Nicotinamide coenzyme content in the normal and regenerating liver of rats

The content of NADH and NADPH was measured in the intact and regenerating rat liver. In the intact rat liver, the content of NAD+, NADH, NADP+ and NADPH was 235 +/- 6.4, 66.6 +/- 4.3, 73.3 +/- 2.5 and 148.0 +/- 4.6 micrograms/g crude liver weight, respectively. Seasonal alterations in the rat liver content of coenzymes were established. No changes were found in the content of nicotinamide coenzymes in the regenerating liver 4 and 18 h after operation. Twenty-four hours after operation, a 25.6% increase in the content of NAD+ and a 57.8% reduction in the NADH content were recorded in the liver of hepatectomized animals. At the same time the total content of NAD+ plus NADH changed but insignificantly (14.7%). The total content of NADP+ plus NADPH dropped by 29.8% (within the above period). Thirty-two hours after operation the content of all the nicotinamide coenzymes returned to the initial level.     

Glycogen synthase R in livers of starved rats and starved rats given glucose

We reported that when synthase D was converted to synthase I in a rat liver extract, it progressed through a synthase form with activity characteristics which could not be explained by a mixture of synthase D and synthase I (Tan, A. W. H. (1981) Biochem. J. 200, 169-172). In this study we will borrow the "R" nomenclature to describe this "non-D" and "non-I" activity. Using activities measured at five different conditions and simultaneous equations, the amount of the three synthase forms in liver extracts can be estimated. During incubation of the liver extract, the amount of synthase R was found to increase with time and then to decrease as synthase I was generated, a profile typical of an enzyme intermediate. We investigated for the presence of synthase R in rat liver under different in vivo conditions. In contrast to the liver of fed rats which had very little synthase R, the liver of fasted rats was found to have 30% of its synthase in the R form. This synthase R was increased 2-fold when glucose was given and decreased to a very low level when glucagon was given. Synthase I was not detected, even in the livers of starved rats given glucose. Using conditions which were closer to those of the cell, synthase R was found to have relatively high activity, up to 70% that of synthase I. Based on these results, synthase R is proposed to be an active enzyme form responsible for glycogen synthesis in rat liver.     

Formation of free acetate by isolated perfused livers from normal, starved and diabetic rats

Isolated rat livers perfused in an open system exhibited a continous net release of free acetate. Upon intraportal infusion of hexanoate the net release of total ketone bodies and of free acetate increased significantly in livers from fed and 48 hours starved rats. The ratio ketone body production/acetate production during infusion of hexanoate was similar with livers from fed and starved rats. Livers from diabetic rats, however, did not only exhibit a higher rate of ketone body and acetate production, but also a significant decrease of the ratio ketone body production/acetate production. Intraportal infusion of oleate led also to an enhanced release of free acetate. An examination of the activities of 5 enzymes involved in ketone body and acetate metabolism showed no correlation with the higher rate of acetate production by diabetic livers.     

Quantification of liver and kidney phosphofructokinase by radioimmunoassay in fed, starved and alloxan-diabetic rats.

A newly developed specific radioimmunoassay was used to quantify phosphofructokinase protein directly and independently of assayable activity in liver and kidney cytosol of normal fed, starved and alloxan-diabetic rats. In the fed state, liver phosphofructokinase concentration was 0.096 microM and the kidney enzyme was 0.086 microM (mumol/kg of tissue). In the starved state (24h), liver and kidney phosphofructokinase concentrations decreased by 30%. Prolonged starvation up to 72h did not further decrease enzyme concentration. In liver, total enzyme content during starvation declined by more than 50%, secondary also to a decrease in liver weight. In the alloxan-diabetic rats, there was a 22% decrease in enzyme protein concentration in liver and kidney. Total enzyme content per liver actually decreased much more (46%), because diabetes also resulted in a decrease in liver size. In conjunction with assayable activity measurements, the results of the radioimmunoassay allowed us to calculate the apparent specific activity of the enzyme. The specific activity of the kidney enzyme was 2-3 times that of the liver. Little or no change in specific activity of the liver or kidney enzyme occurred as a result of starvation or chemically induced diabetes. Tissue enzyme concentrations of phosphofructokinase unequivocally reconcile the ultimate results of changing rates of synthesis and degradation and are useful data in the design of spectrophotometric, kinetic, aggregation-disaggregation and other studies.     

