Metabolic viability and pharmaco-toxicological reactivity of cryopreserved human precision-cut renal cortical slices.

We have tested the suitability of cryopreserved human precision-cut renal cortical slices for metabolic and pharmaco-toxicological studies. The viability of these slices and their pharmaco-toxicological reactivity were assessed using intracellular ATP and protein contents, lactate dehydrogenase (LDH) leakage, lactate and glutamine metabolism and the ammoniagenic effect of valproate. Despite a decrease in ATP and protein contents when compared with those of fresh slices, cryopreserved slices did not show any LDH leakage and retained the capacity to metabolize glutamine and lactate. Glutamine removal and ammonia, lactate and alanine production were similar in fresh and cryopreserved slices; by contrast, cryopreserved slices accumulated more glutamate as a result of decreased flux through glutamate dehydrogenase which catalyses an oxygen-dependent reaction. Valproate markedly and similarly stimulated glutamine metabolism in fresh and cryopreserved slices. Cryopreservation did not alter lactate removal but inhibited lactate gluconeogenesis. In conclusion, these results demonstrate that, although their mitochondrial oxidative metabolism seems to be diminished, cryopreserved human precision-cut renal cortical slices remain metabolically viable and retain the capacity to respond to the ammoniagenic effect of valproate. Thus, this experimental model may be helpful to optimize the use of human renal tissue for metabolic and pharmaco-toxicological studies.     

Skeletal muscle protein metabolism under denervation atrophy in dog, Canis domesticus

Denervated dog gastrocnemius muscle has shown a progressive decrease in total protein content, alanine aminotransferase (AIAT), aspartate aminotransferase (AAT) and glutamate dehydrogenase (GDH) activity levels and elevation in free amino acid, ammonia, urea, glutamine contents and AMP deaminase activity levels during post-neurectemic days. The possible implications of these findings are discussed in relation to denervation atrophy.     

Inhibition of respiration and gluconeogenesis by paracetamol in rat kidney preparations

Paracetamol, at concentrations up to 10 mM, caused a reversible, concentration-dependent inhibition of respiration in isolated rat-kidney tubules metabolizing glucose, glutamine, lactate or glutamate. It also strongly inhibited the synthesis of glucose from glutamine or lactate and brought about a significant fall in the cell ATP level. Paracetamol lowered both coupled and uncoupled respiration in isolated kidney mitochondria oxidizing glutamate, but had no effect on respiration supported by succinate. Experiments with submitochondrial particles revealed that the drug did not influence the activity of NADH dehydrogenase but slowed the rate at which electrons were transferred from reduced NADH dehydrogenase to cytochrome b. The implications of these findings for paracetamol cytoxicity are discussed.     

Inhibitory effect of valproate on weak organic acid uptake in rat renal proximal tubules.

The effects of an antiepileptic drug, valproic acid (VPA), on transport mechanisms involved in renal excretion of anionic xenobiotics were investigated on rat renal proximal tubules in vitro. It was found that VPA (0.1-1 mM) dose dependently inhibited the baseline uptake of a marker organic anion, fluorescein, in the tubules. The inhibition could not be exclusively accounted for by competition between VPA and fluorescein. Taking into account a proposed relationship between the weak organic anion uptake and ammoniagenesis, the influence of VPA (0.5 mM) on the effects of glutamine and glutamate (both at 5 mM) on fluorescein uptake and ammonia production were examined. Glutamine stimulated ammonia production by the tubules, with the glutamine-induced ammoniagenesis being further augmented by VPA, while glutamate failed to affect the basal ammoniagenesis. Both glutamine (5 mM) and glutamate (5 mM) slightly inhibited fluorescein uptake, with the inhibitory effects not modified by VPA. Thus, there was no coincidence in the effects of VPA on organic anion uptake and renal ammoniagenesis. At the same time, the inhibitory effect of VPA (0.5 mM) on fluorescein uptake was largely overcome by addition of pyruvate (5 mM) to the incubation medium. In addition, VPA strongly inhibited glucose production from pyruvate. A known modulator of pyruvate metabolism, dichloroacetic acid (DCA, 1 mM), also inhibited fluorescein uptake, although its inhibitory effect was less pronounced than that of VPA. Both inhibitors failed to alter the tissue content of alpha-ketoglutarate or lactate but did slightly augment the pyruvate level. The inhibitory effects of VPA and DCA on the baseline fluorescein uptake were not additive, suggesting their similar intracellular targeting. It is assumed that the inhibitory effect of VPA on baseline fluorescein uptake in rat renal proximal tubules in vitro may be associated with its action on pyruvate metabolism.     

