Effect of B- and T-cell mitogens on the maximum activities of hexokinase, lactate dehydrogenase, citrate synthase and glutaminase in bone marrow cells and thymocytes of the rat during four hours of culture.

1. Cells from the bone marrow and cells from the thymus of the rat were incubated in the presence of glucose and glutamine and phytohaemagglutinin, concanavalin-A or lipopolysaccharide. Cells were harvested at times up to 4 hr, extracted and maximum activities of hexokinase, lactate dehydrogenase, citrate synthase or glutaminase measured. 2. In bone marrow cells, there were little changes in enzyme activities except for an increase in the activity of citrate synthase which was prevented by concanavalin-A. This mitogen also caused a decrease in the activity of hexokinase. 3. In contrast, in thymocytes, the activities of hexokinase and glutaminase were decreased in the control condition but addition of lipopolysaccharide, a B-cell mitogen prevented these decreases in activity and concanavalin-A maintained the activity of glutaminase. Concanavalin-A caused a decrease in hexokinase activity but a marked increase in that of glutaminase. 4. It is suggested that changes in the maximum activities of hexokinase and glutaminase over this 4 hr period may represent the effect of removal of thymus-produced growth factors, whose effects can be replaced, at least in part, by two mitogens.     

H+ production by antimycin-inhibited mitochondria.

1. The maximum activity of hexokinase in lymphocytes is similar to that of 6-phosphofructokinase, but considerably greater than that of phosphorylase, suggesting that glucose rather than glycogen is the major carbohydrate fuel for these cells. Starvation increased slightly the activities of some of the glycolytic enzymes. A local immunological challenge in vivo (a graft-versus-host reaction) increased the activities of hexokinase, 6-phosphofructokinase, pyruvate kinase and lactate dehydrogenase, confirming the importance of the glycolytic pathway in cell division. 2. The activities of the ketone-body-utilizing enzymes were lower than those of hexokinase or 6-phosphofructokinase, unlike in muscle and brain, and were not affected by starvation. It is suggested that the ketone bodies will not provide a quantitatively important alternative fuel to glucose in lymphocytes. 3. Of the enzymes of the tricarboxylic acid cycle whose activities were measured, that of oxoglutarate dehydrogenase was the lowest, yet its activity (about 4.0μmol/min per g dry wt. at 37°C) was considerably greater than the flux through the cycle (0.5μmol/min per g calculated from oxygen consumption by incubated lymphocytes). The activity was decreased by starvation, but that of citrate synthase was increased by the local immunological challenge in vivo. It is suggested that the rate of the cycle would increase towards the capacity indicated by oxoglutarate dehydrogenase in proliferating lymphocytes. 4. Enzymes possibly involved in the pathway of glutamine oxidation were measured in lymphocytes, which suggests that an aminotransferase reaction(s) (probably aspartate aminotransferase) is important in the conversion of glutamate into oxoglutarate rather than glutamate dehydrogenase, and that the maximum activity of glutaminase is markedly in excess of the rate of glutamine utilization by incubated lymphocytes. The activity of glutaminase is increased by both starvation and the local immunological challenge in vivo. This last finding suggests that metabolism of glutamine via glutaminase is important in proliferating lymphocytes.     

Metabolism of glucose, glutamine, long-chain fatty acids and ketone bodies by murine macrophages.

