Salvage of pyrimidine nucleosides by Trichomonas vaginalis

Trichomonas vaginalis is incapable of de novo pyrimidine biosynthesis because it cannot incorporate bicarbonate, aspartate or orotate into its pyrimidine nucleotides or nucleic acids. The organism can salvage exogenous cytidine greater than uridine greater than uracil and thymidine, and incorporate them into the nucleotide pool. A portion of cytidine is converted to CMP, CDP and CTP by cytidine phosphotransferase and nucleotide kinases. Some cytidine and most of uracil are, however, converted first to uridine by cytidine deaminase and uridine phosphorylase respectively; uridine is then incorporated into UMP, UDP and UTP by uridine phosphotransferase and nucleotide kinases. The two phosphotransferases, found mainly in the non-sedimentable fraction of T. vaginalis, provide the main avenue of pyrimidine salvage. No significant levels of pyrimidine phosphoribosyl transferase or nucleoside kinases can be detected in the extract. T. vaginalis has no appreciable dihydrofolate reductase or thymidylate synthetase; it grows normally in millimolar concentrations of methotrexate, pyrimethamine, or trimethoprim, and cannot incorporate labels from exogenous uracil or uridine into DNA. It has an enzyme thymidine phosphotransferase in the sedimentable fraction which converts thymidine to TMP. Thymidine salvage in T. vaginalis is thus totally isolated from the rest of the pyrimidine salvage.     

The possible role of TNF-α and IL-2 in inducing tumor-associated metabolic alterations

This study was conducted to investigate the role of tumor necrosis factor- (TNF-) and interleukin-2 (IL-2) in inducing cancer cachexia, and the results were compared with those obtained from our previous study on Fisher 344 rats with methylcholanthrene-induced sarcoma. Three groups of male Fisher 344 rats received one of the following regimens: 4×10⁴ IU of human recombinant TNF- per rat per day subcutaneously (sc) for 5 consecutive days (n=5), 3.5×10⁵ U human recombinant IL-2 per rat per day sc for 14 consecutive days (n=5), or normal saline (n=5). The activities of both phosphoenolpyruvate carboxykinase (PEPCK) and malic enzyme (ME) were increased slightly in the IL-2 group. Furthermore, LPL activity was significantly increased in the adipose tissue of the TNF group and in the cardiac muscle of the IL-2 group, but not in that of the TNF group. These results show that there is a significant difference between the metabolic alterations seen in the tumor-bearing state and those induced by either TNF- or IL-2 alone. Thus, it is unlikely that IL-2 or TNF- is the sole mediator of cancer cachexia in this tumor and rat model.     

不同糖代谢状态下大鼠肝X受体的表达及其对肝糖代谢的影响

目的 观察肝X受体(LXR)在不同糖代谢状态下肝内表达的变化情况及其对肝糖代谢酶磷酸烯醇式丙酮酸羧激酶(PEPCK)mRNA和葡萄糖激酶(GCK)mRNA表达的调节,阐明LXR信号通路对糖代谢的影响机制.方法 SD雄鼠36只分为正常对照组、糖尿病组、肥胖组和肥胖伴糖尿病组.测定各组大鼠的体重、血糖、胆固醇和甘油三酯.采用实时PCR检测各组大鼠肝脏LXR mRNA、PEPCK mRNA和GCK mRNA的表达情况,应用Western印迹测定肝脏LXR蛋白质的表达.结果 各实验组大鼠肝LXRmRNA表达均显著高于对照组(P＜0.05).Western印迹结果示各组LXR蛋白表达量和转录水平一致.与对照组和肥胖组相比,肥胖伴糖尿病组和糖尿病组肝PEPCK mRNA表达均明显上调,GCK mRNA均明显下调;与对照组相比,肥胖组PEPCKmRNA表达明显下降,GCKmRNA明显上升(均P＜0.05).结论 在非糖尿病阶段,LXR可能作为糖代谢的保护性受体,通过调节肝糖代谢酶,使血糖保持稳态.进入糖尿病阶段后,LXR的保护作用并不能逆转因胰岛素不足所致的糖代谢相关酶的异常改变,血糖不能恢复正常.

