Hepatic adenylate cyclase and phosphodiesterase activity during acute ethionine intoxication

Effects of acute ethionine injection on plasma ghrelin and obestatin levels in trained male rats

Ghrelin and obestatin are orexigenic and anorexigenic peptides, respectively, that are secreted from the stomach mucosa into the circulation. These peptides have opposing actions on food intake, weight gain, and adiposity. It is thought that ghrelin is sensitive to a negative energy environment and also plays a considerable role in short- and long-term energy balance and glucose homeostasis. It has been suggested that the levels of ghrelin and obestatin are upregulated by fasting, hypoglycemic status, and a physical-exercise-induced energy deficit. Ethionine (ETH), the ethyl analogue of methionine, has been shown to increase food intake, decrease adenosine triphosphate (ATP) and glycogen levels, and inhibit protein synthesis in the liver. The purpose of this study was to examine the effect of a single dose of ETH (0.7 mg/g of body weight) injection on resting plasma total ghrelin and obestatin concentrations in male trained rats. Thirty-two adult Wistar male rats weighing 180 to 200 g were randomly assigned to control (n = 16) and training (n =16) groups. The training group was exercised for 10 weeks (25 m/min, 0% grade, 60 minutes, and 5 d/wk). Seventy-two hours after the last exercise session, rats were injected with either saline (NaCl) or ETH and then killed. Ethionine compared with a NaCl injection resulted in significant (P < .013) reductions in resting hepatic ATP and glycogen levels, and in a significant (P < .001) increase in concentrations of plasma total ghrelin but not obestatin. The results indicate that ETH-induced liver ATP and glycogen deficiency could exert a powerful regulatory influence on plasma total ghrelin, but this is not the case for obestatin. Findings demonstrate the short-term energy-regulating capacity of ghrelin.

Rapid changes in glucose metabolism following the administration of ethionine: its role in regulating hepatic protein synthesis

The relationship between the changes in portal glucagon, insulin, glucose, and hepatic protein synthesis were investigated during ethionine intoxication. There was a 50% decrease in blood glucose, a seven-fold increase in portal glucagon and a 90% increase in portal insulin, all of which coincided temporally with the inhibition of hepatic protein synthesis. When reversal of ethionine intoxication was initiated with adenine it simultaneously restored blood glucose, insulin, glucagon, and protein synthesis. Protein synthesis could not be adequately restored by glucose, but in this case hepatic ATP levels did not increase. In addition, glucose given by stomach tube prior to ethionine did not prevent the action of ethionine, though it did maintain plasma glucose levels and prevented the decrease in plasma insulin and increase in plasma glucagon. These results show that in vivo regulation of hepatic protein synthesis during ethionine intoxication is not likely to be mediated by portal insulin, glucose, and glucagon.

Cyclic AMP binding activity in liver supernatants during acute ethionine intoxication

There is a significant increase in hepatic cAMP binding activity 4 hr following ethionine intoxication. This activity is localized to the 100, 000 g supernatant. The binding of cAMP by the 100, 000 g supernatant of controls can be increased to experimental levels simply by dialysis. The increased binding activity seen during ethionine intoxication can be reversed by the administration of adenine. Neither S-adenosyl ethionine, S-adenosyl methionine, S-adenosyl homocysteine, nor AMP compete effectively with cAMP for the binding protein. Increasing ADP concentrations stimulates cAMP binding whereas increasing ATP concentration inhibits cAMP binding. At concentrations seen during ethionine intoxication the effects of ADP and ATP were equal but opposite in direction.