Maximum activities of some key enzymes of metabolism were studied in elicited (inflammatory) macrophages of the mouse and lymph-node lymphocytes of the rat. The activity of hexokinase in the macrophage is very high, as high as that in any other major tissue of the body, and higher than that of phosphorylase or 6-phosphofructokinase, suggesting that glucose is a more important fuel than glycogen and that the pentose phosphate pathway is also important in these cells. The latter suggestion is supported by the high activities of both glucose-6-phosphate dehydrogenase and 6-phosphogluconate dehydrogenase. However, the rate of glucose utilization by 'resting' macrophages incubated in vitro is less than the 10% of the activity of 6-phosphofructokinase: this suggests that the rate of glycolysis is increased dramatically during phagocytosis or increased secretory activity. The macrophages possess higher activities of citrate synthase and oxoglutarate dehydrogenase than do lymphocytes, suggesting that the tricarboxylic acid cycle may be important in energy generation in these cells. The activity of 3-oxoacid CoA-transferase is higher in the macrophage, but that of 3-hydroxybutyrate dehydrogenase is very much lower than those in the lymphocytes. The activity of carnitine palmitoyltransferase is higher in macrophages, suggesting that fatty acids as well as acetoacetate could provide acetyl-CoA as substrate for the tricarboxylic acid cycle. No detectable rate of acetoacetate or 3-hydroxybutyrate utilization was observed during incubation of resting macrophages, but that of oleate was 1.0 nmol/h per mg of protein or about 2.2% of the activity of palmitoyltransferase. The activity of glutaminase is about 4-fold higher in macrophages than in lymphocytes, which suggests that the rate of glutamine utilization could be very high. The rate of utilization of glutamine by resting incubated macrophages was similar to that reported for rat lymphocytes, but was considerably lower than the activity of glutaminase.     

Activity of some enzymes of energy metabolism in striated muscle of obese subjects with respect to body composition.

The effect of obesity on the activity of some enzymes of energy supplying metabolism was studied in male and female groups of different body weight, using tissue samples of m. quadriceps femoris obtained by a biopsy needle. Both obese males and females displayed a distinct tendency towards anaerobic metabolism (high lactate dehydrogenase activities). The assumption that cytoplasm has an increased capacity in the muscle of the obese for reduction syntheses is supported by the increased ratio of malate dehydrogenase to citrate synthase activities. Compared with controls, less activity of enzymes associated with fatty acid and glucose degradation (hexokinase, hydroxyacyl-CoA dehydrogenase, citrate synthase) was observed in obese males. In obese females the latter enzyme activities did not differ from those in the controls; however, lactate dehydrogenase and triosophosphate dehydrogenase activities were significantly higher. Significant inverse correlations between hexokinase and hydroxyacyl- CoA dehydrogenase activities, on the one hand, and indicators of body composition and body weight, on the other, were found in males. The female group did not display analogous significant relations between the enzymatic organization and indicators of body composition.     

Copper effects on key metabolic enzymes and mitochondrial membrane potential in gills of the estuarine crab Neohelice granulata at different salinities

The estuarine crab Neohelice granulata was exposed (96h) to a sublethal copper concentration under two different physiological conditions (hyperosmoregulating crabs: 2ppt salinity, 1mg Cu/L; isosmotic crabs: 30ppt salinity, 5mg Cu/L). After exposure, gills (anterior and posterior) were dissected and activities of enzymes involved in glycolysis (hexokinase, phosphofructokinase, pyruvate kinase, lactate dehydrogenase), Krebs cycle (citrate synthase), and mitochondrial electron transport chain (cytochrome c oxidase) were analyzed. Membrane potential of mitochondria isolated from anterior and posterior gill cells was also evaluated. In anterior gills of crabs acclimated to 2ppt salinity, copper exposure inhibited hexokinase, phosphofructokinase, pyruvate kinase, and citrate synthase activity, increased lactate dehydrogenase activity, and reduced the mitochondrial membrane potential. In posterior gills, copper inhibited hexokinase and pyruvate kinase activity, and increased citrate synthase activity. In anterior gills of crabs acclimated to 30ppt salinity, copper exposure inhibited phosphofructokinase and citrate synthase activity, and increased hexokinase activity. In posterior gills, copper inhibited phosphofructokinase and pyruvate kinase activity, and increased hexokinase and lactate dehydrogenase activity. Copper did not affect cytochrome c oxidase activity in either anterior or posterior gills of crabs acclimated to 2 and 30ppt salinity. These findings indicate that exposure to a sublethal copper concentration affects the activity of enzymes involved in glycolysis and Krebs cycle, especially in anterior (respiratory) gills of hyperosmoregulating crabs. Changes observed indicate a switch from aerobic to anaerobic metabolism, characterizing a situation of functional hypoxia. In this case, reduced mitochondrial membrane potential would suggest a decrease in ATP production. Although gills of isosmotic crabs were also affected by copper exposure, changes observed suggest no impact in the overall tissue ATP production. Also, findings suggest that copper exposure would stimulate the pentose phosphate pathway to support the antioxidant system requirements. Although N. granulata is very tolerant to copper, acute exposure to this metal can disrupt the energy balance by affecting biochemical systems involved in carbohydrate metabolism.     

