Developmental changes in the phospho(enol)pyruvate carboxykinase gene expression in small intestine and liver of suckling rats

Dietary Leucine Supplementation Restores Serum Glucose Levels, and Modifying Hepatic Gene Expression Related to the Insulin Signal Pathway in IUGR Piglets

Simple Summary

Intrauterine malnutrition may compromise the size and structure of fetal organs and tissues, which leads to lower birth weight and a slower rate of growth after weaning. Intrauterine growth restriction/retardation (IUGR) impairs pancreas function, resulting in the decreased glucose levels in serum. Leucine, one of branched chain amino acids, is an essential amino acid and the substrate of protein synthesis. Leucine also acts as a major regulator of hormone signal transduction, like insulin. Dietary branched chain amino acids or leucine have beneficial effects on the glucose metabolism and glycogen synthesis of muscle. Leucine supplementation improves the insulin sensitivity in liver and muscle and then influences the systemic glucose homeostasis. However, it is still unclear whether leucine supplementation would alter insulin sensitivity in IUGR neonatal piglets. Our results showed that dietary leucine supplementation restored serum glucose concentrations, increased insulin and creatinine concentrations, and enhanced protein kinase adenosine monophosphate-activated γ 3-subunit and glucose transporter type 2 expression. These findings suggest that leucine might play a positive role in hepatic lipid metabolism and glucose metabolism in IUGR.

Abstract

This study aimed to investigate the effects of leucine with different levels on the insulin resistance in intrauterine growth restriction/retardation (IUGR) piglets. Thirty-two weaned piglets were arranged in a 2 × 2 factorial design and four treatments (n = 8) were as follow: (1) normal weaned piglets fed a basal diet (CONT), (2) IUGR weaned piglets fed a basal diet (IUGR), (3) normal weaned piglets fed a basal diet with the addition of 0.35% l-leucine (C-LEU), and (4) IUGR fed a basal diet with the addition of 0.35% l-leucine (I-LEU) for a 21-days trial. The results showed that compared to the IUGR group, the I-LEU group had higher final body weight and body weight gain, higher serum glucose concentrations, and higher serum insulin concentrations (p < 0.05). The gene expression of phosphatidylinositol 3-kinase p110 gamma, protein kinase adenosine monophosphate-activated γ 3-subunit, glycogen synthase kinase-3 alpha, and glucose transporter type 2 were increased in the I-LEU group as compared to the IUGR group (p < 0.05). It was concluded that dietary leucine supplementation restored serum glucose concentrations, increased insulin and creatinine concentrations, and enhanced protein kinase adenosine monophosphate-activated γ 3-subunit and glucose transporter type 2 expression, suggesting that leucine might play a positive role in hepatic lipid metabolism and glucose metabolism in IUGR.

l-Glutamine supplementation promotes an improved energetic balance in Walker-256 tumor-bearing rats

We evaluated the effects of supplementation with oral l-glutamine in Walker-256 tumor-bearing rats. A total of 32 male Wistar rats aged 54 days were randomly divided into four groups: rats without Walker-256 tumor, that is, control rats (C group); control rats supplemented with l-glutamine (CG group); Walker-256 tumor rats without l-glutamine supplementation (WT group); and WT rats supplemented with l-glutamine (WTG group). l-Glutamine was incorporated into standard food at a proportion of 2 g/100 g (2%). After 10 days of the experimental period, the jejunum and duodenum were removed and processed. Protein expression levels of key enzymes of gluconeogenesis, that is, phosphoenolpyruvate carboxykinase and glucose-6-phosphatase, were analyzed by western blot and immunohistochemical techniques. In addition, plasma corticosterone, glucose, insulin, and urea levels were evaluated. The WTG group showed significantly increased plasma glucose and insulin levels ( p < 0.05); however, plasma corticosterone and urea remained unchanged. Moreover, the WTG group showed increased immunoreactive staining for jejunal phosphoenolpyruvate carboxykinase and increased expression of duodenal glucose-6-phosphatase. Furthermore, the WTG group presented with less intense cancer cachexia and slower tumor growth. These results could be attributed, at least partly, to increased intestinal gluconeogenesis and insulinemia, and better glycemia maintenance during fasting in Walker-256 tumor rats on a diet supplemented with l-glutamine.

