Mechanisms of regulation of the partition of fatty acids between oxidation and esterification in the liver

Jersey steer ruminal papillae histology and nutrigenomics with diet changes

The transition from a high forage to a high concentrate diet is an important milestone for beef cattle moving from a stocker system to the feedlot. However, little is known about how this transition affects the rumen epithelial gene expression. This study assessed the effects of the transition from a high forage to a high concentrate diet as well as the transition from a high concentrate to a high forage diet on a variety of genes as well as ruminal papillae morphology in rumen fistulated Jersey steers. Jersey steers (n = 5) were fed either a high forage diet (80% forage and 20% grain) and transitioned to a high concentrate diet (20% forage and 80% grain) or a high concentrate diet (40% forage and 60% grain) and transitioned to a high forage diet (100% forage). Papillae from the rumen were collected for histology and RT‐qPCR analysis. Body weight had a tendency for significant difference (p = .08). Histological analysis did not show changes in papillae length or width in steers transitioning from a high forage to a high concentrate diet or vice versa (p > .05). Genes related to cell membrane structure (CLDN1, CLDN4, DSG1), fatty acid metabolism (CPT1A, ACADSB), glycolysis (PFKL), ketogenesis (HMGCL, HMGCS2, ACAT1), lactate/pyruvate (LDHA), oxidative stress (NQO1), tissue growth (AKT3, EGFR, EREG, IGFBP5, IRS1) and the urea cycle (SLC14A1) were considered in this study. Overall, genes related to fatty acid metabolism (ACADSB) and growth and development (AKT3 and IGFBP5) had a tendency for a treatment × day on trial interaction effect. These profiles may be indicators of rumen epithelial adaptations in response to changes in diet. In conclusion, these results indicate that changes in the composition of the diet can alter the expression of genes with specific functions in rumen epithelial metabolism.

Effect of a Sodium and Calcium DL-β-Hydroxybutyrate Salt in Healthy Adults

Background

Ketone body therapy and supplementation are of high interest for several medical and nutritional fields. The intake of ketone bodies is often discussed in relation to rare metabolic diseases, such as multiple acyl-CoA dehydrogenase deficiency (MADD), that have no alternatives for treatment. Case reports showed positive results of therapy using ketone bodies. The number of ketone body salts offered on the wellness market is increasing steadily. More information on the kinetics of intake, safety, and tolerance of these products is needed.

Methods

In a one-dose kinetic study, six healthy subjects received an intervention (0.5 g/kg bw) using a commercially available ketone body supplement. The supplement contained a mixture of sodium and calcium D-/L-β-hydroxybutyrate (βHB) as well as food additives. The blood samples drawn in the study were tested for concentrations of D-βHB, glucose, and electrolytes, and blood gas analyses were done. Data on sensory evaluation and observed side effects of the supplement were collected. The product also went through chemical food analysis.

Results

The supplement led to a significant increase of D-βHB concentration in blood 2.5 and 3 h after oral intake (p=0.033; p=0.043). The first significant effect was measured after 2 h with a mean value of 0.598 ± 0.300 mmol/L at the peak, which was recorded at 2.5 h. Changes in serum electrolytes and BGA were largely unremarkable. Taking the supplement was not without side effects. One subject dropped out due to gastrointestinal symptoms and two others reported similar but milder problems.

Conclusions

Intake of a combination of calcium and sodium D-/L-βHB salt shows a slow resorption with a moderate increase of D-βHB in serum levels. An influence of βHB salts on acid-base balance could not be excluded by this one-dose study. Excessive regular consumption without medical observation is not free of adverse effects. The tested product can therefore not be recommended unconditionally.

Dietary Caprylic Acid (C8:0) Does Not Increase Plasma Acylated Ghrelin but Decreases Plasma Unacylated Ghrelin in the Rat

Focusing on the caprylic acid (C8:0), this study aimed at investigating the discrepancy between the formerly described beneficial effects of dietary medium chain fatty acids on body weight loss and the C8:0 newly reported effect on food intake via ghrelin octanoylation. During 6 weeks, Sprague-Dawley male rats were fed with three dietary C8:0 levels (0, 8 and 21% of fatty acids) in three experimental conditions (moderate fat, caloric restriction and high fat). A specific dose-response enrichment of the stomach tissue C8:0 was observed as a function of dietary C8:0, supporting the hypothesis of an early preduodenal hydrolysis of medium chain triglycerides and a direct absorption at the gastric level. However, the octanoylated ghrelin concentration in the plasma was unchanged in spite of the increased C8:0 availability. A reproducible decrease in the plasma concentration of unacylated ghrelin was observed, which was consistent with a decrease in the stomach preproghrelin mRNA and stomach ghrelin expression. The concomitant decrease of the plasma unacylated ghrelin and the stability of its acylated form resulted in a significant increase in the acylated/total ghrelin ratio which had no effect on body weight gain or total dietary consumption. This enhanced ratio measured in rats consuming C8:0 was however suspected to increase (i) growth hormone (GH) secretion as an increase in the GH-dependent mRNA expression of the insulin like growth Factor 1 (IGF-1) was measured (ii) adipocyte diameters in subcutaneous adipose tissue without an increase in the fat pad mass. Altogether, these results show that daily feeding with diets containing C8:0 increased the C8:0 level in the stomach more than all the other tissues, affecting the acylated/total ghrelin plasma ratio by decreasing the concentration of circulating unacylated ghrelin. However, these modifications were not associated with increased body weight or food consumption.

Cattle genomics and its implications for future nutritional strategies for dairy cattle

The recently sequenced cattle (Bos taurus) genome unraveled the unique genomic features of the species and provided the molecular basis for applying a systemic approach to systematically link genomic information to metabolic traits. Comparative analysis has identified a variety of evolutionary adaptive features in the cattle genome, such as an expansion of the gene families related to the rumen function, large number of chromosomal rearrangements affecting regulation of genes for lactation, and chromosomal rearrangements that are associated with segmental duplications and copy number variations. Metabolic reconstruction of the cattle genome has revealed that core metabolic pathways are highly conserved among mammals although five metabolic genes are deleted or highly diverged and seven metabolic genes are present in duplicate in the cattle genome compared to their human counter parts. The evolutionary loss and gain of metabolic genes in the cattle genome may reflect metabolic adaptations of cattle. Metabolic reconstruction also provides a platform for better understanding of metabolic regulation in cattle and ruminants. A substantial body of transcriptomics data from dairy and beef cattle under different nutritional management and across different stages of growth and lactation are already available and will aid in linking the genome with metabolism and nutritional physiology of cattle. Application of cattle genomics has great potential for future development of nutritional strategies to improve efficiency and sustainability of beef and milk production. One of the biggest challenges is to integrate genomic and phenotypic data and interpret them in a biological and practical platform. Systems biology, a holistic and systemic approach, will be very useful in overcoming this challenge.

