Palmitic acid uptake by the rat soleus muscle in vitro

Abstract: The rate of fatty acid uptake, oxidation, and deposition in skeletal muscles in relation to total and unbound to albumin fatty acids concentration in the medium were investigated in the incubated rat soleus muscle. An immunohistochemical technique was applied to demonstrate whether the albumin-bound fatty acid complex from the medium penetrates well within all areas of the muscle strips. It was found that the percentage of incorporation of palmitic acid into intramuscular lipids was fairly constant, independently of the fatty acid concentration in the medium, and amounted to 63-72% for triacylglycerols, 7-12% for diacylglycerols-monoacylglycerols, and 19-26% for phospholipids. Both palmitic acid incorporation into the muscle triacylglycerol stores and its oxidation to CO2 closely correlated with an increase in both total and unbound to albumin fatty acid concentrations in the incubation medium. Under conditions of increased total but constant unbound to albumin palmitic acid concentrations, the incorporation of palmitic acid into triacylglycerols and its oxidation to CO2 were also increased, but to a lower extent. This supports the hypothesis that the cellular fatty acid metabolism depends not only on the availability of fatty acids unbound to albumin, but also on the availability of fatty acids complexed to albumin.

Palmitic acid uptake by the rat soleus muscle in vitro

The rate of fatty acid uptake, oxidation, and deposition in skeletal muscles in relation to total and unbound to albumin fatty acids concentration in the medium were investigated in the incubated rat soleus muscle. An immunohistochemical technique was applied to demonstrate whether the albumin-bound fatty acid complex from the medium penetrates well within all areas of the muscle strips. It was found that the percentage of incorporation of palmitic acid into intramuscular lipids was fairly constant, independently of the fatty acid concentration in the medium, and amounted to 63–72% for triacylglycerols, 7–12% for diacylglycerols-monoacylglycerols, and 19–26% for phospholipids. Both palmitic acid incorporation into the muscle triacylglycerol stores and its oxidation to CO2closely correlated with an increase in both total and unbound to albumin fatty acid concentrations in the incubation medium. Under conditions of increased total but constant unbound to albumin palmitic acid concentrations, the incorporation of palmitic acid into triacylglycerols and its oxidation to CO2were also increased, but to a lower extent. This supports the hypothesis that the cellular fatty acid metabolism depends not only on the availability of fatty acids unbound to albumin, but also on the availability of fatty acids complexed to albumin.Key words: skeletal muscle, fatty acids, triacylglycerols, phospholipids.

[Mechanisms for tissue transport of fatty acids]

Fatty acids (FA) play an important role in energy metabolism. They are not only used as substrates for energy production but are also involved in many other metabolic pathways. However, the exact mechanisms by which FA are taken up by the cells are not yet fully understood. Fatty acids circulating in blood cross the cell membranes partly via a mechanism facilitated by plasma membrane proteins and partly via a passive diffusion mechanism, the former mechanism being of major importance.

Triacylglycerol synthesis in the different skeletal muscle fiber sections of the rat

Triacylglycerol (TG) synthesis rates of low-oxidative fast-twitch white and high-oxidative fast- and slow-twitch red skeletal muscle fiber sections of adult rats were measured by the incorporation of perfusate-derived palmitate into the neutral lipid fraction by use of a perfused hindquarter preparation under high-flow conditions. The perfusion medium consisted of 95% O2-5% CO2 Krebs-Henseleit buffer, pH 7.4, containing 5 g/100 ml bovine serum albumin, 100 microU/ml insulin, 5 mmol/l glucose, amino acids, and added fatty acids (FA), including 0.1 microCi/ml [3H]palmitate. FA incorporation was linear with time. TG synthesis rates correlated (r > or = 0.90) with the oxidative capacity of each of the different fiber type sections and increased in proportion to the perfusate FA concentration (0.25, 0.5, 1.0, 1.5, and 2.0 mmol/l). TG synthesis rates among different muscle fiber sections were related (r > or = 0.90) to perfusate flow during high-flow conditions; however, this was not causal, because TG synthesis rates within each muscle fiber section were independent of flow rate when experimentally varied over an approximately threefold range. Thus the relatively high TG synthesis rates observed in the high-oxidative muscle sections are not uniquely related to their high-flow capacities but are inherent to the TG synthesis process, probably events associated with FA uptake and/or capacity of the TG synthesis pathway.