Identification of novel targets of cephaloridine in rabbit renal proximal tubules synthesizing glutamine from alanine

Cephaloridine, which accumulates in the renal proximal tubule, is a model compound used for studying the toxicity of antibiotics towards this nephron segment. Several studies have demonstrated that cephaloridine alters renal intermediary and energy metabolism, but the mechanism by which this compound interferes with renal metabolic pathways remains incompletely understood. In an attempt to improve our knowledge in this field, we have studied the influence of cephaloridine on the synthesis of glutamine, which represents a key metabolic process involving several important enzymatic steps in the rabbit kidney. For this, suspensions of rabbit renal proximal tubules were incubated for 90 and 180 min in the presence of 5 mM alanine, an important glutamine precursor, both in the absence and the presence of 10 mM cephaloridine. Glutamate accumulation and glutamine synthesis were found to be inhibited by cephaloridine after 90 and 180 min of incubation, and cephaloridine accumulation in the renal proximal cells occurred in a time-dependent manner. The renal proximal tubule activities of alanine aminotransferase and glutamate dehydrogenase, which initiates alanine removal and releases the ammonia needed for glutamine synthesis, respectively, were inhibited to a significant degree and in a concentration-dependent manner by cephaloridine concentrations in the range found to accumulate in the renal proximal cells. Citrate synthase and glutamine synthetase activities were also inhibited by cephaloridine, but to a much lesser extent. The above enzymatic activities were not found to be inhibited when they were measured after successive dilutions of renal proximal tubules incubated for 180 min in the presence of 5 mM alanine and 10 mM cephaloridine. When microdissected segments (S1–S3) of rabbit renal proximal tubules were incubated for 180 min with 5 mM alanine with and without 5 and 10 mM cephaloridine, glutamate accumulation and glutamine synthesis were also inhibited in the three renal proximal segments studied; the latter cephaloridine-induced inhibitions observed were concentration-dependent except for glutamine in the S3 segment. These results are consistent with the view that cephaloridine accumulates and is toxic along the entire rabbit renal proximal tubule. They also demonstrate that cephaloridine interferes in a concentration-dependent and reversible manner mainly with alanine aminotransferase and glutamate dehydrogenase, which are therefore newly-identified targets of the toxic effects of cephaloridine in the rabbit renal proximal tubule.     

Keyword Index

Suramin is the drug of choice for the treatment of African trypanosomiasis and onchocerciasis. It is also tested for its potential use as an anticancer agent and chemosensitizer. As suramin has been reported to induce hyperglycaemia, its effect on glucose formation has been studied in isolated rabbit hepatocytes and kidney-cortex tubules. In contrast to hepatocytes, in kidney-cortex tubules suramin augments glucose production and decreases lactate formation. Suramin-induced changes in intracellular gluconeogenic/glycolytic intermediates indicate a decrease in flux through pyruvate-phosphoenolpyruvate step. Moreover, this compound diminishes pyruvate kinase activity in kidney-cortex cytosolic fraction, while fructose-1,6-bisphosphate ameliorates its inhibitory action. As (i) kidneys are important contributors to the whole body glucose homeostasis and (ii) suramin is known to accumulate in kidney, suramin-induced stimulation of glucose formation in renal tubules might be responsible for hyperglycaemia observed in patients undergoing suramin treatment.     