Relationships between carnitine and coenzyme A esters in tissues of normal and alloxan-diabetic sheep

1. The total acid-soluble carnitine concentrations of four tissues from Merino sheep showed a wide variation not reported for other species. The concentrations were 134, 538, 3510 and 12900nmol/g wet wt. for liver, kidney cortex, heart and skeletal muscle (M. biceps femoris) respectively. 2. The concentration of acetyl-CoA was approximately equal to the concentration of free CoA in all four tissues and the concentration of acid-soluble CoA (free CoA plus acetyl-CoA) decreased in the order liver>kidney cortex>heart>skeletal muscle. 3. The total amount of acid-soluble carnitine in skeletal muscle of lambs was 40% of that in the adult sheep, whereas the concentration of acid-soluble CoA was 2.5 times as much. A similar inverse relationship between carnitine and CoA concentrations was observed when different muscles in the adult sheep were compared. 4. Carnitine was confined to the cytosol in all four tissues examined, whereas CoA was equally distributed between the mitochondria and cytosol in liver, approx. 25% was present in the cytosol in kidney cortex and virtually none in this fraction in heart and skeletal muscle. 5. Carnitine acetyltransferase (EC 2.3.1.7) was confined to the mitochondria in all four tissues and at least 90% of the activity was latent. 6. Acetate thiokinase (EC 6.2.1.1) was predominantly (90%) present in the cytosol in liver, but less than 10% was present in this fraction in heart and skeletal muscle. 7. In alloxan-diabetes, the concentration of acetylcarnitine was increased in all four tissues examined, but the total acid-soluble carnitine concentration was increased sevenfold in the liver and twofold in kidney cortex. 8. The concentration of acetyl-CoA was approximately equal to that of free CoA in the four tissues of the alloxan diabetic sheep, but the concentration of acid-soluble CoA in liver increased approximately twofold in alloxan-diabetes. 9. The relationship between CoA and carnitine and the role of carnitine acetyltransferase in the various tissues is discussed. The quantitative importance of carnitine in ruminant metabolism is also emphasized.     

Relationship between plasma and muscle concentrations of ketone bodies and free fatty acids in fed, starved and alloxan-diabetic states

1. Concentrations of ketone bodies, free fatty acids and chloride in fed, 24–120h-starved and alloxan-diabetic rats were determined in plasma and striated muscle. Plasma glucose concentrations were also measured in these groups of animals. 2. Intracellular metabolite concentrations were calculated by using chloride as an endogenous marker of extracellular space. 3. The mean intracellular ketone-body concentrations (±s.e.m.) were 0.17±0.02, 0.76±0.11 and 2.82±0.50μmol/ml of water in fed, 48h-starved and alloxan-diabetic rats, respectively. Mean (intracellular water concentration)/(plasma water concentration) ratios were 0.47, 0.30 and 0.32 in fed, 48h-starved and alloxan-diabetic rats respectively. The relationship between ketone-body concentrations in the plasma and intracellular compartments appeared to follow an asymptotic pattern. 4. Only intracellular 3-hydroxybutyrate concentrations rose during starvation whereas concentrations of both 3-hydroxybutyrate and acetoacetate were elevated in the alloxan-diabetic state. 5. During starvation plasma glucose concentrations were lowest at 48h, and increased with further starvation. 6. There was no significant difference in the muscle intracellular free fatty acid concentrations of fed, starved and alloxan-diabetic rats. Mean free fatty acid intramuscular concentrations (±s.e.m.) were 0.81±0.08, 0.98±0.21 and 0.91±0.10μmol/ml in fed, 48h-starved and alloxan-diabetic states. 7. The intracellular ketosis of starvation and the stability of free fatty acid intracellular concentrations suggests that neither muscle membrane permeability nor concentrations of free fatty acids per se are major factors in limiting ketone-body oxidation in these states.     

Changes in coenzyme A and carnitine concentrations in superovulated rats

Changes in the concentrations of total coenzyme A, acetyl CoA, free carnitine and acetylcarnitine were measured in ovaries from immature rats before and after superovulation with 50 I.U. pregnant mare's serum gonadotropin. In addition, the concentrations of total CoA and total acid-soluble carnitine were measured in liver, adrenal glands and skeletal muscle from the same rats. Ovarian concentrations of total CoA, free carnitine and acetylcarnitine increased 3-fold on gonadotropin stimulation, whereas there was no marked change in total CoA and acid-soluble carnitine concentrations in the other organs. In ovary, the ratio of free CoA to acetyl CoA was about 2:1 during the growth period of follicular development and during active steroidogenesis in the luteal phase, but less than 1 when replication stopped and ovulation occurred. These results show that during periods of high energy demand the ovary has a good capacity to accommodate fatty acid oxidation, and supports the evidence that fatty acids are the major source of reducing equivalents for steroidogenesis at these times.     

