Fatty acids and glycerol or lactate are required to induce gluconeogenesis from alanine in isolated rabbit renal cortical tubules

Proinsulin C-peptide potentiates the inhibitory action of insulin on glucose synthesis in primary cultured rabbit kidney-cortex tubules: Metabolic studies

Effects of equimolar concentrations of proinsulin C-peptide and insulin on glucose synthesis were studied in primary cultures of rabbit kidney-cortex tubules grown in the presence of alanine, glycerol, and octanoate. The rhodamine-labeled C-peptide entered renal tubular cells and localized in nuclei, both in the presence and absence of insulin; preincubations with the unlabeled compound inhibited internalization. C-peptide did not affect glucose formation when added alone but potentiated the inhibitory action of insulin by about 20% due to a decrease in flux through glucose-6-phosphate isomerase (GPI) and (or) glucose-6-phosphatase (G6Pase). GPI inhibition was caused by: (i) increased intracellular contents of fructose-1,6-bisphosphate and fructose-1-phosphate, inhibitors of the enzyme and (ii) reduced level of the phosphorylated GPI, which exhibits higher enzymatic activity in the presence of casein kinase 2. A decrease in flux through G6Pase, due to diminished import of G6P by G6P-transporter from the cytoplasm into endoplasmic reticulum lumen, is also suggested. The data show for the first time that in the presence of insulin and C-peptide, both GPI and G6P-ase may act as regulatory enzymes of renal gluconeogenic pathway.

PPAR-gamma-independent inhibitory effect of rosiglitazone on glucose synthesis in primary cultured rabbit kidney-cortex tubules

Therapeutic effect of rosiglitazone has been reported to result from an improvement of insulin sensitivity and inhibition of glucose synthesis. As the latter process occurs in both liver and kidney cortex the aim of this study was to elucidate the rosiglitazone action on glucose formation in both tissues. Primary cultured cells of both liver and kidney cortex grown in defined medium were use throughout. To identify the mechanism responsible for drug-induced changes, intracellular gluconeogenic intermediates and enzyme activities were determined. In contrast to hepatocytes, the administration of a 10 micromol/L concentration of rosiglitazone to renal tubules resulted in about a 70% decrease in the rate of gluconeogenesis, accompanied by an approximately 75% decrease in alanine utilization and a 35% increase in lactate synthesis. The effect of rosiglitazone was not abolished by GW9662, the PPAR-gamma irreversible antagonist, indicating that this action is not dependent on PPAR-gamma activation. In view of rosiglitazone-induced changes in gluconeogenic intermediates and a diminished incorporation of 14CO2 into pyruvate, it is likely that the drug causes a decline in flux through pyruvate carboxylase and (or) phosphoenolpyruvate carboxykinase. It is likely that the hypoglycemic action of rosiglitazone is PPAR-gamma independent and results mainly from its inhibitory effects on renal gluconeogenesis.

Differential effects of selegiline on glucose synthesis in rabbit kidney-cortex tubules and hepatocytes. In vitro and in vivo studies

The action of selegiline, a selective and irreversible inhibitor of monoamine oxidase B, commonly applied in the therapy of Parkinson's disease, on glucose formation was investigated in isolated rabbit hepatocytes and kidney-cortex tubules, maintaining the whole body glucose homeostasis via gluconeogenic pathway activity. An intensive hepatic metabolism of selegiline resulted in formation of selegiline-N-oxide, desmethylselegiline, methamphetamine and amphetamine, whereas during slow degradation of the drug in freshly isolated renal tubules selegiline-N-oxide was mainly produced. At 100 microM concentration selegiline markedly diminished glucose synthesis in isolated renal tubules incubated with dihydroxyacetone or alanine+glycerol+octanoate (by about 60 and 30%, respectively), while at 5 microM concentration a similar degree of inhibition was achieved in renal tubules grown in primary culture under the same conditions (about 40 and 60%, respectively). Moreover, desmethylselegiline and selegiline-N-oxide considerably diminished glucose production in renal tubules whereas selegiline and its metabolites did not affect gluconeogenesis in hepatocytes. Contrary to control animals, following selegiline administration to alloxan-diabetic rabbits for 8 days (10 mg kg(-1) body wt. daily) the blood glucose and serum creatinine levels were significantly diminished, suggesting a decrease in renal gluconeogenesis and improvement of kidney functions. Since in renal tubules selegiline induced a decline in the intracellular levels of gluconeogenic intermediates and ATP content accompanied by a decrease in oxygen consumption in both kidney-cortex and hepatic mitochondria it seems possible that its inhibitory action on renal gluconeogenesis might result from an impairment of mitochondrial function, while an intensive selegiline metabolism in hepatocytes causes decrease of its concentration and in consequence no inhibition of gluconeogenesis. In view of these observations it is likely that an increased risk of selegiline-induced hypoglycemia might be expected particularly in patients exhibiting an impairment of liver function and following transdermal administration of this drug, i.e. under conditions of increased serum selegiline concentrations.