Acetate correction for postabsorption metabolism does not improve the [13C]mixed triacylglycerol breath test

OBJECTIVE

The [C]mixed triacylglycerol (MTG) breath test is a noninvasive measure of fat digestion. After absorption and oxidation, C appears in breath CO2. Recovery is no more than 50% in healthy subjects because of sequestration of acetate in intermediary metabolism. The aims of this study were to investigate interindividual variation and postabsorptive metabolism of MTG using oral [1-C]acetate and to examine the use of correction factors to account for the "missing" label.

PATIENTS AND METHODS

[C]mixed triacylglycerol and [1-C]acetate breath tests were performed on 8 healthy adults, 9 healthy children and 3 children with cystic fibrosis. Breath was sampled for 6 hours on each occasion. The enrichment of CO2 in breath was measured by isotope ratio mass spectrometry. Cumulative percentage dose recovered CO2 during the MTG test was corrected for label absorbed, but not completely oxidized using the cumulative percentage dose recovered during the acetate test.

RESULTS

Mean recovery of C during the [C]MTG test with an acetate correction was close to 100% in healthy subjects: 103.1% (SD, 11.6%) in adults and 98.9% (SD, 30.3%) in children, but the wide variance indicated that some of the assumptions governing the use of acetate corrections with oral tracers may not be valid.

CONCLUSION

The need to perform 2 tests, variation in physical activity between tests and differences in intermediary metabolism preclude the use of acetate correction factors when using [C]MTG to assess intraluminal fat digestion, especially in children.

Mechanisms of non-alcoholic steatohepatitis

In 1980, the term non-alcoholic steatohepatitis was coined to describe a new syndrome occurring in patients who usually were obese (often diabetic) females who had a liver biopsy picture consistent with alcoholic hepatitis, but who denied alcohol use. The causes of this syndrome were unknown, and there was no defined therapy. More than two decades later, this clinical syndrome is only somewhat better understood, and still there is no Food and Drug Administration-approved or even generally accepted drug therapy. Patients with primary non-alcoholic steatohepatitis typically have the insulin resistance syndrome (synonymous with the metabolic syndrome, syndrome X, and so forth), which is characterized by obesity, diabetes, hyperlipidemia, hypertension, and, in some instances, other metabolic abnormalities such as polycystic ovary disease. Secondary non-alcoholic steatohepatitis may be caused by drugs such as tamoxifen, certain industrial toxins, rapid weight loss, and so forth. The cause of non-alcoholic steatohepatitis remains elusive, but most investigators agree that a baseline of steatosis requires a second hit capable of inducing inflammation, fibrosis, or necrosis for non-alcoholic steatohepatitis to develop. Our research group has focused its efforts on the interactions of nutritional abnormalities, cytokines, oxidative stress with lipid peroxidation, and mitochondrial dysfunction in the induction of steatohepatitis, both alcoholic and non-alcoholic in origin. Research findings from other laboratories also support the role of increased cytokine activity, oxidative stress, and mitochondrial dysfunction in the pathogenesis of non-alcoholic steatohepatitis. The objectives of this article are to review the (1) definition and clinical features of non-alcoholic steatohepatitis, (2) potential mechanisms of non-alcoholic steatohepatitis, and (3) potential therapeutic interventions in non-alcoholic steatohepatitis.

Pathogenesis of alcoholic hepatic steatosis

Chronic alcohol misuse is the most common cause of hepatic steatosis. The accumulation of lipid is reversible with abstinence, but some workers have suggested that the severity of hepatic steatosis predicts the progression with time to alcoholic cirrhosis. Triacylglycerol is the major accumulating lipid and subcellular fractionation and electron microscopy studies have shown accumulation of lipid droplets within the golgi fraction. This is consistent with the reports in both experimental animals and man of reduced hepatic secretion of very low density lipoprotein triacylglycerol which may be secondary to acetaldehyde-induced disruption of the cytoskeletal elements. In addition, hepatic production of triacylglycerol increases, but most studies in animal models suggest that increased triacylglycerol synthesis becomes less important as hepatic lipid accumulates.

Cloning and tissue distribution of a carnitine palmitoyltransferase I gene in rainbow trout (Oncorhynchus mykiss)

The carnitine palmitoyltransferase I (EC.2.3.1.21; CPT I) mediates the transport of fatty acids across the outer mitochondrial membrane. In mammals, there are two different proteins CPT I in the skeletal muscle (M) and liver (L) encoded by two genes. The carnitine palmitoyltransferase system of lower vertebrates received little attention. With the aim of improving knowledge on the CPT family in fish, we examined CPT I cDNA and CPT activity in different tissues of rainbow trout (Oncorhynchus mykiss). Using RT-PCR, we successfully cloned a partial CPT I cDNA sequence (1650 bp). The predicted protein sequence revealed identities of 63% and 61% with human L-CPT I and M-CPT I, respectively. This mRNA is expressed in liver, white and red skeletal muscles, heart, intestine, kidney and adipose tissue of trout. This is in good agreement with the measurement of the CPT activity in the same tissues. The [IC(50)] that reflects the sensitivity to malonyl-CoA inhibition was 0.116+/-0.004 microM for the liver and 0.426+/-0.041 microM for the white muscle. These results demonstrate for the first time the existence of at least one gene encoding for CPT I present in both the liver and the muscle of rainbow trout.

Transport of milk constituents by the mammary gland

This review deals with the cellular mechanisms that transport milk constituents or the precursors of milk constituents into, out of, and across the mammary secretory cell. The various milk constituents are secreted by different intracellular routes, and these are outlined, including the paracellular pathway between interstitial fluid and milk that is present in some physiological states and in some species throughout lactation. Also considered are the in vivo and in vitro methods used to study mammary transport and secretory mechanisms. The main part of the review addresses the mechanisms responsible for uptake across the basolateral cell membrane and, in some cases, for transport into the Golgi apparatus and for movement across the apical membrane of sodium, potassium, chloride, water, phosphate, calcium, citrate, iodide, choline, carnitine, glucose, amino acids and peptides, and fatty acids. Recent work on the control of these processes, by volume-sensitive mechanisms for example, is emphasized. The review points out where future work is needed to gain an overall view of milk secretion, for example, in marsupials where milk composition changes markedly during development of the young, and particularly on the intracellular coordination of the transport processes that result in the production of milk of relatively constant composition at a particular stage of lactation in both placental and marsupial mammals.