Maximal activities of glutaminase, citrate synthase, hexokinase, 6-phosphofructokinase and lactate dehydrogenase in skin of immune-competent Balb/c and immune-deficient Balb/c (nu/nu) mice during wound healing.

1. The maximal activities of hexokinase (HK), 6-phosphofructokinase (PFK), lactate dehydrogenase, citrate synthase (CS) and glutaminase (GLU) which provide quantitative and qualitative indices of flux through several important metabolic pathways have been examined in the wounded skin of haired immune competent Balb/c mice and hairless immune deficient Balb/c (nu/nu) mice of various ages during the first ten days of wound healing. 2. The potential for glucose utilization and for aerobic metabolism as suggested by the maximal activities of HK, PFK, CS, were raised in the skin of Balb/c mice of various ages on all post wounding days. Increases in the maximal activity of GLU was observed only in the skin of 6 and 10 weeks old Balb/c mice during wound healing. 3. There was no evidence of a contribution to the maximal activity of GLU by infiltrating cells of the immune system to the wound site in the skin of either haired or hairless mice.     

Gonadectomy impairs lymphocyte proliferation and macrophage function in male and female rats. Correlation with key enzyme activities of glucose and glutamine metabolism

The effect of gonadectomy on lymphocyte proliferation and macrophage function (hydrogen peroxide production and phagocytosis capacity) of male and female rats was examined and the results correlated with the activities of hexokinase, glucose-6-phosphate dehydrogenase, citrate synthase and phosphate-dependent glutaminase. Also, the reversion of the changes by the treatment with oestrogen or progesterone or a combination of both was addressed. Taken as a whole, ovariectomy reduced hydrogen peroxide production and phagocytosis capacity by macrophages and also lymphocyte proliferation. Castration of male rats reduced the proliferation of lymphocytes and raised macrophage phagocytosis capacity. The effects on macrophage function were correlated with changes in glucose metabolism, particularly, in the activity of glucose-6-phosphate dehydrogenase. © 1997 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

The Development of Enzymes of Energy Metabolism in the Brain of a Precocial (Guinea Pig) and Non-Precocial (Rat) Species

Abstract: Key enzymes of ketone body metabolism (3-hydroxybutyrate de-hydrogenase, 3-oxo-acid: CoA transferase, acetoacetyl-CoA thiolase) and glucose metabolism (hexokinase, lactate dehydrogenase, pyruvate dehydrogenase, citrate synthase) have been measured in the brains of foetal, neonatal and adult guinea pigs and compared to those in the brains of neonatal and adult rats. The activities of the guinea pig brain ketone-body-metabolising enzymes remain relatively low in activity throughout the foetal and neonatal periods, with only slight increases occurring at birth. This contrasts with the rat brain, where three- to fourfold increases in activity occur during the suckling period (0–21 days post partum), followed by a corresponding decrease in the adult. The activities of the hexokinase (mitochondrial and cytosolic), pyruvate dehydrogenase, lactate dehydrogenase and citrate synthase of guinea pig brain show marked increases in the last 10–15 days before birth, so that at birth the guinea pig possesses activities of these enzymes similar to the adult state. This contrasts with the rat brain where these enzymes develop during the late suckling period (10–15 days after birth). The development of the enzymes of aerobic glycolytic metabolism correlate with the onset of neurological competence in the two species, the guinea pig being a "precocial" species born neurologically competent and the rat being a "non-precocial" species born neurologically immature. The results are discussed with respect to the enzymatic activities required for the energy metabolism of a fully developed, neurologically competent mammalian brain and its relative sensitivity to hypoxia.     