Effects of physiologic concentrations of lactate, pyruvate and ascorbate on glucose metabolism in unstressed and oxidatively stressed human red blood cells

Glucose metabolism was studied in human red blood cells incubated in the presence of physiologic concentrations of ascorbate (0.1 mM) and/or lactate (2 mM) plus pyruvate (0.1 mM). The total flux through glycolysis, as measured by 14C-labeling of glycolytic intermediates, was increased about 15% by ascorbate, 30% by lactate plus pyruvate, and 40% by ascorbate plus lactate plus pyruvate. We found, however, that physiologic concentrations of ascorbate and/or lactate plus pyruvate had no effect on flux of glucose or recycling of pentoses through the hexose monophosphate shunt. Increased formation of lactate accounted for most of the observed increase in glycolysis with little change in pyruvate formation, indicating that the increased flux of reducing equivalents from glucose was stored as lactate rather than being consumed by red cell metabolism. In all experiments, there was a net increase with time in the absolute amount of both lactate and pyruvate in red cell suspensions, indicating that lactate or pyruvate present at zero time did not function as a stoichiometric source or sink for reducing equivalents. There was little effect on steady-state levels of ATP or 2,3-diphosphoglycerate. Equilibration of ascorbate between red cells and the medium was complete before the addition of 14C-labeled glucose to the medium. Glucose metabolism prevented net oxidation of ascorbate in the incubation medium. Physiologic concentrations of ascorbate, lactate and pyruvate appear to increase flux through glycolysis by increasing the turnover of ATP and/or 2,3-diphosphoglycerate. Red cells were exposed to mild oxidative stress by incubation with 0.27 mM 6-hydroxydopamine, 0.27 mM 6-aminodopamine, 0.13 mM 1,4-naphthoquinone-2-sulfonic acid or 0.27 mM phenylhydrazine. The metabolic response to oxidative stress was determined by measuring the formation of methemoglobin, pyruvate, lactate and CO2 in the presence and absence of physiologic concentrations of lactate, pyruvate and ascorbate. Lactate, pyruvate and ascorbate had no effect on the net methemoglobin accumulation but rather on the distribution of the metabolic sources of reducing equivalents and on the flux of reducing equivalents to oxygen. Physiologic lactate and pyruvate allowed increased flow of reducing equivalents from glycolysis to methemoglobin and ultimately oxygen without the necessity of increased flux through glycolysis. This was accomplished by a decrease in the ratio of newly formed lactate to newly formed pyruvate with no increase in total lactate plus pyruvate.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 400 WORDS)     

Influence of some biological pyrimidines on the succinate cycle during and after cerebral ischemia

Some cortical metabolites (glycogen, glucose, glucose-6-phosphate, pyruvate, lactate, α-ketoglutarate, succinate, fumarate. malate, citrate, glutamate, glutamine, alanine, NH₄⁺) were studied in rat brain after 5 min of complete compression ischemia, as well as after 15 min of recirculation following 5 min of ischemia. These two conditions (ischemia and post ischemia restitution) were induced in control animals and in rats pretreated 1 hr before by an intraperitoneal injection of 120 mg·kg^?1 of some biological pyrimidines (uridine, cytidine and uridine disphosphate glucose).At the cerebral level total complete ischemia induced the: (a) drop of substrates and of glycolytic intermediates, consistent with the increase of lactate and redox state; (b) increase of succinate and alanine; (c) decrease of malate and fumarate; and (d) depletion of α-ketoglutarate. Some of these events may be regarded as the expression of the activation of the succinate cycle which contributed by approx. 10 per cent to the release of anaerobic energy during cerebral ischemia. Pretreatment with the tested pyrimidines did not modify this cerebral biochemical pattern.During post-ischemic recovery, cerebral parameters tended to normalize, except for a further increase in alanine production (as an expression of the activation of the alanine aminotransferase reaction) with conversion of pyruvate into α-ketoglutarate available for the ammonia-detoxicating processes (amination to glutamate and amidation to glutamine). During post-ischemic recovery, pretreatment with cytidine was poorly active. Pretreatment with uridine decreased glucose, glucose-6-phosphate and pyruvate cerebral concentrations, while succinate and alanine were increased. This latter effect was also present in the case of pretreatment with uridine diphosphate glucose. However, this substance increased the cerebral concentration of glycogen and decreased those of fumarate and malate. The different biochemical actions of uracyl derivatives are discussed with regard to their biological effects.     