Similarities in properties,content, and relative rates of synthesis of fructose-P2 aldolase in livers of fed and starved rats

The present work gives evidence that, in contrast to the situation reported by Pontremoli et al. for the rabbit (Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci. U.S.A. 76, 6323–6325, 1979; Arch. Biochem. Biophys. 203, 390–394, 1980; Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci. U.S.A., 79, 5194–5196, 1992), starvation for as long as 3 days does not cause intracellular covalent modification and inactivation of fructose-P₂ aldolase molecules in rat liver cells. This conclusion is based on our observations that liver aldolase molecules isolated from fed and starved rats in the presence of proteolytic inhibitors were not distinguished on the basis of specific catalytic activity, electrophoretic mobility, subunit molecular weight, NH₂-terminat structure, or COOH-terminal structure. Further, the approximate 40% loss in rat liver mass which occurred during the 3-day fast was not associated with appreciable changes in the content of aldolase and most other abundant cytosolic proteinsper gram of rat liver, as judged by electrophoretic analysis of 100 000-g soluble fractions of liver extracts . Finally, a 3-day fast had no appreciable effect on therelative rates of synthesis of aldolase and most other abundant cytosolic proteins in rat liver. Our findings suggest that nutrient deprivation has no preferential effect on the concentration or metabolism of aldolase in rat liver cells.     

Carnitine and creatine content of tissues of normal and alloxan-diabetic sheep and rats

The concentration of carnitine in liver increased 28-fold and urinary carnitine excretion 5-fold in alloxan-diabetic sheep. In contrast there were no similar increases in alloxan-diabetic rats. The creatine content of liver decreased 3-fold and creatine excretion decreased 2-fold in diabetic sheep. In contrast the creatine content of liver increased nearly 4-fold in diabetic rats with no change in creatine excretion. The marked increased in production of carnitine by the liver of the diabetic sheep appears possible because of decreased production and excretion of creatine.     

Intralipid administration induces a lipoprotein lipase-like activity in the livers of starved adult rats.

The administration of Intralipid to starved adult rats induces the appearance of lipoprotein lipase (LPL)-like activity in the liver, whereas the so-called hepatic triacylglycerol lipase is unaffected. This LPL-like activity is eluted by 1.5 M-NaCl from heparin-Sepharose columns. This partially purified fraction is inhibited by 1.0 M-NaCl (91%) and by 1.0 mg of protamine sulphate/ml (79%), whereas it is stimulated 69-fold by the presence of 8.0 micrograms of apolipoprotein C-II/ml and inhibited by anti-LPL antibodies. We conclude that Intralipid administration induces the appearance of LPL activity in livers of starved adult rats. Its possible origin is discussed.     

Effect of the fatty acid oxidation inhibitor 2-tetradecylglycidic acid on pyruvate dehydrogenase complex activity in starved and alloxan-diabetic rats

Intravenous administration of the fatty acid oxidation inhibitor 2-tetradecylglycidic acid had no effect on the proportion of pyruvate dehydrogenase complex in the active form in heart, diaphragm or gastrocnemius muscles or in liver, kidney or adipose tissue of fed normal rats. The compound reversed the effect of 48h starvation (which decreased the proportion of active complex) in heart muscle, partially reversed the effect of starvation in kidney, but had no effect in the other tissues listed. The compound failed to reverse the effect of alloxan-diabetes (which decreased the proportion of active complex) in any of these tissues. In perfused hearts of fed normal rats, 2-tetradecylglycidate reversed effects of palmitate (which decreased the proportion of active complex), but it had no effect in the absence of palmitate. In perfused hearts of 48h-starved rats the compound increased the proportion of active complex to that found in fed normal rats in the presence or absence of insulin. In perfused hearts of diabetic rats the compound normalized the proportion of active complex in the presence of insulin, but not in its absence. Palmitate reversed the effects of 2-tetradecylglycidate in perfused hearts of starved or diabetic rats. Evidence is given that 2-tetradecylglycidate only reverses effects of starvation and alloxan-diabetes on the proportion of active complex in heart muscle under conditions in which it inhibits fatty acid oxidation. It is concluded that effects of starvation and alloxan-diabetes on the proportion of active complex in heart muscle are dependent on fatty acid oxidation. Insulin had no effect on the proportion of active complex in hearts or diaphragms of fed or starved rats in vitro. In perfused hearts of alloxan-diabetic rats, insulin induced a modest increase in the proportion of active complex in the presence of albumin, but not in its absence.     

Polyamine metabolism in regenerating livers from normal and hypocalcemic rats

There is a marked increase in the concentration of putrescine during the first ten hours following partial hepatectomy in rats. The concentration of spermidine also increases but to a smaller degree. Putrescine levels return to normal between 10 and 24 hours after the operation, whereas the increased spermidine level is maintained. The production of putrescine and spermidine appears to be initiated by the induction of ornithine decarboxylase which shows a single peak of activity at four hours after hepatectomy. The activity of S-adenosylmethionine decarboxylase shows little change following hepatectomy. The changes in polyamine levels and the activities of the enzymes of polyamine metabolism are not affected by thyroparathyroidectomy 72 hours prior to hepatectomy. Thus although these hypocalcemic conditions considerably reduce and delay DNA synthesis and mitosis, the prereplicative changes in polyamine metabolism still occur. These data suggest that the hepatocytes in hypocalcemic animals have become activated and moved to an advanced stage of prereplicative development before being blocked.