Effects of sleep deprivation on the activity of selected metabolic enzymes in skeletal muscle

The effect of 120-h sleep deprivation on the activity of selected enzymes of energy metabolism in skeletal muscle was studied in seven healthy volunteers. The results showed a significant decrease in the activity of malate dehydrogenase, citrate synthase, glycerol-3-phosphate dehydrogenase and lactate dehydrogenase. Triosephosphate dehydrogenase, hexokinase, and hydroxyacyl-CoA-dehydrogenase activities showed an insignificant decrease. The findings are indicative of (1) decreased aerobic oxidation capacity; (2) reduced function of reducing-equivalent carriers from cytosol across the mitochondrial membrane; (3) relative accentuation of the non-aerobic glycolytic pathway; (4) a prediabetic type of muscle metabolism.     

Maximum activities of key enzymes of glycolysis, glutaminolysis, pentose phosphate pathway and tricarboxylic acid cycle in normal, neoplastic and suppressed cells.

1. Maximal activities of some key enzymes of glycolysis, the pentose phosphate pathway, the tricarboxylic acid cycle and glutaminolysis were measured in homogenates from a variety of normal, neoplastic and suppressed cells. 2. The relative activities of hexokinase and 6-phosphofructokinase suggest that, particularly in neoplastic cells, in which the capacity for glucose transport is high, hexokinase could approach saturation in respect to intracellular glucose; consequently, hexokinase and phosphofructokinase could play an important role in the regulation of glycolytic flux in these cells. 3. The activity of pyruvate kinase is considerably higher in tumorigenic cells than in non-tumorigenic cells and higher in metastatic cells than in tumorigenic cells: for non-tumorigenic cells the activities range from 28.4 to 574, for tumorigenic cells from 899 to 1280, and for metastatic cells from 1590 to 1627 nmol/min per mg of protein. 4. The ratio of pyruvate kinase activity to 2 x phosphofructokinase activity is very high in neoplastic cells. The mean is 22.4 for neoplastic cells, whereas for muscle from 60 different animals it is only 3.8. 5. Both citrate synthase and isocitrate dehydrogenase activities are present in non-neoplastic and neoplastic cells, suggesting that the full complement of tricarboxylic-acid-cycle enzymes are present in these latter cells. 6. In neoplastic cells, the activity of glutaminase is similar to or greater than that of hexokinase, which suggests that glutamine may be as important as glucose for energy generation in these cells.     

The effect of endurance-training on the maximum activities of hexokinase, 6-phosphofructokinase,citrate synthase,and oxoglutarate dehydrogenase in red and white muscles of the rat

Adult female rats were subjected to an eleven-week endurance-training programme, and, for the first time, the maximum activities of enzymes that can indicate the quantitative capacities of both anaerobic glycolysis and the Krebs cycle in muscle (viz. 6-phosphofructokinase and oxoglutarate dehydrogenase respectively) were measured in heart plus white and fast-oxidative skeletal muscle. No changes were observed in heart muscle. In fast-oxidative skeletal muscle, activities of hexokinase, citrate synthase, and oxoglutarate dehydrogenase were increased by 51, 26, and 33% respectively but there was no effect on 6-phosphofructokinase. These results demonstrate that in red muscle there is no effect of this training programme on the anaerobic capacity but that of the aerobic system is increased by one third. In white skeletal muscle, only the activity of citrate synthase was increased, which indicates that this activity may not provide even qualitative information about changes in capacity of the Krebs cycle.     