Acyl-CoA synthetase activity in liver microsomes from calcium-deficient rats

A study on the kinetic properties of the nonspecific acyl-coenzyme A (CoA) synthetase activity in liver microsomal vesicles from both normal and calcium-deficient Wistar rats was carried out. After a 65-d treatment, the calcium-deficient diet reflected a 75% increase in the synthetase activity with respect to control animals. The apparent Vm was significantly enhanced, while the Km remained unchanged. We also provided experimental evidence about various fatty acids of different carbon length and unsaturation which depressed the biosynthesis of palmitoyl-CoA following different behaviors in control or calcium-deprived liver microsomes. In addition, we studied in detail the inhibition reflected by stearic, alpha-linolenic, or arachidonic acids, in the biosynthesis of palmitoyl-CoA in microsomal suspensions either from control or hypocalcemic rats. In control microsomes, stearic acid produced a pure competitive effect, while the other fatty acids followed a mixed-type inhibition. The competitive effect of stearic acid was not observed in calcium-deprived microsomes. At the same time, a mixed-type inhibition produced by either alpha-linolenic or arachidonic acid was diminished in deprived microsomes due to an increase in the noncompetitive component (alphaKi). These changes observed in apparent kinetic constants (Km, Vm, Ki, and alphaKi), as determined by Lineweaver-Burks and Dixon plots, were attributed to the important alterations in the physicochemical properties of the endoplasmic reticulum membranes induced by the calcium-deficient diet. The solubilization of the enzyme activity from both types of microsomes demonstrated that the kinetic behavior of the enzyme depends on the microenvironment in the membrane, and that the calcium ion plays a crucial role in determining the alterations observed.

Characteristics of L-carnitine transport by lactating rat mammary tissue

The transport of L-carnitine by lactating rat mammary tissue has been examined. L-carnitine uptake by rat mammary tissue explants isolated from lactating rats, 3-4 days post partum, was via both Na+-dependent and Na+-independent pathways. The Na+-dependent pathway, the predominant route for L-carnitine uptake, was a saturable process: the Km and Vmax were, respectively, 132 microM and 201 pmol/2 h/mg of intracellular water. The Na+-independent pathway, which was non-saturable, had a coefficient of 0.26 microl/mg of intracellular water/2 h. The Na+-dependent component of L-carnitine uptake by mammary tissue explants was cis-inhibited by D-carnitine and acetyl-L-carnitine, but not by choline or taurine. In contrast, the Na+-independent component of L-carnitine uptake was not affected by any of these compounds. The uptake of L-carnitine by mammary tissue isolated from lactating rats, 10-12 days post partum, was qualitatively similar to that by mammary tissue taken from rats during the early stage of lactation. However, L-carnitine uptake was quantitatively lower: this was attributable to a reduction in the Na+-dependent component of L-carnitine uptake. L-Carnitine efflux from rat mammary tissue taken from animals 3-4 days post partum, consisted of at least two components; a fast extracellular component and a slow membrane-limited component. Reversing the trans-membrane Na+-gradient did not stimulate L-carnitine efflux suggesting that the Na+-dependent L-carnitine carrier operates with asymmetrical kinetics. A hyposmotic shock, hence cell-swelling, increased L-carnitine efflux from mammary tissue explants.

Lipid molecular order in liver mitochondrial outer membranes, and sensitivity of carnitine palmitoyltransferase I to malonyl-CoA

Mitochondrial outer membranes were prepared from livers of rats that were in the normal fed state, starved for 48 h, or made diabetic by injection of streptozotocin. Membranes were also prepared from starved late-pregnant rats. The latter three conditions have previously been shown to induce varying degrees of desensitization of mitochondrial overt carnitine palmitoyltransferase (CPT I) to malonyl-CoA inhibition. We measured the fluorescence polarization anisotropy of two probes, 1,6-diphenyl-1,3,5-hexatriene (DPH) and 1-(4-trimethylammoniumphenyl)-6-phenyl-1,3,5-hexatriene-p-toluenes ulfonate (TMA-DPH) which, when incorporated into membranes, report on the hydrophobic core and on the peripheral regions of the bilayer, respectively. The corresponding polarization indices (rDPH and rTMA-DPH) were calculated. In membranes of all three conditions characterized by CPT I desensitization to malonyl-CoA, rDPH was decreased, whereas there was no change in rTMA-DPH, indicating that CPT I is sensitive to changes in membrane core, rather than peripheral, lipid order. The major lipid components of the membranes were analyzed. Although significant changes with physiological state were observed, there was no consistent pattern of changes in gross lipid composition accompanying the changes to membrane fluidity and CPT I sensitivity to malonyl-CoA. We conclude that CPT I kinetic characteristics are sensitive to changes in lipid composition that are localized to specific membrane microdomains.

Enrichment of carnitine palmitoyltransferases I and II in the contact sites of rat liver mitochondria

The submitochondrial distribution of the overt and latent carnitine palmitoyltransferases (CPT I and II respectively) of rat liver mitochondria were studied. Separation of outer and inner membranes, as well as of a fraction of intermediate density consisting of contact sites between the two membranes, was achieved, as judged by the distribution of marker enzymes. Both CPT I and CPT II were found to be enriched within the contact- site fraction of mitochondria. These data show that the two carnitine acyltransferases are distributed non-uniformly within their respective membranes, and that subpopulations of the two enzymes occur in close proximity within the mitochondrial membrane structure, while retaining their different accessibilities to cytosolic and matrix pools of metabolites. As the number of contact sites is known to vary with changes in the energy status of mitochondria, the possibility that such changes may acutely affect the proportion of CPT I within the distinctive lipid environment of the contact sites, and thus its overall kinetic characteristics, is discussed.

Sex differences in multiple steps in hepatic transport of palmitate support a balanced uptake mechanism

Hepatic clearance of long-chain fatty acids is substantially faster in females than in males, a fact that may underlie known gender-related differences in lipoprotein metabolism and associated disease states. To further investigate the transport steps responsible for this difference, we used a novel method combining multiple-indicator dilution and steady-state measurements of palmitate extraction from albumin solutions. We found that cytoplasmic transport of palmitate is sufficiently slow (diffusion constants 9.0 and 5.9 x 10(-9) cm2/s for male and female liver, respectively) that the steady-state concentration of palmitate in the center of the cell should be approximately 0.5 of that found in the cytoplasm just beneath the plasma membrane. Previous studies in cultured liver cells using nonphysiological fatty acids have shown more rapid cytoplasmic transport in females. This sex difference reflects higher concentrations of cytosolic fatty acid-binding protein, which acts as a carrier system to transport fatty acids across cell water layers. The current study confirmed slow cytoplasmic diffusion rates in intact perfused rat liver using a physiological fatty acid and found a similar female-to-male ratio. Female liver also had a greater influx rate constant and a larger vascular volume than male liver but had a similar rate of metabolism. Rapid cytoplasmic diffusion enhances movement of palmitate into deeper layers of the cell cytoplasm, thus reducing efflux. The larger sinusoidal volume in females not only permits more dissociation of palmitate from albumin within the sinusoids but also may generate a greater permeability-surface area product. These multiple sex-related differences combine to produce a nearly twofold greater steady-state uptake rate by female liver.

Identification of peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor ligands from a biased chemical library

BACKGROUND

The peroxisome proliferator-activated receptors (PPARs) were cloned as orphan members of the nuclear receptor superfamily of transcription factors. The identification of subtype-selective ligands for PPARalpha and PPARgamma has led to the discovery of their roles in the regulation of lipid metabolism and glucose homeostasis. No subtype-selective PPARdelta ligands are available and the function of this subtype is currently unknown.