Decreased GABA and glutamate concentration in rat brain after treatment with 6-aminonicotinamide

The effect of 6-aminonicotinamide (6-AN) on putative amino acid neurotransmitters, namely glutamate, GABA and aspartate was studied on brains of rats treated with this antimetabolite (35 mg/kg i.p.). After 6-AN application the following substrates and metabolites were determined: phosphocreatine, ATP, ADP, AMP, glucose, glucose 6-phosphate, fructose, glutamate, GABA, aspartate, ammonia, and 6-phosphogluconate. The alterations in the cerebral energy metabolism were found as reported in the literature (increased levels of glucose, glucose 6-phosphate, decreased levels of lactate and pyruvate) and could be interpreted as the result of a reduced glycolytic flux rate. After a prolonged period of 6-AN pretreatment (16-30 h) the GABA and glutamate concentrations were significantly reduced, whereas the level of aspartate remained unchanged. From the result presented the two following conclusions may be drawn: a) The changes in the concentration of neurotransmitters as GABA and glutamate could be responsible for some neurological symptoms produced by 6-AN. b) As 6-AN seems to affect the GABA-shunt it represents a model substance for studying this pathway in the nervous system.     

The inhibition of gluconeogenesis by chloroquine contributes to its hypoglycaemic action.

The effect of chloroquine on gluconeogenesis in isolated hepatocytes and kidney-cortex tubules of rabbit has been studied. The inhibitory action of 200 microM chloroquine was the highest in hepatocytes and renal tubules incubated with glutamine and glutamate+glycerol+octanoate, respectively, while in the presence of other substrates the drug action was less pronounced. With amino acids as substrates, the inhibition of gluconeogenesis was accompanied by a decreased glutamine production, resulting from a decline of glutamate dehydrogenase activity. A decrease in the urea production by hepatocytes incubated with chloroquine in the presence of glutamine but not NH4Cl as the source of ammonium is in agreement with this suggestion. The degree of inhibition by chloroquine of the rate of gluconeogenesis in renal tubules isolated from control rabbits was similar to that determined in diabetic animals. Chloroquine-induced changes in levels of intracellular gluconeogenic intermediates indicate a decrease in phosphoenolpyruvate carboxykinase and glucose-6-phosphatase activities probably due to increased concentration of 2-oxoglutarate, an inhibitor of these two enzymes. In view of the data, it is likely that inhibition by chloroquine of glucose formation in liver and kidney may contribute to the hypoglycaemic action of this drug. The importance of the inhibitory effect of chloroquine on glutamate dehydrogenase activity in the antihyperglycaemic action of the drug is discussed.     

AMP-activated protein kinase and hypoxic pulmonary vasoconstriction

The action of gatifloxacin, the broad-spectrum fluoroquinolone antibiotic commonly used in the therapy of various bacterial infections, was investigated in isolated rabbit hepatocytes and kidney-cortex tubules by measuring the activity of gluconeogenesis, a process that maintains whole body glucose homeostasis. The data show that in kidney-cortex tubules, application of gatifloxacin at up to 100 microM was followed by a marked accumulation of the drug in the intracellular milieu and a decrease in the rate of glucose formation from pyruvate by 20-50%. Gatifloxacin did not affect the rate of gluconeogenesis from either alanine + glycerol + octanoate or aspartate + glycerol + octanoate. At concentrations between 25 and 200 microM the drug decreased mitochondrial oxygen consumption by 20-45% with pyruvate + malate and ADP. As in the case of alpha-cyano-4-hydroxycinnamate, a well-established inhibitor of the mitochondrial pyruvate transporter, it diminished pyruvate uptake by both renal and hepatic mitochondria. The inhibitory action of gatifloxacin was less pronounced in hepatocytes where reduction in pyruvate-dependent glucose formation and mitochondrial respiration was by no more than 25%. The antibiotic did not influence mitochondrial oxygen consumption with glutamate + malate in either kidney-cortex or liver mitochondria. A differential substrate dependence of gatifloxacin action on gluconeogenesis and mitochondrial respiration combined with a decrease in pyruvate uptake by mitochondria suggest that the inhibitory action of this drug on gluconeogenesis might result from its impairment of pyruvate transport into mitochondria.     

