate of protein synthesis in these organs. The results suggest that treatment with GABA is likely to increase the concentrations of GH and the rate of brain protein synthesis in sham-operated rats only, not in hypophysectomized rats, and that the GABA-induced increase in the concentration of GH may be primarily responsible for changes in the brain protein synthesis. The RNA activity is at least partly related to the fractional rate of brain protein synthesis.     

Short-term nutritional folate deficiency in rats has a greater effect on choline and acetylcholine metabolism in the peripheral nervous system than in the brain,and this effect escalates with age

The hypothesis of this study is that a folate-deficient diet (FD) has a greater effect on cholinergic system in the peripheral nervous system than in the brain, and that this effect escalates with age. It was tested by comparing choline and acetylcholine levels in male Sprague Dawley rats fed either control or folate-deficient diets for 10 weeks, starting at age 4 weeks (the young group) or 9 months (the adult group). Folate-deficient diet consumption resulted in depletion of plasma folate in both age groups. In young folate-deficient rats, liver and lung choline levels were significantly lower than those in the respective controls. No other significant effects of FD on choline and acetylcholine metabolism were found in young rats. In adult rats, FD consumption markedly decreased choline levels in the liver, kidneys, and heart; furthermore, choline levels in the cortex and striatum were moderately elevated, although hippocampal choline levels were not affected. Acetylcholine levels were higher in the heart, cortex, and striatum but lower in the hippocampus in adult folate-deficient rats, as compared to controls. Higher acetylcholine levels in the striatum in adult folate-deficient rats were also associated with higher dopamine release in the striatal slices. Thus, both age groups showed higher cholinergic metabolic sensitivity to FD in the peripheral nervous system than in the brain. However, compensatory abilities appeared to be better in the young group, implicating the adult group as a preferred model for further investigation of folate-choline-acetylcholine interactions and their role in brain plasticity and cognitive functions.     

The effects of perinatal protein malnutrition on spatial learning and memory behaviour and brain-derived neurotrophic factor concentration in the brain tissue in young rats

This study aimed to investigate the effects of perinatal protein malnutrition on brain derived-neurotrophic factor (BDNF) concentration in brain tissue and spatial learning and memory performance in young rats. Nine pregnant Wistar rats were assigned into three groups. Rats in one group were fed with a control diet containing 20% protein. Rats in remaining two groups were fed with a diet containing 6% protein from gestation day eight and day 15 respectively till four weeks after birth. At four weeks of age, the rat pups were evaluated for spatial learning ability using Morris Water Maze (MWM) task. At the end of the behaviour tests, rat pups were sacrificed and the brain tissue samples were collected for measurement of total protein and BDNF concentrations. It was found that rat pups fed the low protein diet had lower body weight and slightly lighter brain compared to the control pups. Total protein levels in hippocampus and cerebral cortex were significantly lower in malnourished pups than the controls. The concentration of BDNF in the hippocampus was also significantly lower in rat pups suffered protein malnutrition from early pregnancy than in the controls. MWM tests showed that perinatal protein deprivation, particularly from early pregnancy, significantly impaired learning and memory ability. The results of the present study indicate that perinatal protein malnutrition had adverse influence on spatial navigation and brain BDNF levels in rats. The decreased hippocampal BDNF concentration might partially contribute to the poor learning memory performance in the protein deprived rats.     

Effect of dietary protein on hepatic mitochondrial function and cardiac muscle protein turnover in uremic rats

To define the metabolic consequences of diets low in protein in chronic renal failure, young uremic and sham operated rats were fed isoenergetic diets for three weeks varying in protein content from 22% to 8% casein at the expense of carbohydrate. The results indicate that reducing casein content from 22% (control) to either 16%, 12% or 8% in uremic rats did not result in gross differences in renal function or decreases in liver weight, mitochondrial content or respiration. Atrial muscle protein synthesis was increased 26% while degradation was slightly, but not significantly, decreased in uremic and sham-operated rats fed the 8% casein diet compared to control. In both uremic and sham-operated rats fed the 8% casein diet, serum triiodothyronine (T₃) concentrations and hepatic mitochondrial glycerolphosphate (GP) shuttle activity were significantly increased while malate-aspartate shuttle activity was decreased compared to all other diet groups. The increased serum T₃ level and GP shuttle activity produced by feeding the 8% casein diet suggests a diet induced alteration in hepatic mitochondrial intermediary metabolism which may be of benefit in protecting against the potentially serious consequences of lowered thyroid hormone levels in chronic renal insufficiency.     