Effects of training and methandrostenolone (an anabolic steroid) on energy metabolism in the guinea pig: changes in enzyme activities in gastrocnemius muscle and myocardium

Modifications of enzyme activities (creatine kinase and its B subunit; adenylate kinase; hexokinase; phosphofructokinase; lactate dehydrogenase; malate dehydrogenase, isocitrate dehydrogenase; citrate synthase; acetylcarnitine transferase; beta-hydroxyacetyl-CoA dehydrogenase; cytochrome c oxidase) in gastrocnemius muscle and myocardium were reported after two forms of training with or without administration of anabolic steroid. Endurance training was on a horizontal motor-driven treadmill, 2 km X hr-1, 5 days a week for 0.5 hr per day for 5 weeks. In the case of power endurance training there was a slope of 45 degrees. Enzyme activities in controls and treated guinea pigs, as well as treatment-induced enzyme activity changes are time dependent. Some of these activities correlate linearly with one another; such correlations characterize the effect of adaptation. Endurance training and power endurance training in this study induce similar modifications and seem to differ essentially in the daily work load. The anabolic steroid methandrostenolone (dianabol) induces modifications which training does not bring about but which training at least partially eliminates.     

Renal enzymes during experimental diabetes mellitus in the rat. Role of insulin, carbohydrate metabolism, and ketoacidosis

The activities of various ammoniagenic, gluconeogenic, and glycolytic enzymes were measured in the renal cortex and also in the liver of rats made diabetic with streptozotocin. Five groups of animals were studied: normal, normoglycemic diabetic (insulin therapy), hyperglycemic, ketoacidotic, and ammonium chloride treated rats. Glutaminase I, glutamate dehydrogenase, glutamine synthetase, phosphoenolpyruvate carboxykinase (PEPCK), hexokinase, phosphofructokinase, fructose-1,6-diphosphatase, malate dehydrogenase, malic enzyme, and lactate dehydrogenase were measured. Renal glutaminase I activity rose during ketoacidosis and ammonium chloride acidosis. Glutamate dehydrogenase in the kidney rose only in ammonium chloride treated animals. Glutamine synthetase showed no particular variation. PEPCK rose in diabetic hyperglycemic animals and more so during ketoacidosis and ammonium chloride acidosis. It also rose in the liver of the diabetic animals. Hexokinase activity in the kidney rose in diabetic insulin-treated normoglycemic rats and also during ketoacidosis. The same pattern was observed in the liver of these diabetic rats. Renal and hepatic phosphofructokinase activities were elevated in all groups of experimental animals. Fructose-1,6-diphosphatase and malate dehydrogenase did not vary significantly in the kidney and the liver. Malic enzyme was lower in the kidney and liver of the hyperglycemic diabetic animals and also in the liver of the ketoacidotic rats. Lactate dehydrogenase fell slightly in the liver of diabetic hyperglycemic and NH4Cl acidotic animals. The present study indicates that glutaminase I is associated with the first step of increased renal ammoniagenesis during ketoacidosis. PEPCK activity is influenced both by hyperglycemia and ketoacidosis, acidosis playing an additional role. Insulin appears to prevent renal gluconeogenesis and to favour glycolysis. The latter would seem to remain operative in hyperglycemic and ketoacidotic diabetic animals.     

The effects of diet on the maximal activities of glutaminase, citrate synthase, hexokinase, 6-phosphofructokinase and lactate dehydrogenase in the skin of haired and hairless mice of various ages.

1. The maximal activities of hexokinase (HK), 6-phosphofructokinase (PFK), lactate dehydrogenase (LDH), citrate synthase (CS) and glutaminase (GLU) which provide a quantitative indices of flux through several important pathways have been measured in the skin of haired Balb/c and hairless Balb/c (nu/nu) mice under normal and dietary stress. 2. The skin of old haired mice exhibited higher PFK and LDH activities with lower HK, CS and GLU activities. All activities of enzymes associated with energy metabolism in the skin of old hairless mice were higher than those in the skin of haired mice. 3. HK, LDH, CS and GLU activities were maintained at normal levels in the skin of haired mice when these mice were fed diets deficient in energy or protein components (HPLE, LPNE). These enzymes however were severely suppressed when mice were fed a diet deficient in both energy and protein components (LPLE). Recovery of activities of these enzymes to the control level was observed when mice were refed with the normal diet for a week.     