Abstract：

Objective To investigate the mechanism of liver X receptor(LXR)signal pathway in regulating glucose metabolism by observing the variety of LXR expression and its impacts on regulating the mRNA expression of PEPCK and GCK, the key enzyme of hepatic glucose metabolism in various glucose metabolic status in rats. Methods SD rats were chosen and divided into four groups:the CON group, the induced DM group, the OB group, and the induced OB+DM group. For each group of rats, body weight, blood glucose, serum triglycerides, and cholesterol were measured. Then the rats were sacrificed and the livers were collected and studied. Real-time PGR was used to measure the expressions of LXR mRNA, PEPCK mRNA, and GCK mRNA in the livers. Finally, the Western Blot assay was used to measure the liver LXR protein expression. Results The expression of LXR mRNA was significantly higher in DM,OB, and OB+DM groups than in CON group(P＜0.05).The Western blot results showed that the levels of protein were in accordance with the mRNA expression. Comparing to the CON and the OB groups, the PEPCK mRNA expression of the OB+DM and the DM groups was significantly higher, while the GCK mRNA expression of these two groups was significantly lower(P＜0.05). Comparing to the CON group, the PEPCK mRNA expression of the OB group was significantly lower, while the GCK mRNA expression of OB group was significantly higher(P＜0.05).Conclusions During non-diabetic phase, LXR could act as a protective receptor for glucose metabolism and keep glucose homeostasis by regulating the key enzymes of the hepatic glucose metabolism. While in the diabetic phase, the protective receptor LXR failed to reverse the change of the related enzymes caused by insulin deficiency, and finally the plasma glucose level was raised.     

Phosphoenolpyruvate in rat pancreatic islets: A possible intracellular trigger of insulin release?

Summary The content of phosphoenolpyruvate (PEP) has been measured in isolated rat islets of Langerhans incubated in vitro. Islet PEP was higher in islets incubated with 16.7 mmol/l glucose than in islets incubated with zero or 2.8 mmol/l glucose. Islet PEP content was also increased in islets incubated with 5 mmol/l D-glyceraldehyde. Mannoheptulose abolished the glucose-induced rise in PEP content but not that elicited by D-glyceraldehyde. These results are consistent with a role for PEP as an intracellular mediator of glucose- and glyceraldehyde-induced insulin release. The kinetics of pyruvate kinase in extracts of rat islets were studied. The maximal extractable activity was considerably higher than known rates of glycolytic flux. The Km values were found to be 0.16 mmol/l for PEP and 0.5 mmol/l for ADP. The control of islet PEP content and the possible role of PEP in insulin release are discussed.     

急性肝功能衰竭大鼠内毒素血症对肝脏和肾脏糖异生功能的影响

目的探讨大鼠急性肝功能衰竭时内毒素血症对肝脏及肾脏糖异生功能及血糖水平的影响。方法24只雄性健康成年SD大鼠,随机分成4组,每组6只,Ⅰ组：腹腔注射等渗盐水,Ⅱ组：腹腔注射400 mg/kg D-氨基半乳糖（D-GaLN）;Ⅲ组：腹腔注射400 mg/kg D- GaLN＋50μg/kg LPS,Ⅳ组：腹腔注射400 mg/kg D-GaLN＋500μg/kg LPS。LPS注射后6 h,取血清检测内毒素、肾功能,取大鼠肝组织及肾组织,采用荧光定量PCR方法检测磷酸烯醇丙酮酸磷酸羧激酶（PEPCK）基因表达。结果Ⅰ组、Ⅱ组大鼠未见明显的内毒素血症,Ⅲ组、Ⅳ组大鼠体内内毒素水平明显升高,Ⅳ组高于Ⅲ组（8.05±0.43对比3.50±2.25,P〈0.05）。Ⅰ组、Ⅱ组、Ⅲ组大鼠于LPS注射前后未出现低血糖,Ⅳ组大鼠于LPS注射后6h出现明显的低血糖。各组大鼠肾功能均在正常水平,仅有Ⅳ组大鼠出现血清尿素氮水平轻度增高。大鼠肝脏PEPCK的表达在Ⅰ组、Ⅱ组、Ⅲ组、Ⅳ组逐渐减少,差异有统计学意义（2.54±1.32、1.87±0.15、0.91±0.13、0.44±0.42,P〈0.05）;大鼠肾脏PEPCK的表达,同Ⅰ组比较,Ⅱ组无明显变化（0.75±0.03对比0.77±0.04,P〉0.05）,Ⅲ组明显增强（0.75±0.03对比1.63±0.86,P〈0.05）,Ⅳ组大鼠肾脏PEPCK表达显著减弱（0.75±0.03对比0.13±0.07,P〈0.05）。结论急性肝功能衰竭大鼠中严重的内毒素血症通过抑制PEPCK的转录损伤肝脏和肾脏糖异生的功能,导致低血糖的发生。     