Brain glutamate and gamma-aminobutyrate (GABA) metabolism in thiamin-deficient rats

The brain metabolism of glutamate and gamma-aminobutyrate (GABA) was investigated in thiamin-deficient and pair-fed control rats, in order to determine whether the GABA shunt may provide an important alternative to 2-oxo-glutarate dehydrogenase (EC 1.2.4.2) in energy-yielding metabolism in thiamin deficiency. Brains from thiamin-deficient animals contained less glutamate, 2-oxo-glutarate and GABA than those from control animals. The brain content of ATP was unaffected by thiamin deficiency. After intracerebroventricular injection of [14C]glutamate, the specific radioactivity of GABA in the brains from deficient animals was 45-50% higher than that in controls, suggesting a considerable increase in the metabolic flux through the GABA shunt in thiamin deficiency. Brain GABA showed a marked circumannual variation, with a peak in mid-summer and a minimum value in mid-winter.     

Alteration in skin composition of young rats fed liquid protein diet

The effects of liquid protein diet (LPD) on the collagen metabolism of developing skin tissue was examined in young rats fed a 20% liquid protein diet starting at day 23 after birth. Other rats were pair-fed, but with a 20% casein diet, and another group of rats were fed a 20% casein diet ad libitum. The LPD rats rapidly lost their hair, and they were smaller and weighed less than the pair-fed and ad libitum rats. None of the LPD-fed rats survived beyond day 53 of the study. Collagen contents of the skin continuously increased in all age groups, while hexosamine content decreased from day 23 to 35. From day 23 to 35, noncollagenous protein content in the ad libitum group decreased about 40% and in the LPD and pair-fed groups, about 50%; from day 35 to 48, the decrease was about 35% in the ad libitum group and only about 14% in both the LPD and pair-fed groups. The ratio of Type III to I collagen in the LPD group at days 35 and 48 was greater than that of the ad libitum group. Current observations suggest that LPD alters biochemical composition of the skin on young, growing rats.     

Relation of body energetic status to dietary self-selection in Sprague-Dawley rats

Self-selection from carbohydrate, protein and fat sources including essential micronutrients was studied in male Sprague-Dawley rats that were 4 weeks of age at the beginning of the experiment. During the experimental period of 14 days, the intake of carbohydrate and fat was quite constant, whereas that of protein increased gradually. The mean intake of carbohydrate, protein, and fat was 31.1 +/- 3.5%, 56.1 +/- 4.6%, and 12.8 +/- 2.8% of the total energy intake, respectively. Animals fed on a mixed diet consisting of high sucrose, consumed 65.1% of their daily energy as carbohydrate, 17.6% as protein, and 17.3% as fat. Total energy intake and body weight gain were not significantly different between the rats on self-selection and those fed on the mixed diet. These results indicate that young rats on dietary self-selection were able to gain body weight comparable to that of rats fed on the mixed diet. Body energetic status affected self-selection patterns. In rats fasted for 5 days or fed on a protein-free diet for 21 days, fat intake increased, but protein intake decreased. On the other hand, fat intake decreased in animals given a sucrose diet higher in energy content than the stock diet; these animals exhibited increased accumulation of body energy. These results indicate that dietary self-selection is closely related to nutritional and physiological body requirements.     

全氟辛烷磺酸对大鼠脑组织氨基酸类神经递质和谷氨酰胺合成酶的影响

目的探讨全氟辛烷磺酸(PFOS)与大鼠中枢神经系统兴奋性氨基酸和谷氨酰胺合成酶(GS酶)的剂量反应关系。方法将20只成年雄性Wister大鼠随机分为4组(对照组、4个染毒组)每组5只。大鼠染毒PFOS(12.5、25、50mg/kg)5天后,对照组给予等体积的2%吐温-80溶液,应用高效液相色谱法测定脑组织氨基酸类神经递质及谷氨酰胺合成酶的改变。结果与对照组比较,大鼠自发活动能力下降;50mg/kg体重组海马谷氨酸含量显著降低,25和50mg/kg体重组皮质谷氨酸含量显著降低;随着染毒剂量的增加海马GS酶活性增加,其中12.5mg/kg剂量组和25mg/kg剂量组明显高于对照组(P<0.05)。结论氨基酸类神经递质含量的改变是PFOS神经毒性的机制之一。     

Interaction of aging and intermittent ethanol exposure on brain cytochrome c oxidase activity levels.