RESULTS

A three-component library was designed in which one of the monomers was biased towards the PPARs and the other two monomers were chosen to add chemical diversity. Synthesis and screening of the library resulted in the identification of pools with activity on each of the PPAR subtypes. Deconvolution of the pools with the highest activity on PPARdelta led to the identification of GW 2433 as the first high-affinity PPARdelta ligand. [3H]GW 2433 is an effective radioligand for use in PPARdelta competition-binding assays.

CONCLUSIONS

The synthesis of biased chemical libraries is an efficient approach to the identification of lead molecules for members of sequence-related receptor families. This approach is well suited to the discovery of small-molecule ligands for orphan receptors.

Dietary fatty acids influence the activity and metabolic control of mitochondrial carnitine palmitoyltransferase I in rat heart and skeletal muscle

The fatty acid composition of the diet has been found to influence the activity and sensitivity of mitochondrial carnitine palmitoyltransferase I (CPT I; EC 2.3.1.21) to inhibition by malonyl CoA in rat heart and skeletal muscle. The nutritional state of rats has been shown to have less influence on the activity and metabolic control of mitochondrial CPT I in heart and skeletal muscle tissue than in the liver, a tissue in which CPT I activity and sensitivity to inhibition by malonyl CoA can be shown to be regulated acutely under different nutritional conditions. However, because manipulation of the nutritional state in these previous studies was restricted mainly to examining the effect of starvation, this study was undertaken to determine whether, as in liver, the fatty acid content and composition of the diet can regulate the activity and metabolic control of CPT I in heart and skeletal muscle. Rats were fed for up to 10 wk either a nonpurified low fat diet (30 g fat/kg) or a high fat diet (200 g fat/kg) containing one of the following five oil types: hydrogenated coconut oil (HCO), olive oil (OO), safflower oil (SO), evening primrose oil (EPO) or menhaden (fish) oil (MO). Feeding a diet enriched in MO had the most pronounced effect. Rats fed MO had a significantly greater skeletal muscle CPT I specific activity and tissue capacity, and a lower sensitivity of CPT I to malonyl CoA inhibition compared with rats fed a low fat diet, but the duration of feeding required to modulate this sensitivity was longer than that observed previously for the liver enzyme. Progressively greater sensitivity of heart CPT I to malonyl CoA occurred with feeding duration in all groups. These studies indicate that the fatty acid composition of the diet is involved in the regulation of mitochondrial CPT I activity in heart and skeletal muscle.

Regulation of mitochondrial outer-membrane carnitine palmitoyltransferase (CPT I): role of membrane-topology

The topology of the outer membrane carnitine palmitoyltransferase (CPT I) of rat liver mitochondria was studied systematically using several experimental approaches. Studies with immobilized malonyl-CoA and octanoyl-CoA showed that functionally the active and regulatory sites of CPT I are exposed on the outer (cytosolic) surface of the mitochondrial outer membrane. Anti-peptide antibodies generated against three linear peptide sequences that occur in between and on either side of two hydrophobic, putative transmembrane domains were used to (a) ascertain which were bound by intact mitochondria and mitochondria in which the outer membrane was permeabilized to proteins; and (b) to determine the size of fragments generated by limited proteolysis (by trypsin or proteinase K) of CPT I in intact or outer membrane-ruptured mitochondria. The sizes and immunoreactivity of the proteolytic fragments generated were correlated with the effects of the proteases on CPT I activity and malonyl-CoA sensitivity. The results of all the different approaches suggested the following: (i) CPT I has two transmembrane domains; (ii) both the N- and C-termini are exposed on the cytosolic side of the membrane; (iii) the linker region between the two transmembrane domains protrudes into the intermembrane space; (iv) both the active site and the malonyl-CoA-binding site are exposed on the cytosolic side of the membrane; (v) the amino-terminus of the protein interacts with the C-terminal domain of the protein to maintain the optimal conformation required for activity of the enzyme and its sensitivity to malonyl-CoA.

Ketone body metabolism in the Carp Cyprinus carpio: biochemical and 1H NMR spectroscopical analysis

In fed and starved carp, Cyprinus carpio, ketone body metabolism and those metabolic and endocrine factors that are known to induce ketogenesis in starving mammals were investigated. Acetoacetate was detected in plasma and liver of both fed and starved carp. We could not detect 3-hydroxybutyrate, neither by 1H-NMR spectroscopy nor by spectrophotometric assay, in spite of low activities of hepatic 3-hydroxybutyrate dehydrogenase. Starvation of carp did not create metabolic conditions that would favor ketone body synthesis: Mobilization and hepatic catabolism of fatty acids were only moderately enhanced, the rate of gluconeogenesis was not elevated, and glucagon levels as well as the glucagon/insulin-ratio remained stable or declined. Therefore, the discrepancy in the effect of food deprivation on mammalian and teleostean ketogenesis appears to be caused not by the absence of the ketogenic pathway from teleosts but by major differences between mammals and fish in their metabolic response to starvation.

Coenzyme A-dependent cleavage of membrane phospholipids in several rat tissues: ATP-independent acyl-CoA synthesis and the generation of lysophospholipids

Substantial amounts of acyl-CoA were formed when microsomes from several rat tissues were incubated with varying concentrations of free CoA and bovine serum albumin even in the absence of ATP and Mg2+. For instance, 86 nmol of acyl-CoA was produced when microsomes (5 mg protein) were incubated with 300 microM CoA for 30 min. It was calculated that 1.8% of total fatty acyl residues were converted to acyl-CoA during the incubation. No appreciable amount of acyl-CoA was formed from free fatty acid or from boiled microsomes under the same experimental conditions. These observations indicate that acyl-CoA is formed from microsomal lipids by an enzyme activity distinct from previously known long-chain fatty acyl-CoA synthetase. The apparent Km value for CoA and Vmax were 180 microM and 20 nmol/30 min per mg protein, respectively. We found that several species of acyl-CoA such as arachidonoyl-CoA were preferentially synthesized through the reaction and that several types of phospholipids actually act as acyl donors in the formation of acyl-CoA. Phosphatidylinositol and phosphatidylcholine appear to be preferred substrates. We confirmed that lysophosphatidylinositol and lysophosphatidylcholine were generated along with the formation of acyl-CoA. It seems very likely that CoA-mediated cleavage of phospholipids/ATP-independent acyl-CoA synthesis is implicated in the metabolism of certain types of fatty acyl residues of membranous phospholipids in mammalian cells.