Differential effects of selenium compounds on glucose synthesis in rabbit kidney-cortex tubules and hepatocytes. In vitro and in vivo studies

Although selenium is taken with diet mainly as selenoamino acids, its hypoglycaemic action on hepatic gluconeogenesis has been studied with the use of inorganic selenium derivatives. The aim of the present investigation was to compare relative efficacies of inorganic and organic selenium compounds in reducing glucose synthesis in hepatocytes and renal tubules, significantly contributing to the glucose homeostasis. In contrast to hepatocytes, both selenite and methylselenocysteine inhibited renal gluconeogenesis by about 40-45% in control rabbits. Selenate did not affect this process, whereas selenomethionine inhibited gluconeogenesis by about 20% in both hepatocytes and renal tubules. In contrast to methylselenocysteine, selenite decreased intracellular ATP content, glutathione reduced/glutathione oxidized (GSH/GSSG) ratio and pyruvate carboxylase, PEPCK and FBPase activities, while methylselenocysteine diminished PEPCK activity due to elevation of intracellular 2-oxoglutarate and GSSG, inhibitors of this enzyme. Experiments in vivo indicate that in 3 of 9 alloxan-diabetic rabbits treated for 14 days with methylselenocysteine (0.182mg/kg body weight) blood glucose level was normalized, whereas in all diabetic rabbits plasma creatinine and urea levels decreased from 2.52+/-0.18 and 87.4+/-9.7 down to 1.63+/-0.11 and 39.0+/-2.8, respectively. In view of these data selenium supplementation might be beneficial for protection against diabetes-induced nephrotoxicity despite selenium accumulation in kidneys and liver.

Suramin-induced reciprocal changes in glucose and lactate synthesis in renal tubules contribute to its hyperglycaemic action

Suramin is the drug of choice for the treatment of African trypanosomiasis and onchocerciasis. It is also tested for its potential use as an anticancer agent and chemosensitizer. As suramin has been reported to induce hyperglycaemia, its effect on glucose formation has been studied in isolated rabbit hepatocytes and kidney-cortex tubules. In contrast to hepatocytes, in kidney-cortex tubules suramin augments glucose production and decreases lactate formation. Suramin-induced changes in intracellular gluconeogenic/glycolytic intermediates indicate a decrease in flux through pyruvate-phosphoenolpyruvate step. Moreover, this compound diminishes pyruvate kinase activity in kidney-cortex cytosolic fraction, while fructose-1,6-bisphosphate ameliorates its inhibitory action. As (i) kidneys are important contributors to the whole body glucose homeostasis and (ii) suramin is known to accumulate in kidney, suramin-induced stimulation of glucose formation in renal tubules might be responsible for hyperglycaemia observed in patients undergoing suramin treatment.

Melatonin-induced modulation of glucose metabolism in primary cultures of rabbit kidney-cortex tubules

The effect of melatonin on glucose metabolism in the presence and absence of insulin has been investigated in the primary cultures of renal tubules grown in a defined medium. In the absence of glucose in the medium containing 5 microg/mL of insulin and 2 mm alanine + 5 mm glycerol + 0.5 mm octanoate, 100 nm melatonin stimulated both glucose and lactate synthesis, while in the medium devoid of insulin melatonin action was negligible. Melatonin-induced increase in glucose and lactate synthesis was accompanied by an enhancement of alanine and glycerol consumption. In view of measurements of [U-14C]L-alanine and [U-14C]L-glycerol incorporation into glucose, it is likely that melatonin increased alanine utilization for glucose production, while accelerated lactate synthesis was because of an enhanced glycerol consumption. As (i) 10 nm luzindole attenuated the stimulatory action of melatonin on glucose formation and (ii) the indole induced a decrease in intracellular cAMP level, it seems likely that in renal tubules melatonin binds to ML1 membrane receptor subtype. In view of a decline of intracellular fructose-1,6-bisphosphate content accompanied by a significant rise in hexose-6-phosphate and glucose levels, melatonin might result in an acceleration of flux through fructose-1,6-bisphosphatase probably because of an increase in the active, dephosphorylated form of this enzyme. Thus, the administration of melatonin in combination with insulin might be beneficial for diabetic therapy because of protection against hypoglycemia.