Comparative gastric ulcerogenic effects of meseclazone, 5-chlorosalicylic acid and other nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs following acute and repeated oral administration to rats

Rats injected with α-methylglutamate (MGA) excreted less ammonium, and renal slices from these rats produced less ammonia. When renal slices from normal rats were incubated in MGA, ammoniagenesis from glutamine decreased slightly; but glutamate accumulation increased markedly. In contrast, dl-methionine dl-sulfoximine (MS), a relatively specific inhibitor of glutamine synthesis and transferase, enhanced both glutamate accumulation and ammoniagenesis by slices from control rat kidneys. While it is generally accepted that MGA inhibits glutamine synthetase and transferase activity, the results with MGA do not mimic those found with MS. Additionally, MGA decreased ammoniagenesis and increased glutamate accumulation in slices already incubating in MS and in slices from acidotic rats. These are circumstances where slices should have minimal synthetase and transferase activity. It is concluded that MGA decreases renal ammoniagenesis through other pathways, perhaps via inhibition of the glutaminase and the glutamate dehydrogenase routes.     

In vitro effects of eight-carbon fatty acids on oxidations in rat liver mitochondria

Sodium valproate, a commonly used anticonvulsant agent, is a simple branched-chain fatty acid which interferes with beta-oxidation and ammonia metabolism in most patients, with hepatotoxic consequences in some cases. Rat liver mitochondria incubated with valproate displayed time-dependent inhibitions of state 3 oxidation rates with all the substrates tested, but most markedly with glutamate, pyruvate, alpha-ketoglutarate and acylcarnitines (Ki = 125 microM with glutamate and palmitoylcarnitine, and 24 microM with pyruvate). The inhibition of glutamate appeared to be specifically directed against the glutamate dehydrogenase pathway of this oxidation. Valproate was less effective when added to uncoupled mitochondria, suggesting the formation of an inhibitory species by an ATP-dependent mechanism. Mitochondria from clofibrate-treated rats were less sensitive to valproate inhibition. Neither fasting nor the presence of 1 mM L-carnitine affected the inhibition of beta-oxidation. The branched-chain isomer, 2-ethylhexanoic acid, had similar effects to valproate, but the straight-chain octanoic acid was totally different in its spectrum of actions on mitochondria. The data support the theory that valproate may inhibit by sequestration of CoA as valproyl-CoA, but also suggest that there are other mechanisms responsible for some of the inhibitions. Furthermore, it argued that while mitochondrial respiration is decreased, valproate is not an inhibitor of oxidative phosphorylation per se.     

Effect of hypoxia, aging and pharmacological treatment on muscular metabolites and enzyme activities

The effect of hypoxia and post-hypoxic recovery were studied in gastrocnemius muscle of young-adult and mature beagle dogs. Furthermore, the possible interference of pharmacological treatment with nicergoline was evaluated in these conditions. Muscular glycolytic fuels, intermediates and end-products (glycogen, glucose, glucose 6-phosphate, pyruvate, lactate), Kreb's cycle intermediates (citrate, alpha-ketoglutarate, succinate, malate) and related free amino acids (glutamate, alanine), ammonium ion, energy store and mediators (ATP, ADP, AMP and creatine phosphate), and the energy charge potential were evaluated. Furthermore, in the crude extract and/or mitochondrial fraction of another portion of the same gastrocnemius muscle the maximum rate (Vmax) of some muscular enzymes related to the anaerobic glycolytic pathway (hexokinase, lactate dehydrogenase), the Kreb's cycle (citrate synthase, malate dehydrogenase), the aminoacid pool related to the Krebs' cycle (glutamate dehydrogenase and aspartate aminotransferase), the electron transfer chain (cytochrome oxidase) and NAD+/NADH exchanges (total NADH cytochrome c reductase) was evaluated. Some glycolytic metabolites and Krebs' cycle intermediates were modified by acute hypoxia, while free amino acids and energy mediators remained practically unchanged. The pharmacological treatment maintained the glucose and succinate muscular concentrations within the normal range, during hypoxia. The behaviour of muscular metabolites during hypoxia and/or post-hypoxic recovery is an age-related event. In fact, only in young-adult animals did the altered values return to normal in post-hypoxic recovery. In the present experimental conditions, only minor changes were observed as far as muscular enzyme activities are concerned. In any case, some enzyme activities tested showed different Vmax in young-adult dogs in comparison with mature ones.     