Effects of saturated and polyunsaturated fat enriched diet on the skeletal muscle insulin sensitivity in young rats

The purpose of this study was to evaluate the effect of diets enriched with fat containing different amounts (30% or 60% total energy) of either saturated (SF) or polyunsaturated fatty acids (PUFA) on glucose tolerance in vivo and insulin sensitivity of glucose utilisation by the soleus muscle in vitro. Young rats were maintained for 28 days after weanling on diets containing either sunflower oil (PUFA), animal fat (butter+lard - SF) or the standard laboratory chow (controls). The sunflower oil added to a diet in moderate quantities (30% total energy) improved the total glucose tolerance, while the diets containing high percentage of PUFA (60%) and moderate or high contents of SF caused impairment of glucose tolerance. The diet with 30% of total energy derived from sunflower oil increased the in vitro sensitivity of glucose utilisation to insulin by the soleus muscle, while in contrast, higher proportions of energy given in a form of PUFA as well as the diets enriched with animal fat impaired the sensitivity of this process to insulin. It is also important to note that the synthesis of glycogen in muscles taken from the rats fed high percentage of saturated fatty acid was found unresponsible to insulin. It is concluded that composition of dietary fat has a profound effect on carbohydrate tolerance and the response of muscle glucose metabolism to insulin. It seems likely that this effect may be at least partly mediated by changes in locally produced prostaglandins.

Exercise-induced improvement in the sensitivity of the rat soleus muscle to insulin is reversed by chloroadenosine--the adenosine receptor agonist

The effect of 2-chloroadenosine on the sensitivity of the soleus muscle to insulin was measured after rats had been subjected to a single bout of exercise for 1 h at 20 m x min-1. An increased sensitivity of glycolysis to insulin measured in vitro by both lactate production and glucose transport was observed following the acute exercise. This process was reversed by the addition of 2-chloroadenosine, an adenosine receptor agonist, to the incubation medium. This agent had no effect on the exercise-induced increase in the sensitivity of glycogen synthesis to insulin in the same muscle preparation. Our findings confirm earlier studies suggesting that improved insulin sensitivity of glucose utilization by skeletal muscles after endurance exercise may be at least partly explained by an alteration in the adenosine concentration or changes in the properties of adenosine receptors in soleus muscle.

Electrical stimulation partly reverses the muscle insulin resistance caused by tenotomy

It was shown that 15-min electrical stimulation of the rat sciatic nerve greatly increases the in vitro measured sensitivity of lactate formation, glucose transport, and glycogen synthesis to insulin, impaired by previous tenotomy. The insulin sensitivity of all these processes was, however, still below that found in the stimulated intact soleus muscle. Extending the stimulation up to 30 min did not cause any further changes in insulin sensitivity either in tenotomized or in intact muscles.

Effects of insulin and a tumour promoter, TPA, on glucose transport and metabolism in retinal pigmented epithelium in vitro

We have studied the effects of insulin, adenosine and 12-O-tetradecanoylphorbol-13-acetate (TPA) on glucose metabolism of the retinal pigmented epithelial (RPE) cells in vitro. Insulin stimulates glucose transport, glucose oxidation and lipogenesis in RPE cells. TPA at low concentrations of insulin increases the rates of glucose transport and glucose oxidation. Depletion of adenosine in RPE cells by adenosine deaminase increases the rate of both glucose transport and 14CO2 formation and improves insulin-sensitivity of both processes. The effects of TPA on RPE cells cannot be explained by the activation of protein kinase C. An alternative possibility is that the effects of TPA on insulin-stimulated glucose disposal in RPE cells is mediated by a change in adenosine concentration and/or the affinity/number of its receptors.

Characterization of the adenosine receptor modulating insulin action in rat skeletal muscle

The pharmacological profile of adenosine receptors in rat soleus muscle has been investigated by studying the effects of A1-and A2-selective adenosine receptor agonists on glucose utilization and the system A amino acid transporter under conditions where adenosine has been reported to exert a modulatory action on these insulin-sensitive processes. In the presence of adenosine deaminase and a sub-maximally effective concentration of insulin (50 microU/ml), the A1-selective agonists N6-cyclopentyladenosine and R(-)-N6-(2-phenylisopropyl)adenosine (R(-)PIA) caused concentration-dependent inhibitions of 2-deoxy[3H]glucose 6-phosphate and alpha-[14C]methylaminoisobutyric acid accumulations, but had no effect on the rate of [14C]glucose incorporation into glycogen, in incubated soleus muscle strips. These effects on glucose transport/phosphorylation and system A amino acid transport could be antagonized by 8-cyclopentyl-1,3- dipropylxanthine and 8-phenyltheophylline. The A2-selective adenosine receptor agonists CGS 21680 and 2-(phenylamino)adenosine were much less potent in their inhibition of these metabolic processes. These data support the proposal that adenosine exerts a post-receptor insulin-modulatory action in skeletal muscle and strongly suggest that this action is mediated by A1 adenosine receptors: the possible intracellular signalling mechanism(s) for this hormone-modulatory effect of adenosine are discussed.