The phenotype of a flavin-containing monooyxgenase knockout mouse implicates the drug-metabolizing enzyme FMO1 as a novel regulator of energy balance

Flavin-containing monooxygenases (FMOs) of mammals are thought to be involved exclusively in the metabolism of foreign chemicals. Here, we report the unexpected finding that mice lacking Fmos 1, 2 and 4 exhibit a lean phenotype and, despite similar food intake, weigh less and store less triglyceride in white adipose tissue (WAT) than wild-type mice. This is a consequence of enhanced whole-body energy expenditure, due mostly to increased resting energy expenditure (REE). This is fuelled, in part, by increased fatty acid β-oxidation in skeletal muscle, which would contribute to depletion of lipid stores in WAT. The enhanced energy expenditure is attributed, in part, to an increased capacity for exercise. There is no evidence that the enhanced REE is due to increased adaptive thermogenesis; instead, our results are consistent with the operation in WAT of a futile energy cycle. In contrast to FMO2 and FMO4, FMO1 is highly expressed in metabolic tissues, including liver, kidney, WAT and BAT. This and other evidence implicates FMO1 as underlying the phenotype. The identification of a novel, previously unsuspected, role for FMO1 as a regulator of energy homeostasis establishes, for the first time, a role for a mammalian FMO in endogenous metabolism. Thus, FMO1 can no longer be considered to function exclusively as a xenobiotic-metabolizing enzyme. Consequently, chronic administration of drugs that are substrates for FMO1 would be expected to affect energy homeostasis, via competition for endogenous substrates, and, thus, have important implications for the general health of patients and their response to drug therapy.     

p38丝裂原活化蛋白激酶在能量代谢控制和心血管疾病中的作用

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

抵抗素在肝脏胰岛素抵抗中的作用及其机制

目的： 探讨抵抗素在肝脏胰岛素抵抗中的作用及其可能的机制。方法： 将载有抵抗素基因的重组腺病毒经尾静脉注射构建高抵抗素血症小鼠模型,同时设正常对照组及病毒对照组,取肝脏组织切片行PAS糖原染色半定量观察肝糖代谢的变化;以Western blotting检测肝腺苷酸活化蛋白激酶（AMPK）的磷酸化,以磷酸化AMPK/总AMPK的比值代表AMPK激活程度;以实时 PCR检测肝组织糖异生关键酶葡萄糖6磷酸酶（G6Pase）和磷酸烯醇式丙酮酸羧激酶（PEPCK）mRNA表达水平的变化。结果： 重组腺病毒注射第5 d,获得血中抵抗素高表达构建了高抵抗素血症动物模型,糖原染色示高抵抗素血症小鼠肝糖原含量较正常对照及病毒对照组降低,分别为0.78±0.06 vs 0.93±0.13、0.89±0.05（P<0.05）;高抵抗素血症组肝AMPK磷酸化水平较正常对照及病毒对照组下降, 磷酸化AMPK/总AMPK比值分别为0.78±0.06 vs 0.93±0.13、 0.89±0.05（P<0.05）。高抵抗素血症小鼠G6Pase和PEPCK 的mRNA表达升高,高抵抗素血症组、对照组及空载病毒组G6Pase分别为2.136±0.857 vs 1.353±0.490、 1.250±0.770 （P<0.05）;高抵抗素血症组、对照组及空载病毒组 PEPCK分别为3.54±0.90 vs 2.75±0.78、 2.63±0.67（P<0.05）。结论： 抵抗素可能通过抑制肝脏AMPK活性,增加肝糖异生关键酶的表达而影响机体肝糖代谢,降低肝糖储量,参与肝脏胰岛素抵抗的形成。