Modification of the skeletal muscle energy metabolism induced by intermittent normobaric hypoxia and treatment with biological pyrimidines

Muscular glycolytic fuels, intermediates and end-products (glycogen, glucose, glucose-6-phosphate, pyruvate, lactate), Krebs cycle intermediates (citrate, alpha-ketoglutarate, succinate, malate), related free amino acids (glutamate, alanine), ammonia, energy store (creatine phosphate), energy mediators (ATP, ADP, AMP) and energy charge potential were evaluated. Furthermore the maximum rate (Vmax) of the following enzyme activities was evaluated in the crude extract and/or mitochondrial fraction: for the anaerobic glycolytic pathway: hexokinase, phosphofructokinase, pyruvate kinase, lactate dehydrogenase; for the tricarboxylic acid cycle: citrate synthase, malate dehydrogenase; for the electron transfer chain: total NADH cytochrome c reductase, cytochrome oxidase. The rat gastrocnemius muscles were analysed in normoxia and after normobaric intermittent hypoxia (12 hours continuously daily; for 5 days). Cytidine and/or uridine were administered daily at the dose of 120 mg/kg, i.p., 30 min before the beginning of the experimental hypoxia. The intermittent normobaric hypoxia induced a biochemical adaptation characterized by the decrease of the muscular contents of creatine phosphate, citrate, alpha-ketoglutarate and glutamate. This adaptation occurred in the absence of significant changes in the Vmax of the tested muscle enzymes. In gastrocnemius muscle from hypoxic rats, the two biological pyrimidines tested induced various discrete, but often related, modifications of the contents of some Krebs cycle intermediates (i.e., alpha-ketoglutarate, malate) and related free amino acids (i.e., glutamate, alanine). In any case, the treatment with cytidine and/or uridine did not modify the Vmax of marker enzymes related to energy transduction.     

On the mechanism of inhibition of gluconeogenesis and ureagenesis by sodium benzoate.

Synthesis of glucose from lactate and generation of urea from ammonia were inhibited when sodium benzoate was added to suspensions of rat hepatocytes. Assays with isolated mitochondria suggested pyruvate carboxylase and the N-acetyl-L-glutamate (NAG)-dependent carbamoylphosphate synthetase (CPS-I) as potential sites of inhibition for both pathways, owing to a shared dependency on aspartate efflux from the mitochondria and its subsequent conversion to oxaloacetate in the cytosol. Assays with isolated hepatocytes indicated inhibition to be initiated by accumulation of benzoyl CoA with a resultant depletion of free CoA and acetyl CoA. Measurements of adenine nucleotides showed that benzoate metabolism did not sufficiently alter energy status to account for the observed inhibition. Consistent with these interpretations, acceleration of the conversion of benzoyl CoA to hippurate by the addition of glycine restored the levels of free CoA and acetyl CoA and the rates of gluconeogenesis and ureagenesis. Reduction of the levels of aspartate and glutamate, presumably by interference with the anapleurotic function of pyruvate carboxylase, most likely accounted for inhibition of gluconeogenesis by benzoate. Whether reduced flux through the urea cycle also contributed to inhibition of gluconeogenesis (by diminishing cytosolic conversion of aspartate to oxaloacetate) requires further study. Depression of glutamate and acetyl CoA to levels at or below the Km for NAG synthetase probably accounted for the observed inhibition of ureagenesis. Rates of urea production were observed to vary with changes in the levels of NAG, suggesting NAG-dependent CPS-I to be the primary site of inhibition of ureagenesis by benzoate.     