Sub-lethal concentrations of activated complement increase rat lymphocyte glutamine utilization and oxidation while lethal concentrations cause death by a mechanism involving ATP depletion

Nucleated cells are more resistant to complement-mediated cell death than anucleated cells such as erythrocytes. There are few reports concerning the metabolic response of nucleated cells subjected to sub-lethal complement attack. It is possible that the rate of utilization of specific metabolic fuels by the cell is increased to enhance cell defence. We have measured the maximum activity of hexokinase, citrate synthase, glucose 6-phosphate dehydrogenase and glutaminase in rat mesenteric lymphocytes exposed to sub-lethal concentrations of activated complement (present in zymosan-activated serum, ZAS). These enzymes were carefully selected as they indicate changes of flux in glycolysis, TCA cycle, pentose phosphate pathway and glutaminolysis, respectively. The only enzyme activity to change on exposure of lymphocytes to ZAS was glutaminase, which was enhanced approximately by two-fold. Although rates of both glutamine and glucose utilization were enhanced by exposure to ZAS, only the rate of oxidation of glutamine was increased. Complement kills anucleated cells by simple osmotic lysis. However, it is likely that some nucleated cells will display characteristics of an ordered death mechanism and we have demonstrated that the concentration of lymphocyte ATP is dramatically decreased by activated complement. Nevertheless, the extent of cell death could be significantly reduced by the addition of inhibitors of the nuclear enzyme poly (ADP-ribose) polymerase (PARP). We conclude that glutamine metabolism is not only important for lymphocyte proliferative responses but is also important for cell defence from sub-lethal concentrations of activated complement. The rapid rate of complement-induced lymphocyte death reported here is suggested to be a consequence of over-activation of the nuclear enzyme PARP and ATP depletion.     

Pyruvate metabolism by lymphocytes: evidence for an additional ketogenic tissue

The rate of utilization of pyruvate (at various concentrations) was measured in lymphocytes prepared from rat mesenteric lymph nodes. The quantitative contribution of pyruvate to CO2, lactate, aspartate, alanine, citrate, acetate, acetyl-CoA and ketone bodies accounted for the pyruvate metabolized. Pyruvate utilization was depressed by increasing concentrations of pyruvate. The maximum catalytic activities and selected intracellular distributions of the following enzymes of pyruvate, citrate and acetyl-CoA metabolism were measured: citrate synthase, ATP-citrate lyase, lactate dehydrogenase, acetyl-CoA hydrolase, acetylcarnitine transferase, NAD+- and NADP+- isocitrate dehydrogenases, HMG-CoA lyase, HMG-CoA synthase, Pyruvate dehydrogenase, acetoacetyl-CoA thiolase, 3-oxoacid-CoA transferase, 3-hydroxybutyrate dehydrogenase and pyruvate carboxylase. Acetyl-CoA formed from pyruvate did not contribute to the respiratory energy metabolism of resting lymphocytes. Instead acetyl-CoA was converted to acetoacetate by reactions which may favour the pathway catalyzed by acetoacetyl-CoA thiolase and 3-oxoacid-CoA transferase. Acetate, acetyl- and palmitoyl-carnitine inhibited the decarboxylation of [1-14C] pyruvate. These observations may be connected with the suppression of pyruvate utilization by increased pyruvate substrate concentration. Only very small amounts of either pyruvate or acetate were incorporated into lipids in resting lymphocytes. The amounts incorporated were partitioned in approximately the same pattern into FFA, T.G., cholesterol and cholesterol esters. Taken together the data show that pyruvate metabolism is directed inter alia at the formation of acetoacetate which may serve as a lipid synthesis precursor. When pyruvate utilization and metabolism was enhanced by concanavalin A, then acetoacetate formation was not favoured and from this it is proposed that the acetyl units may then be directed into lipid synthesis and may also make a contribution to the energy metabolism of the activated lymphocyte.     

