Search

Whereas diet-induced obese rabbits have been used to study various aspects of obesity, alterations of lipid metabolism in this model have not been clarified. This study aimed to compare plasma nonesterified fatty acid (NEFA) and triglyceride (TG) kinetics in obese and lean rabbits by means of U-13C16-palmitate infusion. Young female rabbits consumed either a high-fat diet (49% energy from fat) ad libitum to develop obesity (n = 6) or a normal diet (7.9% energy from fat) as lean control (n = 5). After 10 wk of feeding, the body weight of obese rabbits (5.33 ± 0.05 kg) was greater (P < 0.001) than that of lean rabbits (3.89 ± 0.07 kg). The obese rabbits had higher concentrations of plasma NEFA and TG and a greater rate of fatty acid (FA) turnover. Whereas the fractional secretion rates of hepatic TG did not differ, 100% of hepatic secretory TG was synthesized from plasma NEFA in the lean rabbits compared to 59% in the obese rabbits (P < 0.001). In the lean rabbits, hepatic lipase-mediated hydrolysis of lipoprotein TG did not contribute to the FA pool for synthesis of secretory TG, consistent with the naturally occurring deficit in hepatic lipase in this species. We conclude that lipid metabolism in diet-induced obese rabbits is similar to that in obese humans. The deficiency in hepatic lipase in rabbits simplifies the quantitation of hepatic lipid kinetics. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Transfer RNA (tRNA)-charged amino acids are direct precursors of protein synthesis. Therefore, the amount and profile of amino acids in the aminoacyl-tRNA pool may be closely related to the rate of protein synthesis in the tissue. This study was designed to compare the aminoacyl-tRNA pools in liver and muscle, 2 distinct tissues with different rates of protein synthesis. Liver and muscle samples were taken from 6 rabbits and aminoacyl-tRNA was isolated with sequential acid-phenol:chloroform extraction, followed by total RNA and tRNA purification. Amino acids in the aminoacyl-tRNA pool were measured by HPLC after deacylation. Liver contained 3.4 times more tRNA than muscle (585 +/- 120 vs. 132 +/- 11 microg of tRNA/g of tissue; P < 0.001). Overall tRNA charging was also greater in liver (14.22 +/- 4.42 nmol of amino acids/mg of tRNA) than in muscle (7.00 +/- 1.76 nmol of amino acids/mg of tRNA) (P < 0.05). The greater availability and charging efficiency of tRNA in liver as compared with muscle may influence the extent to which amino acid precursor availability regulates protein synthesis in these 2 tissues. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

We investigated the effect of leucine supplementation on protein metabolism in skin wounds and muscle in anesthetized rabbits. L-[ring-13C6]phenylalanine was infused on d 7 after the ear was scalded, and the scalded ear and uninjured hindlimb were used as arteriovenous units to reflect protein kinetics in skin wounds and muscle. In comparison with a commercially available amino acid solution (10% Travasol), isonitrogenous [1638 µmol/(kg · h)] infusion of the amino acid solution with supplemental leucine to account for 35% of total nitrogen increased the net phenylalanine balance (P < 0.05) in the skin wound and muscle from -6.7 ± 6.1 to 0.9 ± 1.4 and from -4.4 ± 2.4 to -1.0 ± 0.4 µmol/(100 g · h), respectively. Infusion of leucine alone did not significantly improve the net phenylalanine balance in either skin wounds [-4.0 ± 4.6 µmol/(100 g · h)] or muscle [-2.7 ± 0.7 µmol/(100 g · h)]. We conclude that leucine supplementation had an anabolic effect on proteins in skin wounds and muscle, provided that adequate additional amino acids were also available. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

We developed a method for measurement of skin DNA synthesis, reflecting cell division, in conscious rabbits by infusing D-[U-13C6]glucose and L-[15N]glycine. Cutaneous protein synthesis was simultaneously measured by infusion of L-[ring-²H5]phenylalanine. Rabbits were fitted with jugular venous and carotid arterial catheters, and were studied during the infusion of an amino acid solution (10% Travasol). The fractional synthetic rate (FSR) of DNA from the de novo nucleotide synthesis pathway, a reflection of total cell division, was 3.26 ± 0.59%/d in whole skin and 3.08 ± 1.86%/d in dermis (P = 0.38). The de novo base synthesis pathway accounted for 76 and 60% of the total DNA FSR in whole skin and dermis, respectively; the contribution from the base salvage pathway was 24% in whole skin and 40% in dermis. The FSR of protein in whole skin was 5.35 ± 4.42%/d, which was greater (P < 0.05) than that in dermis (2.91 ± 2.52%/d). The FSRs of DNA and protein were not correlated (P = 0.33), indicating that cell division and protein synthesis are likely regulated by different mechanisms. This new approach enables investigations of metabolic disorders of skin diseases and regulation of skin wound healing by distinguishing the 2 principal components of skin metabolism, which are cell division and protein synthesis. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]