Uranyl nitrate inhibits lactate gluconeogenesis in isolated human and mouse renal proximal tubules: A C-NMR study

As part of a study on uranium nephrotoxicity, we investigated the effect of uranyl nitrate in isolated human and mouse kidney cortex tubules metabolizing the physiological substrate lactate. In the millimolar range, uranyl nitrate reduced lactate removal and gluconeogenesis and the cellular ATP level in a dose-dependent fashion. After incubation in phosphate-free Krebs-Henseleit medium with 5 mM l-[1-¹³C]-, or l-[2-¹³C]-, or l-[3-¹³C]lactate, substrate utilization and product formation were measured by enzymatic and NMR spectroscopic methods. In the presence of 3 mM uranyl nitrate, glucose production and the intracellular ATP content were significantly reduced in both human and mouse tubules. Combination of enzymatic and NMR measurements with a mathematical model of lactate metabolism revealed an inhibition of fluxes through lactate dehydrogenase and the gluconeogenic enzymes in the presence of 3 mM uranyl nitrate; in human and mouse tubules, fluxes were lowered by 20% and 14% (lactate dehydrogenase), 27% and 32% (pyruvate carboxylase), 35% and 36% (phosphoenolpyruvate carboxykinase), and 39% and 45% (glucose-6-phosphatase), respectively. These results indicate that natural uranium is an inhibitor of renal lactate gluconeogenesis in both humans and mice.     

Effects of methionine sulfoximine on the enzymes of glutamate metabolism in isolated astrocytes of rat brain

The enzymes of glutamate metabolism were estimated in astrocytes isolated from brains of normal rats and those injected with the potent convulsant, methionine sulfoximine (MSO), which inhibits glutamine synthetase and induces Alzheimer type II astrocytosis. The wet weight, dry weight; contents of DNA, RNA, protein and the activities of glutamate dehydrogenase and aspartate aminotransferase were elevated following MSO administration. The metabolic effects of MSO were found to be different from those of ammonia wherein a fall in the activity of glutamate dehydrogenase and an increase in the activity of glutamine synthetase was noticed. Based on these results it is suggested that there might be an inverse relationship in the functioning of these two enzymes. Such a relationship would help in preventing the depletion of energy pools in a given cellular compartment during ammonia detoxification.     

Metabolism and cerebral energy state: Effect of acute hyperammonemia in beagle dog

The acute effect of hyperammonemia (NH₄⁺ blood level 0.2 mM) was evaluated in the isolated dog brain in situ. The interference of the transmethylating system of $\text{S-}\text{adenosyl-}\text{L}\text{-methionine}$ was also studied by means of infusion with $\text{S-}\text{adenosyl-}\text{L}\text{-methionine}$ or adenosine (blood level 0.4 mM).The changes induced by hyperammonemia on the cerebral glutamate-ammonia system (pyruvate, α-oxoglutarate, oxaloacetate, l-alanine, l-glutamate, l-aspartate, l-glutamine, NH₄⁺) were evaluated. Cerebral detoxication of ammonia is connected with the formation of glutamine and. to a lesser extent. of alanine, and is balanced by a decrease in aspartate; glutamate, oxaloacetate, pyruvate and α-oxoglutarate are unmodified or slightly modified.Cerebral intermediate metabolism of glucides was largely activated by acute hyperammonemia. a marked increase in Gibbs free energy being observed. A fraction of this energy not exceeding 10 per cent can be ascribed to the synthesis of glutamine. Hyperammonemia induced a variation of the resting transmembrane potential (as indirectly obtained by applying the Nernst equation), which becomes less negative.     

Inhibition of respiration by phenacetin in isolated tubules and mitochondria of rat kidney

Phenacetin. an analgesic drug thought to exert nephrotoxic effects in vivo, was found to inhibit respiration in isolated rat kidney tubules metabolizing endogenous substrate or exogenous glutamine, glucose or lactate. With isolated rat kidney mitochondria the oxidation of glutamate or succinate was strongly inhibited by phenacetin; in each case State 3 respiration and State 3u (uncoupled) respiration were affected to the same extent, indicating that phenacetin exerted its influence directly on the respiratory chain. The effects of phenacetin on the oxidation of NADH and succinate by submitochondrial particles in the presence of various electron acceptors suggested that at least two oxidoreduction reactions of the respiratory chain were susceptible to inhibition by phenacetin. One of these reactions was that catalysed by succinate dehydrogenase, while the other probably lay between reduced NADH dehydrogenase and coenzyme Q. The possibility that impairment to the oxygen-metabolising capacity of the kidney cell might contribute to the perceived cytotoxicity of phenacetin is discussed.