Expression of liver carnitine palmitoyltransferase I and II genes during development in the rat

The enzyme activity and the expression (protein and mRNA concentrations) of genes encoding for hepatic carnitine palmitoyl-transferases (CPT) I and II were studied during neonatal development, in response to nutritional state at weaning and during the fed-starved transition in adult rats. The activity, the protein concentration and the level of mRNA encoding CPT I are low in foetal-rat liver and increase 5-fold during the first day of extra-uterine life. The activity and gene expression of CPT I are high during the entire suckling period, in the liver of 30-day-old rats weaned at 20 days on to a high-fat diet and in the liver of 48 h-starved adult rats. The activity and CPT I gene expression are markedly decreased in the liver of rats weaned on to a high-carbohydrate diet. By contrast, the activity, the protein concentration and the level of mRNA encoding CPT II are already high in the liver of term foetuses and remain at this level throughout the suckling period, irrespective of the nutritional state of the animals either at weaning or in the adult.

Inhibition of carnitine palmitoyltransferase I by hepatocyte swelling

Incubation of hepatocytes under conditions known to increase their volume, i.e. with amino acids (glutamine, proline) or in hypo-osmotic medium, decreased carnitine palmitoyl-transferase I (CPT-I) activity. This effect of hepatocyte swelling was antagonized by okadaic acid and dibutyryl-cAMP. Physiological concentrations of glutamate inhibited CPT-I activity in digitonin-permeabilized hepatocytes but not in isolated mitochondria. Results suggest that the amino acid-induced inhibition of CPT-I shares a common mechanism with the amino acid-induced stimulation of acetyl-CoA carboxylase and glycogen synthase [(1993) Eur. J. Biochem. 217, 1083-1089].

Carnitine metabolism during exercise

Carnitine is an important cofactor for normal cellular metabolism. Optimal utilization of fuel substrates for ATP generation by skeletal muscle during exercise is dependent on adequate carnitine stores. During short periods of exercise the skeletal muscle carnitine pool is largely segregated from extracellular carnitine. In normal human subjects, only minimal changes in the muscle carnitine pool are observed during exercise at work loads below the lactate threshold. In contrast, at work-loads above the lactate threshold the muscle total carnitine is redistributed from carnitine to acetylcarnitine, with the acetylcarnitine content correlated with the muscle acetyl-CoA and lactate contents. In contrast, in patients with peripheral arterial disease, an accumulation of acylcarnitines is observed at all work loads. Patients with chronic renal failure who are on hemodialysis demonstrate a poor exercise capability which is correlated with a decrease in muscle carnitine content. Carnitine supplementation has been shown to improve exercise tolerance in both peripheral arterial disease and hemodialysis patients. Further work is needed to define the mechanism by which exogenous carnitine improves exercise performance in order to better define potential patient populations for therapy and to facilitate optimal dosing regimens.

Effects of lovastatin on hepatic fatty acid metabolism

The in vitro and in vivo effects of lovastatin on fatty acid metabolism were studied in isolated rat hepatocytes. When added in vitro to cell incubations, lovastatin stimulated de novo fatty acid synthesis and acetyl-CoA carboxylase activity, whereas fatty acid synthase activity was unaffected. Lovastatin depressed palmitate, but not octanoate, oxidation. This may be attributed to the lovastatin-induced increase in intracellular malonyl-CoA levels, as no concomitant change of carnitine palmitoyltransferase I (CPT-I) specific activity was detected. Lovastatin had no effect on the synthesis and secretion of triacylglycerols and phospholipids in the form of very low density lipoproteins (VLDL). When rats were fed a diet supplemented with 0.1% (w/w) lovastatin for one week, both acetyl-CoA carboxylase activity and de novo fatty acid synthesis were reduced compared to pair-fed controls, whereas fatty acid synthase activity was unaffected. Palmitate oxidation was enhanced in the lovastatin-fed group. There was an increase in CPT-I activity but no change in intracellular concentration of malonyl-CoA. Lovastatin feeding had no significant effect either on the esterification of exogenous palmitic acid into both cellular and VLDL triacylglycerols and phospholipids or on hepatic lipid accumulation. The in vitro and in vivo effects of lovastatin were not significantly different between periportal and perivenous hepatocytes.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)

A top-down control analysis in isolated rat liver mitochondria: can the 3-hydroxy-3-methylglutaryl-CoA pathway be rate-controlling for ketogenesis?

We incubated isolated liver mitochondria with palmitoyl-CoA, 2,4-dinitrophenol and malonate. Under these conditions all the flux of carbon from palmitoyl-CoA was directed towards acetoacetate synthesis. We measured the rate of acetyl-CoA formation from palmitoyl-CoA (by measuring the rate of oxygen consumption) and the rate of acetoacetate production from acetyl-CoA at three different acetyl-CoA/CoA ratios. Using the top-down approach of metabolic control analysis we calculated the control over ketogenesis exerted by (a) the conversion of extramitochondrial palmitoyl-CoA to intramitochondrial acetyl-CoA and by (b) the conversion of acetyl-CoA to acetoacetate (the 'HMG-CoA pathway'). The overall flux control coefficients of the groups of enzymes involved in (a) and (b) over ketogenesis were 0.28 and 0.72, respectively. Our results show that it is possible for significant control to be exerted over ketogenesis by the enzymes of the HMG-CoA pathway.

Early effects on mitochondrial and peroxisomal beta-oxidation by the hypolipidemic 3-thia-fatty acids in rat livers

A single administration of 3-thiadicarboxylic and tetradecylthioacetic acids stimulates both mitochondrial and peroxisomal beta-oxidation and lowers plasma triacylglycerol levels. An increased rate of mitochondrial beta-oxidation and carnitine palmitoyl-transferase activity was established after 3 h and this was accompanied by a lowering of plasma triacylglycerol. Peroxisomal beta-oxidation, however, remained unchanged up to 8 h and was significantly increased after 12 h. These results suggest that after a single administration of 3-thia fatty acids mitochondrial beta-oxidation precedes peroxisomal beta-oxidation. Furthermore, they show that the observed tricylglycerol-lowering effect, which is established early (3-4 h) after the administration of 3-thia fatty acids, is initially due to an increased mitochondrial beta-oxidation.