Glucose activates H+-ATPase in kidney epithelial cells

The vacuolar H+-ATPase (V-ATPase) acidifies compartments of the vacuolar system of eukaryotic cells. In renal epithelial cells, it resides on the plasma membrane and is essential for bicarbonate transport and acid-base homeostasis. The factors that regulate the H+-ATPase remain largely unknown. The present study examines the effect of glucose on H+-ATPase activity in the pig kidney epithelial cell line LLC-PK1. Cellular pH was measured by performing ratiometric fluorescence microscopy using the pH-sensitive indicator BCECF-AM. Intracellular acidification was induced with NH3/NH4+prepulse, and rates of intracellular pH (pHi) recovery (after in situ calibration) were determined by the slopes of linear regression lines during the first 3 min of recovery. The solutions contained 1 μM ethylisopropylamiloride and were K+free to eliminate Na+/H+exchange and H+-K+-ATPase activity. After NH3/NH4+-induced acidification, LLC-PK1cells had a significant pHirecovery rate that was inhibited entirely by 100 nM of the V-ATPase inhibitor concanamycin A. Acute removal of glucose from medium markedly reduced V-ATPase-dependent pHirecovery activity. Readdition of glucose induced concentration-dependent reactivation of V-ATPase pHirecovery activity within 2 min. Glucose replacement produced no significant change in cell ATP or ADP content. H+-ATPase activity was completely inhibited by the glycolytic inhibitor 2-deoxy-d-glucose (20 mM) but only partially inhibited by the mitochondrial electron transport inhibitor antimycin A (20 μM). The phosphatidylinositol 3-kinase (PI3K) inhibitor wortmannin (500 nM) abolished glucose activation of V-ATPase, and activity was restored after wortmannin removal. Glucose activates V-ATPase activity in kidney epithelial cells through the glycolytic pathway by a signaling pathway that requires PI3K activity. These findings represent an entirely new physiological effect of glucose, linking it to cellular proton secretion and vacuolar acidification.

Relationship between gluconeogenesis and glutathione redox state in rabbit kidney-cortex tubules

The intracellular glutathione redox state and the rate of glucose formation were studied in rabbit kidney-cortex tubules. In the presence of substrates effectively utilized for glucose formation, ie, aspartate + glycerol + octanoate, alanine + glycerol + octanoate, malate, or pyruvate, the intracellular reduced glutathione/oxidized glutathione (GSH/GSSG) ratios were significantly higher than those under conditions of negligible glucose production. Changes in the intracellular GSH/GSSG ratio corresponded to those in glucose-6-phosphate content and reduced nicotinamide adenine dinucleotide phosphate/oxidized nicotinamide adenine dinucleotide phosphate (NADPH/NADP(+)) ratio obtained from malate/pyruvate measurements. Gluconeogenesis stimulation by extracellular adenosine triphosphate (ATP) or inosine caused an elevation of the intracellular GSH/GSSG and NADPH/NADP(+) ratios, as well as glucose-6-phosphate level. Surprisingly, in the presence of 5 mmol/L glucose, both the intracellular GSH/GSSG and NADPH/NADP(+) ratios and glucose-6-phosphate content were almost as low as under conditions of negligible glucose synthesis. L-buthionine sulfoximine (BSO)-induced decline in both the intracellular glutathione level and redox state resulted in inhibition of gluconeogenesis accompanied by accumulation of phosphotrioses and a decrease in fructose-1,6-bisphosphate content, while cysteine precursors altered neither GSH redox state nor the rate of glucose formation. In view of the data, it seems likely that: (1) intensive gluconeogenesis rather than extracellular glucose is responsible for maintaining a high intracellular GSH/GSSG ratio due to effective glucose-6-phosphate delivery for NADPH generation via the pentose phosphate pathway; (2) a decline in the intracellular glutathione level and/or redox state causes a decrease in glucose synthesis resulting from a diminished flux through aldolase; (3) induced by cysteine precursors, elevation of the intracellular GSH level does not affect the rate of glucose formation, probably due to no changes in the intracellular GSH/GSSG ratio.