Postnatal changes of some enzymatic activities of energy supplying metabolism in the cortex, inner and outer medulla of the rat kidney

1. In rat kidney cortex, outer and inner medulla the development of activities of seven enzymes was investigated during postnatal ontogeny (10, 20, 30, 60 and 90 days of age). The enzymes were selected in such a manner, as to characterize most of the main metabolic pathways of energy supplying metabolism: hexokinase (glucose phosphorylation, HK), glycerol-3-phosphate dehydrogenase (glycerolphosphate metabolism or shunt, GPDH), triose phosphate dehydrogenase (glycolytic carbohydrate breakdown, TPDH), lactate dehydrogenase (lactate metabolism, LDH), citrate synthase (tricarboxylic acid cycle, aerobic metabolism, CS), malate NAD dehydrogenase (tricarboxylic acid cycle, intra-extra mitochondrial hydrogen transport, MDH) and 3-hydroxyacyl-CoA-dehydrogenase (fatty acid catabolism, HOADH). 2. The renal cortex already differs metabolically from the medullar structures on the 10th day of life. It displays a high activity of aerobic breakdown of both fatty acids and carbohydrates. Its metabolic capacity further increases up to the 30th day of life. 3. The outer medullar structure is not grossly different from the inner medulla on the 10th day of life. Further it differentiates into a highly aerobic tissue mainly able to utilize carbohydrates. It can, however, to some extent, also utilize fatty acids aerobically and produce lactate from carbohydrates anaerobically. 4. The inner medullar structure is best equipped to utilize carbohydrates by anaerobic glycolysis, forming lactate. This feature is already pronounced on the 10th day of life, its capacity increases to some extent during postnatal development, being highest between the 10th and the 60th day of life.     

Glucose utilization during gonadotropin-induced meiotic maturation in cumulus cell-enclosed mouse oocytes

Earlier work from this laboratory has determined that glucose plays an important role in the mechanisms regulating meiotic maturation in mammalian oocytes. In the current study, we have further explored the role of glucose in hormone-induced germinal vesicle breakdown (GVB) in an effort to better understand how glucose utilization and metabolism relate to the control of meiotic maturation in mouse cumulus cell-enclosed oocytes (CEO). When CEO were cultured in medium containing 4 mM hypoxanthine (to maintain meiotic arrest), 5.5 mM glucose, and 0.23 mM pyruvate, follicle-stimulating hormone (FSH) stimulated lactate accumulation in a time-dependent manner. Addition of 2-deoxyglucose (2-DG) to the medium at various times after the initiation of culture resulted in rapid termination of lactate production and suppression of FSH-induced GVB scored after 18 hr of culture, the effectiveness diminishing the longer the delay before addition of 2-DG. By 8 hr, addition of 2-DG was without effect on GVB. Similar effects were seen when FSH-treated CEO were washed free of glucose. In a 2-DG dose-response experiment, gonadotropin-induced lactate production was prevented, but this inhibition did not necessarily prevent GVB. The activities of six metabolic enzymes were measured in extracts of freshly isolated complexes, and in order of increasing activity were: hexokinase, 6-phosphogluconate dehydrogenase, glucose-6-phosphate dehydrogenase, phosphofructokinase, lactate dehydrogenase, and pyruvate kinase. Of the six enzymes examined, only hexokinase activity was increased in CEO exposed to FSH. CEO were cultured in microdrops in the presence or absence of FSH, and aliquots from the same microdrop were assayed for glucose, lactate, and pyruvate. In response to FSH, utilization of glucose in microdrop cultures by CEO was markedly increased and was accompanied by comparable lactate production and limited pyruvate production. Cycloheximide and α-amanitin both blocked FSH-induced oocyte maturation, but only cycloheximide prevented the increase in hexokinase activity and glucose consumption. These data suggest that hexokinase is an important rate-limiting enzyme for glucose utilization that is under translational control and participates in the mechanisms controlling the reinitiation of meiosis. However, stimulation of glycolytic activity does not appear to be a necessary concomitant for meiotic induction. © 1996 Wiley-Liss, Inc.     