Effect of endurance and sprint exercise on the sensitivity of glucose metabolism to insulin in the epitrochlearis muscle of sedentary and trained rats

The effects of two types of acute exercise (1 h treadmill running at 20 m.min-1, or 6 x 10-s periods at 43 m.min-1, 0 degree inclination), as well as two training regimes (endurance and sprint) on the sensitivity of epitrochlearis muscle [fast twitch (FT) fibres] to insulin were measured in vitro in rats. The hormone concentration in the incubation medium producing the half maximal stimulation of lactate (la) production and glycogen synthesis was determined and used as an index of the muscle insulin sensitivity. A single period of moderate endurance as well as the sprint-type exercise increased the sensitivity of la production to insulin although the rate of la production enhanced markedly only after sprint exercise at 10 and 100 microU.ml-1 of insulin. These effects persisted for up to 2 h after the termination of exercise. Both types of exercise significantly decreased the muscle glycogen content, causing a moderate enhancement in the insulin-stimulated rates of glycogen synthesis in vitro for up to 2 h after exercise. However, a significant increase in the sensitivity of this process to insulin was found only in the muscle removed 0.25 h after the sprint effort. Training of the sprint and endurance types increased insulin-stimulated rates of glycolysis 24 h after the last period of exercise. The sensitivity of this process to insulin was also increased at this instant. Both types of training increased the basal and maximal rates of glycogen synthesis, as well as the sensitivity of this process to insulin at the 24th h following the last training session.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)

Sensitivity of the soleus muscle to insulin in resting and exercising rats with experimental hypo- and hyper-thyroidism

1. The effects of hypothyroidism (caused by surgical thyroidectomy followed by treatment for 1 month with propylthiouracil) and of hyperthyroidism [induced by subcutaneous administration of L-tri-iodothyronine (T3)] on glucose tolerance and skeletal-muscle sensitivity to insulin were examined in rats. Glucose tolerance was estimated during 2 h after subcutaneous glucose injection (1 g/kg body wt.). The sensitivity of the soleus muscle to insulin was studied in vitro in sedentary and acutely exercised animals. 2. Glucose tolerance was impaired in both hypothyroid and hyperthyroid rats in comparison with euthyroid controls. 3. In the soleus muscle, responsiveness of the rate of lactate formation to insulin was abolished in hypothyroid rats, whereas the sensitivity of the rate of glycogen synthesis to insulin was unchanged. In hyperthyroid animals, opposite changes were found, i.e. responsiveness of the rate of glycogen synthesis was inhibited and the sensitivity of the rate of lactate production did not differ from that in control sedentary rats. 4. A single bout of exercise for 30 min potentiated the stimulatory effect of insulin on lactate formation in hyperthyroid rats and on glycogen synthesis in hypothyroid animals. 5. The data suggest that thyroid hormones exert an interactive effect with insulin in skeletal muscle. This is likely to be at the post-receptor level, inhibiting the effect of insulin on glycogen synthesis and stimulating oxidative glucose utilization.

Effect of various types of acute exercise and exercise training on the insulin sensitivity of rat soleus muscle measured in vitro

Effects of acute exercise varying in duration and intensity, as well as of two training regimes (endurance and sprint training) on the sensitivity of the soleus muscle of rat to insulin was measured in vitro and compared in rats. As an index of the muscle insulin sensitivity the hormone concentration in the incubation medium which would produce half maximum stimulation of lactate production (LA) and glycogen synthesis was determined. A single bout of moderate endurance exercise (60 min treadmill running at 20 m x min-1, 0 degrees inclination) increased the rate of LA production at the hormone concentrations used and increased the sensitivity of the process to insulin at 0.25 and 2 h but not 24 h after termination of exercise. Similar though less pronounced effects were found after heavy endurance exercise (30 min at 25 m x min-1, 10 degrees), but sprint exercise (6 x 10 s bouts at 43 m x min-1, 0 degrees) had no influence on the insulin sensitivity of the soleus muscle. The rate of glycogen synthesis in vitro was accelerated after endurance exercise, but the sensitivity of this process to insulin was unaffected by the preceding exercise. Endurance training for 5 weeks caused marked enhancement of sensitivity of both LA production and glycogen synthesis to insulin, which persisted for at least 48 h after the last training session. No changes in the soleus muscle sensitivity to insulin were found after sprint training. It is concluded that the increased insulin sensitivity of glucose utilization by skeletal muscle which occurs after endurance exercise and particularly during endurance training can substantially contribute to improved carbohydrate tolerance.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)