Purinergic regulation of glucose and glutamine synthesis in isolated rabbit kidney-cortex tubules

The effects of extracellular purinergic agonists and their breakdown products on glucose and glutamine synthesis in rabbit kidney-cortex tubules incubated with aspartate + glycerol or alanine + glycerol + octanoate were investigated. A rapid extracellular degradation of ATP was accompanied by an accumulation of AMP, inosine, and hypoxanthine. Extracellular ATP and its breakdown products accelerated glucose synthesis in renal tubules, while ammonium released from adenine-containing compounds enhanced glutamine synthesis and diminished the degree of gluconeogenesis stimulation. In contrast to AMP and inosine, ATP evoked calcium signals, while both ATP and inosine decreased intracellular cAMP content and accelerated the flux through fructose-1,6-bisphosphatase as concluded from changes in gluconeogenic intermediates. Since (i) the activity of partially purified renal fructose-1,6-bisphosphatase was increased upon protein phosphatase-1 treatment and decreased following treatment of previously dephosphorylated enzyme with protein kinase A catalytic subunit and (ii) both 8-bromoadenosine 3',5'-cyclic monophosphate and 8-(4-chlorophenyltio)-cAMP inhibited renal glucose synthesis, it seems likely that in rabbit renal tubules ATP and inosine stimulate gluconeogenesis via cAMP decrease, which favors the appearance of a more active, dephosphorylated form of fructose-1,6-bisphosphatase, a key gluconeogenic enzyme.

Inhibition of gluconeogenesis by vanadium and metformin in kidney-cortex tubules isolated from control and diabetic rabbits

Effect of vanadyl acetylacetonate (VAc) and metformin on gluconeogenesis has been studied in isolated hepatocytes and kidney-cortex tubules of rabbit. Glucose formation from alanine+glycerol+octanoate, pyruvate or dihydroxyacetone was inhibited by 50-80% by 100 microM VAc or 500 microM metformin in renal tubules of control and alloxan-diabetic animals, while the inhibitory action of these compounds in hepatocytes was less pronounced (by about 20-30%). In contrast to VAc, metformin increased the rate of lactate formation by about 2-fold in renal tubules incubated with alanine+glycerol+octanoate. In view of VAc-induced changes in intracellular gluconeogenic intermediates and gluconeogenic enzyme activities, it is likely that this compound may decrease fluxes through pyruvate carboxylase, phosphoenolpyruvate carboxykinase, fructose-1,6-bisphosphatase and glucose-6-phosphatase. In contrast to VAc, metformin-induced decrease in renal gluconeogenesis may result from a decline of cytosolic oxaloacetate level and consequently PEPCK activity. Following 6 days of VAc administration (1.275 mg Vkg(-1) body weight daily) the blood glucose level in alloxan-diabetic rabbits was normalised while blood glucose changes in control animals were not observed. On the contrary, in diabetic animals treated for 6 days with metformin (200 mg kg(-1) body weight day(-1)) a high blood glucose level was maintained. Unfortunately, VAc-treated control and diabetic rabbits exhibited elevated serum urea and creatinine levels. In VAc-treated animals vanadium was accumulated in kidney-cortex up to 7.6+/-0.6 microg Vg(-1) dry weight. In view of a potential vanadium nephrotoxicity a therapeutic application of vanadium compounds needs a critical re-evaluation.

The inhibition of gluconeogenesis by chloroquine contributes to its hypoglycaemic action

The effect of chloroquine on gluconeogenesis in isolated hepatocytes and kidney-cortex tubules of rabbit has been studied. The inhibitory action of 200 microM chloroquine was the highest in hepatocytes and renal tubules incubated with glutamine and glutamate+glycerol+octanoate, respectively, while in the presence of other substrates the drug action was less pronounced. With amino acids as substrates, the inhibition of gluconeogenesis was accompanied by a decreased glutamine production, resulting from a decline of glutamate dehydrogenase activity. A decrease in the urea production by hepatocytes incubated with chloroquine in the presence of glutamine but not NH4Cl as the source of ammonium is in agreement with this suggestion. The degree of inhibition by chloroquine of the rate of gluconeogenesis in renal tubules isolated from control rabbits was similar to that determined in diabetic animals. Chloroquine-induced changes in levels of intracellular gluconeogenic intermediates indicate a decrease in phosphoenolpyruvate carboxykinase and glucose-6-phosphatase activities probably due to increased concentration of 2-oxoglutarate, an inhibitor of these two enzymes. In view of the data, it is likely that inhibition by chloroquine of glucose formation in liver and kidney may contribute to the hypoglycaemic action of this drug. The importance of the inhibitory effect of chloroquine on glutamate dehydrogenase activity in the antihyperglycaemic action of the drug is discussed.