Evaluation of the rate-limiting steps in the pathway of glucose metabolism in kidney cortex of normal, diabetic, cortisone-treated and growth hormone-treated rats

1. The activities of gluconeogenic and glycolytic enzymes and the concentrations of citrate, ammonia, amino acids, glycogen, glucose 6-phosphate, acetyl-CoA, lactate and pyruvate were measured in kidney cortex of normal, diabetic, cortisone-treated and growth hormone-treated rats. 2. In kidney cortex of diabetic, cortisone-treated and growth hormone-treated rats the activities of glucose 6-phosphatase (EC 3.1.3.9), fructose 1,6-diphosphatase (EC 3.1.3.11) and phosphopyruvate carboxylase (EC 4.1.1.32) were increased. 3. The activities of glutamate dehydrogenase (EC 1.4.1.3), alanine aminotransferase (EC 2.6.1.2), aspartate aminotransferase (EC 2.6.1.10) and pyruvate carboxylase (EC 6.4.1.1) were increased in diabetic and cortisone-treated rats. In growth hormone-treated rats the activity of aspartate aminotransferase was depressed but those of the other three enzymes were unchanged. 4. The activity of hexokinase (EC 2.7.1.1) was not altered in any of these conditions. Phosphofructokinase (EC 2.7.1.11) activity was depressed only in growth hormone-treated rats. Pyruvate kinase (EC 2.7.1.40) activity was depressed in cortisone-treated and growth hormone-treated rats but unchanged in diabetic rats. 5. Amino acids, acetyl-CoA and glucose 6-phosphate contents were increased in rat kidneys in all these three conditions. Ammonia content was increased in diabetic and cortisone-treated rats but was markedly diminished in growth hormone-treated rats. 6. The [lactate]/[pyruvate] ratio was elevated in diabetic and cortisone-treated rats but unchanged in growth hormone-treated rats. Citrate content was increased in the kidney cortex of diabetic and growth hormone-treated rats but was unchanged in cortisone-treated rats. The activity of ATP citrate lyase (EC 4.1.3.8) was depressed in diabetic and growth hormone-treated rats but was increased in cortisone-treated rats. 7. Glycogen content was moderately elevated in growth hormone-treated rats and markedly elevated in diabetic rats, whereas no change in glycogen content was observed in cortisone-treated rats. Glycogen synthetase (EC 2.4.1.11) activity was unchanged in all these three conditions. Phosphorylase (EC 2.4.1.1) activity was not affected in cortisone-treated rats but was depressed in diabetic and growth hormone-treated rats.     

Glucose metabolism in the mucosa of the small intestine. A study of hexokinase activity

1. The intracellular distribution of hexokinase activity was studied in the mucosa of rat and guinea-pig small intestine. In the rat 60% and in the guinea pig 45% of the hexokinase activity of homogenates were recovered in a total particulate fraction that contained only 5-17% of the homogenate activity of hexose phosphate isomerase, pyruvate kinase, lactate dehydrogenase and overall glycolysis (formation of lactate from glucose). 2. Fractionation of homogenates from guineapig small intestine showed that the particulate hexokinase activity was chiefly in the mitochondrial fraction with a small proportion in the nuclei plus brush-border fraction. 3. After chromatography of the particle-free supernatants on DEAE-cellulose, hexokinase types I and II were determined quantitatively. No evidence was obtained for the presence of hexokinase type III or glucokinase. In the preparations from guinea pigs, hexokinase types I and II amounted to 69% and 31% respectively of the eluted activity; the corresponding values for preparations from rats were 5.8% and 94.2%. 4. Total and specific hexokinase activities decreased significantly in homogenates and particle-free supernatants prepared from the intestinal mucosa of rats starved for 36hr. and increased again after re-feeding. The decrease in hexokinase activity in the particle-free supernatant from starved rats was chiefly due to a decrease in the type II enzyme.