The effects of chronic, intermittent ethanol exposure on brain cytochrome c oxidase (CO) activity levels were studied in young (3- to 4-month-old) and aged (29- to 30-month-old) male Wistar rats. The rats were given highly intoxicating doses of ethanol three times a day by intragastric intubation for four successive days, followed by a 3-day ethanol-withdrawal period. This 4-day ethanol-exposure with 3-day ethanol-withdrawal cycle was repeated five times to simulate the binge drinking of human alcoholics. The histochemical demonstration of CO showed a markedly decreased activity level in the medial prefrontal cortex (especially layer V pyramids and neuropil) of the ethanol-exposed rats of both age groups compared with findings for the respective controls. In the cerebellar vermis, CO activity level was decreased in the Purkinje neurons of the aged ethanol-exposed rats and in the granule cells of both young and aged ethanol-exposed rats. The CO activity level in the locus coeruleus was decreased in both young and old ethanol-exposed rats, but the decrease was more pronounced in the young ethanol-exposed group. Aging per se did not markedly change CO histochemical findings in either prefrontal or cerebellar cortex, but CO activity levels were increased in the locus coeruleus. In summary, results of the current study support our conclusion that CO activity levels were decreased in the cerebral and cerebellar cortices as well as in the locus coeruleus-CNS regions known to be negatively affected by chronic ethanol exposure. Defective energy metabolism due to decreased CO activity levels might compromise neuronal energy stores and thereby contribute to ethanol-induced brain dysfunction and irreversible CNS degeneration.     

Blueberry supplemented diet: effects on object recognition memory and nuclear factor-kappa B levels in aged rats

It has been reported that an antioxidant-rich, blueberry-supplemented rat diet may retard brain aging in the rat. The present study determined whether such supplementation could prevent impaired object recognition memory and elevated levels of the oxidative stress-responsive protein, nuclear factor-kappa B (NF-kappaB) in aged Fischer-344 rats. Twelve aged rats had been fed a 2% blueberry supplemented diet for 4 months prior to testing. Eleven aged rats and twelve young rats had been fed a control diet. The rats were tested for object recognition memory on the visual paired comparison task. With a 1-h delay between training and testing, aged control diet rats performed no better than chance. Young rats and aged blueberry diet rats performed similarly and significantly better than the aged control diet group. Levels of NF-kappaB in five brain regions of the above subjects were determined by western blotting assays. In four regions, aged control diet rats had significantly higher average NF-kappaB levels than young animals on the control diet. In four regions, aged blueberry diet rats had significantly lower levels of NF-kappaB than aged control diet rats. Normalized NF-kappaB levels (averaged across regions and in several individual regions) correlated negatively and significantly with the object memory scores.     

Influence of diet composition on serum triiodothyronine (T3) concentration, hepatic mitochondrial metabolism and shuttle system activity in rats

Two experiments were conducted to determine if variations in diet composition sufficient to alter circulating triiodothyronine (T3) concentration would influence hepatic mitochondrial metabolism. In experiment 1, mitochondrial respiration and the activity of succinate dehydrogenase (SDH), cytochrome oxidase (CO) and alpha glycerophosphate dehydrogenase (m alpha-GPD) were measured in 42-day-old male rats fed diets containing casein/carbohydrate/fat: 8/73/10% (low protein), 22/59/10% (control protein), and 45/36/10% (high protein) for 3 weeks. When compared to control, serum T3 was increased 2-3 times in the low and decreased 19% in the high protein-fed groups. Mitochondria isolated from low protein-fed rats consumed less oxygen in both state 4 and state 3 with succinate as substrate when compared to control or high protein fed rats. However, ADP/O and respiratory control (RC) ratios were similar in all groups. Activity of SDH and CO was decreased only in low protein-fed rats. M alpha-GPD activity was increased in the low and decreased in the high protein fed-rats. In experiment 2, alpha-glycerophosphate shuttle activity was increased 2-3 fold and malate-aspartate shuttle activity decreased 60% in intact mitochondria isolated from low protein-fed rats when compared to rats pair-fed control diet. These results suggest a role for diet composition as a regulator of hepatic intermediary metabolism mediated by thyroid hormones.     

谷氨酰胺对应激大鼠学习记忆的影响及其机制的研究

目的　观察谷氨酰胺 (Gln)对应激大鼠学习记忆的影响 ,并对其机制进行探讨。方法　Wistar大鼠 30只 ,随机分为三组 : 组为对照组 , 组为应激组 , 组为应激 +Gln组。其中 、 组饲以普通饲料 , 组给予补充 2 % Gln的饲料。以光电刺激作为应激条件 ,在 组和 组大鼠建立应激模型 ,用 Y-迷宫法对大鼠的学习记忆能力进行测定 ,并分别用放射性配基结合法、放射免疫法、荧光分光光度计法测定大鼠小脑中 γ-氨基丁酸 (GABA)受体、脑中胆囊收缩素 (CCK)、还原型谷胱甘肽 (GSH)的含量。结果　与 组相比 , 组大鼠在 Y-迷宫实验中的逃避时间延长 ,而 组与 组则无显著差异 ; 组大鼠小脑中 GABA受体水平、CCK含量均升高 ,而 GSH含量则降低 ,给予 Gln后可从一定程度上逆转上述改变。结论　心理应激可影响大鼠的学习记忆能力 ,而 Gln则有一定的改善作用 ,其机制可能是通过减轻应激所致的脑中GABA受体水平、CCK和 GSH含量的异常改变而发挥此作用