Monitoring of changes in hepatic fatty acid and glycerolipid metabolism during the starved-to-fed transition in vivo. Studies on awake, unrestrained rats

1. The technique of selective labelling of hepatic fatty acids in vivo [Moir and Zammit (1992) Biochem. J. 283, 145-149] has been used to monitor non-invasively the metabolism of fatty acids in the livers of awake unrestrained rats during the starved-to-refed transition. Values for the incorporation of labelled fatty acid into liver and plasma glycerolipids and into exhaled carbon dioxide after injection of labelled lipoprotein and Triton WR 1339 into rats with chronically cannulated jugular veins were obtained for successive 1 h periods from the start of refeeding of 24 h-starved rats. 2. Starvation for 24 h resulted in marked and reciprocal changes in the incorporation of label into glycerolipids and exhaled 14CO2, such that a 4-fold higher value was obtained for the oxidation/esterification ratio in livers of starved rats compared with fed animals. 3. Refeeding of starved rats did not return this ratio to the value observed for fed animals for at least 7 h; during the first 3 h of refeeding the ratio was at least as high as that for starved rats. Between 4 h and 6 h of refeeding the ratio was still approx. 70% of that in starved animals, and 2.5-fold higher than in fed rats. 4. These data support the hypothesis that the capacity of the liver to oxidize fatty acids is maintained at a high level during the initial stages of refeeding [Grantham and Zammit (1986) Biochem. J. 239, 485-488] and that control of the flux of hepatic fatty acids into the oxidative pathway is largely lost from the reaction catalysed by mitochondrial overt carnitine palmitoyltransferase (CPT I) during this phase of recovery from the starved state. 5. Refeeding also resulted in a rapid (< 1 h) increase in hepatic malonyl-CoA concentrations to values intermediate between those in livers of fed and starved animals. The sensitivity of CPT I to malonyl-CoA inhibition in isolated liver mitochondria was only partially reversed even after 5 h of refeeding. 6. Refeeding resulted in an acute 35% inhibition of the fraction of synthesized triacylglycerol that was secreted into the plasma; the maximal effect occurred 2-3 h after the start of refeeding. The inhibition of the fractional secretion rate was fully reversed after 5 h of refeeding. 7. The amount of 14C label that was incorporated into phospholipids as a fraction of total glycerolipid synthesis was doubled within 2 h of the start of refeeding.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 400 WORDS)

Activity of carnitine palmitoyltransferase in mitochondrial outer membranes and peroxisomes in digitonin-permeabilized hepatocytes. Selective modulation of mitochondrial enzyme activity by okadaic acid

A procedure is described for the rapid measurement of the activity of mitochondrial-outer-membrane carnitine palmitoyltransferase (CPTo) and peroxisomal carnitine palmitoyltransferase (CPTp) in digitonin-permeabilized hepatocytes. CPTo activity was determined as the tetradecylglycidate (TDGA)-sensitive malonyl-CoA-sensitive CPT activity, whereas CPTp activity was monitored as the TDGA-insensitive malonyl-CoA-sensitive CPT activity. Under these experimental conditions, the respective contributions of CPTo and CPTp to total hepatocellular malonyl-CoA-sensitive CPT activity were 74.6 and 25.4%, which correlated well with the values of 76.9 and 23.1% for the respective contributions of the mitochondrial and the peroxisomal compartment to total hepatocellular palmitate oxidation. The sensitivity of CPTo to inhibition by malonyl-CoA was very similar to that of CPTp; thus 50% inhibition of CPTo and CPTp activities was achieved with malonyl-CoA concentrations of 2.6 +/- 0.5 and 3.0 +/- 0.4 microM respectively. Short-term incubation of hepatocytes with the phosphatase inhibitor okadaic acid (i) increased the activity of CPTo and the rate of mitochondrial palmitate oxidation, (ii) decreased the affinity of CPTo for palmitoyl-CoA substrate, and (iii) decreased the sensitivity of CPTo to inhibition by malonyl-CoA. By contrast, neither the properties of CPTp nor the rate of peroxisomal palmitate oxidation were changed upon incubation of cells with okadaic acid. Results indicate therefore that CPTo, but not CPTp, may be regulated by a mechanism of phosphorylation/dephosphorylation. The physiological relevance of these findings is discussed.

Factors influencing triacylglycerol synthesis in permeabilized rat hepatocytes

Rat hepatocytes were treated with Staphylococcus aureus alpha-toxin to permeabilize their plasma membrane for low-molecular-mass compounds. During incubation with 1 mM labelled fatty acid, phosphatidate and, less clearly, lysophosphatidate rapidly reached a steady state, whereas labelled diacylglycerol accumulated to some extent, at least in the absence of exogenous CDP-choline. Esterification and oxidation were linearly related to the fatty acid concentration, and there was no indication for saturation with acyl-CoA. However, when permeabilized cells were incubated with labelled sn-glycerol 3-phosphate and 1 mM unlabelled fatty acid, glycerolipid synthesis and the level of esterification intermediates reached a plateau between 0.25 and 0.50 mumol of the triose phosphate/ml. The synthesis of phosphatidylcholine was dependent on addition of CDP-choline. In presence of the latter, diacylglycerol no longer accumulated and triacylglycerol synthesis was suppressed, although the sum of synthesized diacylglycerol, triacylglycerol and phosphatidylcholine remained constant. This indicates that the same pool of diacylglycerol is shared by choline-phosphotransferase and diacylglycerol acyltransferase and that the relative activity of these enzymes depends on the CDP-choline supply. Comparison of the levels of the esterification intermediates with the activity of the respective steps of the pathway reveals that, at a fixed fatty acid concentration, glycerophosphate acyltransferase determines the esterification rate, whereas lysophosphatidate acyltransferase and, at low CDP-choline levels, diacylglycerol acyltransferase approach saturation at elevated sn-glycerol 3-phosphate concentration. There is, however, no indication for a regulatory role of phosphatidate phosphohydrolase in this system. The significance of these findings for the regulation of triacylglycerol synthesis under conditions in vivo is discussed.

Selective labelling of hepatic fatty acids in vivo. Studies on the synthesis and secretion of glycerolipids in the rat

1. We describe a method for the selective labelling of hepatic fatty acids in the rat in vivo. It relies on (i) the rapid and preferential uptake of cholesteryl ester from chylomicron and/or very-low-density-lipoprotein remnants by the liver [Holder, Zammit & Robinson (1990) Biochem. J. 272, 735-741] (without prior exchange of the ester to other lipoproteins in the plasma), and (ii) the very short half-life of the cholesteryl ester in the liver. The 14C-labelled fatty acid moiety generated by cholesteryl ester hydrolysis was shown to be utilized by the liver for glycerolipid synthesis in a very similar pattern to that demonstrated for exogenous fatty acids by isolated cultured hepatocytes in previous studies. 2. Starvation (24 h) was shown to decrease the proportion of fatty acid utilized for glycerolipid synthesis, but to result in a proportionately smaller effect on incorporation into phospholipid. This was accompanied by a decrease in the fraction of synthesized triacylglycerol that was secreted by the liver. 3. Streptozotocin-diabetes did not affect the phospholipid/triacylglycerol ratio, but resulted in a small, but significant, decline in the fraction of triacylglycerol secreted by the liver. 4. In both starved and diabetic animals fatty acid esterification to the glycerol moiety constituted a smaller proportion of the total disposal of label. 5. These findings appear to validate the present method for the selective labelling of liver fatty acids in vivo in a non-invasive manner. Other possible uses for the method are suggested.

Okadaic acid stimulates carnitine palmitoyltransferase I activity and palmitate oxidation in isolated rat hepatocytes

Okadaic acid parallely increased carnitine [corrected] palmitoyltransferase I activity and the rate of palmitate oxidation in isolated rat hepatocytes. Nevertheless, okadaic acid had no significant effect on the rate of octanoate oxidation. Maximal effects of okadaic acid were similar and non-additive to those of dibutyryl-cAMP, forskolin and glucagon. Results indicate that carnitine palmitoyltransferase I activity may be controlled by a mechanism of phosphorylation/dephosphorylation.