Developmental changes in hepatic glucose metabolism in a newborn piglet model: A comparative analysis for suckling period and early weaning period

The liver glucose metabolism, supplying sufficient energy for glucose-dependent tissues, is important in suckling or weaned animals, although there are few studies with piglet model. To better understand the development of glucose metabolism in the piglets during suckling period and early weaning period, we determined the hepatic glycogen content, and investigated the relative protein expression of key enzymes of glucogenesis (GNG) and mRNA levels of some glucose metabolism-related genes. During suckling period, the protein level of G6Pase in the liver of suckling piglets progressively declined with day of age compared with that of newborn piglets (at 1 day of age), whereas the PEPCK level stabilized until day 21 of age, indicating that hepatic GNG capacity gradually weakened in suckling piglets. The synthesis of hepatic glycogen, which was consistent with the fluctuation of glycolytic key genes PFKL and PKLR that gradually decreased after birth and was more or less steady during latter suckling period, although both the mRNA levels of GCK and key glucose transporter GLUT2 presented uptrend in suckling piglets. However, early weaning significantly suppressed the hepatic GNG in the weaned piglets, especially at d 3-5 of weaning period, then gradually recovered at d 7 of weaning period. Meanwhile, PFKL, PKLR and GLUT2 showed the similar trend during weaning period. On the contrast, the hepatic glycogen reached the maximum value when the G6Pase and PEPCK protein expression were at the lowest level, although the GCK level maintained increasing through 7 days of weaning period. Altogether, our study provides evidence that hepatic GNG and glycolysis in newborn piglets were more active than other days during suckling period, and early weaning could significantly suppressed glucose metabolism in liver, but this inhibition would progressively recover at day 7 after weaning.

Is the Small Intestine a Gluconeogenic Organ?

Gluconeogenesis is responsible for the maintenance of blood glucose levels as hepatic glycogen stores become depleted. Traditionally, only liver and kidney have been believed to be capable of gluconeogenesis, but a gluconeogenic capacity for the small intestine has recently been proposed. This possibility is supported by the expression of key gluconeogenic enzymes and radiolabeled tracer experiments, but these data are not unequivocal and alternative roles can explain the presence of gluconeogenic enzymes in this organ.

Nutritionally induced changes in the peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor-alpha gene expression in liver of suckling rats are dependent on insulinaemia

It was previously found that the expression of peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor-alpha (PPARalpha) was markedly augmented in the liver of suckling rats, in comparison to the fetuses and most notably to adult rats and it paralleled similar changes in hepatic lipid concentration. To determine whether these changes could be related to the high lipid content of the maternal milk and/or to hormonal status, the role of changes in nutrient availability and in plasma insulin concentration on liver expression during the perinatal stage in vivo in the rat was studied. When suckling rats were weaned on day 17, instead of on day 20, the level of hepatic PPARalpha mRNA decreased earlier than in rats weaned later. When 10-day-old rats were force-fed with either glucose or Intralipid or a combination of both diets, it was found that, at similar low levels of plasma insulin, a high level of FFA stimulated PPARalpha expression, whereas, at similar high plasma FFA concentrations, an elevated insulin level attenuated the increase in PPARalpha expression. It is proposed that both the high lipid intake and decreased plasma insulin level are responsible for the high PPARalpha expression detected in rat neonates.

Peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor-alpha expression in rat liver during postnatal development

The expression of the peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor-alpha (PPARalpha) as well as of some related genes was studied in rat liver at different stages of development (from 19-day-old fetuses to 1 month-old rats). The level of PPARalpha mRNA appeared higher in neonates than in fetuses or 1 month-old rats. Whereas the pattern for phosphoenolpyruvate carboxykinase (PEPCK) mRNA level was similar to that of PPARalpha, the mRNA level of both acyl-CoA oxidase (ACO) and apolipoprotein CIII (apo CIII) showed diverse profiles. Western blotting analysis also revealed an increased level of PPARalpha protein in liver of suckling rats. Similarities of mRNA PEPCK and PPARalpha expression indicate a common control mechanism, where both nutritional and hormonal factors may be involved.

Gluconeogenesis in the fetus and neonate

Gluconeogenesis (GNG), a key metabolic process, involves the formation of glucose and glycogen from non-glucose precursors via pyruvate. In the strict sense, it also includes the contribution of glycerol as well as recycled glucose carbon (Cori's cycle). The developmental expression of GNG in the fetus and newborn and the quantitative contribution of GNG to glucose has been extensively investigated in humans and other mammalian species. Data from studies in rodents, rabbits, and sheep fetuses show that the development of GNG is a well-orchestrated process that is regulated by the expression of specific factors involved in the transcription of the genes for specific regulating enzymes, which catalyze GNG. These transcription factors and the genes for gluconeogenic enzymes are expressed at specific time periods during development. Although the fetus has the potential for GNG, the actual formation of glucose from pyruvate is not apparent until after birth because the rate limiting enzyme phosphoenolpyruvate carboxykinase appears only after birth in the immediate newborn period. Several tracer isotope methods have been employed to quantify the contribution of GNG to glucose. Of these, the recently developed stable isotope techniques with deuterium labeled water and the mass isotopomer distribution analysis appear to be the most precise and easily applicable in human studies. The available data show that in the human newborn, GNG appears soon after birth and contributes 30% to 70% to glucose produced. Application of new molecular biology techniques, in combination with sensitive tracer isotopic methods, will allow us to identify and examine metabolic disorders that impact GNG and help develop intervention strategies.