Regulation of in vitro metabolism of palmitate by carnitine and propionate in liver from dairy cows

Regulation of in vitro palmitate metabolism by carnitine and propionate was investigated in liver obtained by biopsy from fasted nonlactating cows and from cows during early lactation. Liver slices from nonlactating cows during a 7-d fast esterified less palmitate than those from the same cows before fasting. Carnitine added in vitro increased hepatic oxidation and decreased esterification of palmitate in fed cows, but effects of carnitine were less during fasting. Propionate added in vitro decreased oxidation of palmitate; the effect was greater during fasting. In liver slices from cows during early lactation, carnitine increased oxidation and total utilization of palmitate and decreased palmitate esterification. Addition of tetradecylglycidic acid, an inhibitor of carnitine palmitoyltransferase I, prevented the carnitine-induced changes in palmitate metabolism. Substantial carnitine-independent oxidation of palmitate was observed in the presence of tetradecylglycidic acid. Tetradecylglycidic acid decreased esterification of palmitate to triglycerides but increased esterification to diglycerides. Effects of tetradecylglycidic acid and either propionate or pyruvate on palmitate oxidation were additive, indicating that propionate and pyruvate affect palmitate oxidation at sites other than carnitine palmitoyltransferase I. No interactions were detected between carnitine and propionate, but both compounds were potent regulators of palmitate metabolism in liver slices from cows during early lactation.

Rat liver outer mitochondrial carnitine palmitoyltransferase activity towards long-chain polyunsaturated fatty acids and their CoA esters

The activity of the overt form of rat liver mitochondrial carnitine palmitoyltransferase or CPT0 (EC 2.3.1.21) towards different fatty acid substrates was studied. The following non-esterified fatty acids (NEFA) and their CoA esters in the presence of 1% bovine serum albumin (BSA) were tested: 16:0, 18:0, 18:1, 18:2, 18:3 omega 3, 20:4, 20:5 omega 3 and 22:6 omega 3. The data fit a square hyperbolic model for enzyme catalysis (p less than 0.001, non-linear regression). Asymptotic Vmax and K0.5, substrate concentration at one-half Vmax, were calculated using total concentrations of acyl-CoA, or unbound concentrations of NEFA. BSA was found to act as a true substrate reservoir for NEFA in that the dissociation of the NEFA-BSA complex was 10-330 times faster than the CPT0 reaction. Regardless of form (NEFA or CoA ester), 18:3 omega 3 gave the highest, while 22:6 omega 3 and 18:0 gave the lowest rates of acylcarnitine synthesis. Except for 18:3 omega 3 and 18:2, Vmax for NEFA was generally lower than for acyl-CoA, with the greatest differences observed for 20:4, 20:5 omega 3 and 22:6 omega 3, suggesting that acyl-CoA synthesis may also be important in the control of the entry of these fatty acids into the mitochondria. The data provide an enzymatic rationale for the relatively low content of 18:3 omega 3 in esterified lipid.

The effect of palmitoyl-CoA binding to albumin on the apparent kinetic behavior of carnitine palmitoyltransferase I

Substrate saturation plots of carnitine palmitoyltransferase I activity from isolated rat liver mitochondria vs. palmitoyl-CoA concentration in the presence of bovine serum albumin have been reported to yield sigmoidal kinetics. Under identical assay conditions we have confirmed these observations as reflected by nonlinear Lineweaver-Burke plots (1/vi vs. 1/[S]) an average Hill coefficient of napp. = 1.98 +/- 0.09 (Mean +/- S.E. from four separate experiments). For these determinations the enzyme activity was plotted against the total [palmitoyl-CoA] in the presence of 0.13% bovine serum albumin. Utilizing the total [palmitoyl-CoA] to determine the kinetic properties of carnitine palmitoyltransferase I would be valid only if the relationship between total and free [palmitoyl-CoA] was linear, which is not the case as we have previously shown. When carnitine palmitoyltransferase I substrate saturation kinetics were reanalyzed using the previously determined free [palmitoyl-CoA]'s, the plots revealed a shift to standard hyperbolic kinetics. This observation was confirmed by an average Hill coefficient of napp. = 1.04 +/- 0.10 (Mean +/- S.E.) and linear Lineweaver-Burke plots. The double-reciprocal plots from these analyses yielded an average S0.5 of 2.55 +/- 0.82 microM (Mean +/- S.E.) palmitoyl-CoA and Vmax of 19.69 +/- 5.48 nmol/min per mg protein. These studies clearly demonstrate the importance of defining the free [palmitoyl-CoA] when analyzing the kinetics of carnitine palmitoyltransferase I in the presence of bovine serum albumin.

Sensitivity of inhibition of rat liver mitochondrial outer-membrane carnitine palmitoyltransferase by malonyl-CoA to chemical- and temperature-induced changes in membrane fluidity

We have tested the possibility that alterations in the fluidity of the outer membrane of rat liver mitochondria could result in changes in the sensitivity of overt carnitine palmitoyltransferase (CPT I) to malonyl-CoA [Zammit (1986) Biochem. Soc. Trans. 14. 676-679]. The sensitivity of CPT I to malonyl-CoA inhibition was measured by using highly purified mitochondrial outer membranes prepared from fed or 48 h-starved rats in the presence and absence of agents that increase membrane fluidity by perturbing membrane lipid order [benzyl alcohol, isoamyl alcohol (3-methylbutan-l-ol) and 2-(2-methoxyethoxy)ethyl-8-(cis-2-n-octylpropyl)octanoate (A2C)]. All these agents resulted in marked decreases in the ability of malonyl-CoA to inhibit CPT I. This effect was accompanied by a modest increase in the absolute activity of CPT I in the absence of malonyl-CoA when the short-chain alcohols were used, but not when A2C was used, suggesting that the effect of increased membrane fluidity to decrease the malonyl-CoA sensitivity of CPT I may occur independently from other actions that may affect more directly the active site of the enzyme. In confirmation of the potential importance of fluidity changes, we showed that a marked increase in sensitivity of CPT I to malonyl-CoA could be produced when assays were performed at lower temperatures than those normally employed. These observations are discussed in the context of the slowness of the changes in CPT I sensitivity to malonyl-CoA inhibition that are induced by physiological perturbations.

Simultaneous stimulation of fatty acid synthesis and oxidation in rat hepatocytes by vanadate

When added to the hepatocyte incubation medium, vanadate increased the rate of fatty acid synthesis de novo as well as the activity of acetyl-CoA carboxylase, whereas it had no effect on the activity of fatty acid synthase. On the other hand, and despite elevating the intracellular levels of malonyl-CoA, vanadate diverted exogenous fatty acids into the oxidation pathway at the expense of the esterification route. This was concomitant to an increase in carnitine palmitoyltransferase I activity. All these effects were not significantly different between periportal and perivenous hepatocytes and were also evident in cells incubated in Ca2(+)-free medium. Nevertheless, Ca2+ ions enhanced carnitine palmitoyltransferase I activity in isolated liver mitochondria. In addition, the effects of vanadate on acetyl-CoA carboxylase and carnitine palmitoyltransferase I were only evident in a permeabilized-cell assay, disappearing upon cell disruption and isolation of the corresponding cell subfraction for enzyme assay. Results show that vanadate exerts specific insulin-like and non-insulin-like effects on hepatic fatty acid metabolism, and suggest that the intracellular concentration of malonyl-CoA is not the only factor responsible for the regulation of the fatty-acid-oxidative process in the liver.

Alterations in the regulatory properties of hepatic fatty acid oxidation and carnitine palmitoyltransferase I activity after ethanol feeding and withdrawal

The effects of prolonged ethanol feeding on the regulatory properties of both hepatic fatty acid oxidation and carnitine palmitoyltransferase I activity (CPT-I) were studied in rats fed a high-fat diet containing 36% of total calories as ethanol (ethanol group) or an isocaloric amount of carbohydrate (control group). Prolonged ethanol feeding progressively decreased CPT-I activity and increased enzyme sensitivity and sensitization to inhibition by malonyl-CoA in liver mitochondria. Similarly, long-term ethanol feeding progressively increased the sensitivity of CPT-I, as well as that of fatty acid oxidation, to inhibition by 4-hydroxyphenylglyoxylate. Short-term addition of ethanol or acetaldehyde to the incubations markedly increased the sensitivity of CPT-I to inhibition by malonyl-CoA in a subsequent assay in hepatocytes isolated from ethanol-treated rats, but not in cells from control animals. This effect may be mediated by the ethanol- or acetaldehyde-induced increase of intracellular malonyl-CoA levels. The present results show that ethanol feeding to rats leads to profound alterations in the regulatory properties of hepatic CPT-I, which seem to be determinant for the decreased capacity of fatty acid oxidation by the liver in this state. Nevertheless, all the above-mentioned alterations of the fatty acid oxidative system were reversible, disappearing after 2 to 4 days of ethanol withdrawal.

Glucagon activates mitochondrial 3-hydroxy-3-methylglutaryl-CoA synthase in vivo by decreasing the extent of succinylation of the enzyme

1. 3-Hydroxy-3-methylglutaryl-CoA (HMG-CoA) synthase (EC 4.1.3.5) in extracts of rat liver mitochondria can be inactivated by succinyl-CoA and activated by incubation in a medium designed to cause desuccinylation ('desuccinylation medium'). 2. The enzyme is less active in extracts of whole liver from control rats than from rats treated with glucagon or mannoheptulose. Incubation in desuccinylation medium raises the activity in extracts from control rats to the same value as treated rats, suggesting that the extent of succinylation in vivo is greater in controls than in hormone-treated animals. 3. This result is also obtained in liver homogenates and in isolated mitochondria. 4. Increasing the succinyl-CoA content of mitochondria to the same high level lowers the enzyme activity to the same value in mitochondria isolated from control or treated rats. In each case subsequent incubation of the lysates in desuccinylation medium raises the enzyme activity by the same extent. 5. Measurement of the incorporation of radiolabel from 2-oxo[5-14C]glutarate into protein is consistent with the proposal that all these changes in activity in isolated mitochondria may be explained by changes in the extent of succinylation of the enzyme. 6. From these data and our earlier work we conclude that, in vivo, mitochondrial HMG-CoA synthase in fed rats is normally substantially succinylated (about 40%) and inactivated, and that glucagon increases the activity of HMG-CoA synthase by lowering the concentration of succinyl-CoA and thus decreasing the extent of succinylation of the enzyme (to less than 10%). This may be an important control mechanism in ketogenesis.

Zonation of fatty acid metabolism in rat liver

Fatty acid metabolism was studied in periportal and perivenous hepatocytes isolated by the method of Chen & Katz [Biochem. J. (1988) 255, 99-104]. The rate of fatty acid synthesis and the activity of acetyl-CoA carboxylase were markedly enhanced in perivenous hepatocytes as compared with periportal cells. However, the response of these two parameters to short-term modulation by cellular effectors such as the hormones insulin and glucagon, the phorbol ester 4 beta-phorbol 12 beta-myristate 13 alpha-acetate and the xenobiotics ethanol and acetaldehyde was similar in the two zones of the liver. In addition, perivenous hepatocytes showed a higher capacity of esterification of exogenous fatty acids into both cellular and very-low-density-lipoprotein lipids. Nevertheless, no difference between the two cell sub-populations seemed to exist in relation to the secretion of very-low-density lipoproteins. On the other hand, the rate of fatty acid oxidation was increased in periportal cells. This could be accounted for by a higher activity of carnitine palmitoyltransferase I and a lower sensitivity of this enzyme to inhibition by malonyl-CoA in the periportal zone. No differences were observed between periportal and perivenous hepatocytes in relation to the short-term response of fatty acid oxidation and carnitine palmitoyltransferase I activity to the cellular modulators mentioned above. In conclusion, our results show that: (i) lipogenesis is achieved at higher rates in the perivenous zone of the liver, whereas the fatty-acid-oxidative process occurs with a certain preference in the periportal area of this organ; (ii) the short-term response of the different fatty-acid-metabolizing pathways to cellular effectors is quantitatively similar in the two zones of the liver.

Translocation to rat liver mitochondria of phosphatidate phosphohydrolase

When a particle-free supernatant fraction from rat liver was incubated at 37 degrees C with mitochondria and oleate, some of the enzyme phosphatidate phosphohydrolase (PAP), initially present in the particle-free supernatant, was recovered, after the incubation, bound to mitochondria. This translocation of PAP from cytosol to mitochondria was stimulated by oleate or palmitate in a similar fashion to the stimulation of translocation of PAP to endoplasmic reticulum [Martin-Sanz, Hopewell & Brindley (1984) FEBS Lett. 175, 284-288]. Translocation of PAP from particle-free supernatant to a partially purified mitochondrial-outer-membrane preparation was also stimulated by oleate. More PAP was bound to a mitochondrial-outer-membrane fraction washed in 0.5 M-NaCl before resuspension in sucrose than to a sucrose-washed mitochondrial-outer-membrane preparation. In contrast, washing of microsomal membranes in 0.5 M-NaCl did not enhance the binding of PAP to these membranes. PAP also binds to phosphatidate-loaded mitochondria or microsomes (microsomal fractions). In the experimental system employed, more PAP bound to mitochondria loaded with phosphatidate than to microsomes loaded with phosphatidate. The results are discussed in relation to the role of mitochondrial phosphatidate in liver lipid metabolism.