Effects of prolonged elevation of plasma adrenaline concentration in vivo on insulin-sensitivity in soleus muscle of the rat

1. Prolonged elevation of the plasma adrenaline concentration was produced in rats by implantation of adrenaline-releasing retard-tablets. With this technique, a hyperadrenalinaemic state is maintained for at least 5 days. 2. At 6 h after implantation of the retard-tablet it was found that plasma glucose and fatty acid concentrations increased and insulin concentration decreased compared with values obtained from placebo-tablet-implanted rats. Administration of a subcutaneous glucose load demonstrated an impaired glucose tolerance in vivo, and incubation of soleus muscle strips from 6 h-hyperadrenalinaemic rats in vitro demonstrated a decreased sensitivity of the rates of glycolysis and glucose transport to insulin. 3. The sensitivities of the rates of glycolysis, glucose transport and glycogen synthesis to insulin were determined for the incubated soleus muscle preparation isolated from animals after 48 h, 72 h and 120 h duration of hyperadrenalinaemia. At 48 h after retard-tablet implantation, the sensitivity of the processes of glucose transport and glycolysis was decreased; at 72 h, the insulin-sensitivities of the rates of glycolysis and glucose transport in skeletal muscle were similar to those determined for control animals; at 120 h, however, the sensitivities of the processes of glucose transport and glycolysis were both statistically significantly increased. In contrast, no changes in the sensitivity of the process of glycogen synthesis were observed at any of the time intervals studied. 4. The possible biochemical basis for the observed changes in skeletal-muscle insulin-sensitivity with prolonged hyperadrenalinaemia is discussed.

Effects of chronic administration of vanadate to the rat on the sensitivity of glycolysis and glycogen synthesis in skeletal muscle to insulin

Male Wistar rats were given sodium orthovanadate in their drinking water for at least 14 days. This treatment increased the hypoglycaemic effect of intravenously administered insulin and increased the sensitivity of isolated soleus muscle strips to insulin with respect to both glycolytic and glycogen synthetic rates. This effect of chronic vanadate administration was shown not to be a consequence of a change in the insulin binding characteristics of soleus muscle. It is suggested that these changes may be brought about by the interaction of vanadate with insulin-mediated alterations in tyrosine kinase/phosphotyrosyl phosphatase activities.

Exercise-induced changes in lipoprotein lipase activity (LPLA) in skeletal muscles of the dog

The aim of this work was to study the effect of physical exercise on muscle lipoprotein lipase activity (LPL) in dogs. Existence of two forms of LPL: heparin releasable and unreleasable was demonstrated in skeletal muscles, and the changes in the activity of both forms were followed during 3 h treadmill running, using biopsy samples taken from m. biceps femoris. During the first two hours of exercise the heparin releasable form of LPL was progressively increasing, whereas the heparin unreleasable form of the enzyme was decreasing. Thus, a significant negative correlation between activities of the two forms was ascertained (r = 0.72, P less than 0.01). In the final period of exercise, activity of the heparin releasable form of LPL tended to stabilize on the enhanced level, and activity of the heparin unreleasable form increased. In the further series of experiments a relationship between exercise intensity and activity of the heparin releasable form of LPL was studied during 1 h exercise bouts. A significant positive correlation (r = 0.84, P less than 0.001) was ascertained between LPL activity and intensity of work. A comparison between LPL activity in the muscle engaged in exercise (m. biceps femoris) and nonactive muscle (m. coccygeus) revealed that the enhancement of the enzyme activity during physical work does not occur in the latter.

IN CONCLUSION

it was found that physical exercise induces a marked intensity-dependent increase of LPL activity in working muscles, which is probably caused by an elevated transport of the enzyme molecules from the muscle cells to the intravascular space. The latter suggestion is based on the reciprocal changes of the heparin releasable and unreleasable (probably intracellular) forms of LPL.

The effect of prostaglandins E1, E2 and F2 alpha and indomethacin on the sensitivity of glycolysis and glycogen synthesis to insulin in stripped soleus muscles of the rat

Prostaglandins E1 and E2 increased the sensitivity of glycolysis to insulin in the isolated stripped soleus muscle of the rat, but prostaglandin F2 alpha had no effect. Indomethacin, which inhibits prostaglandin formation, markedly decreased the sensitivity of glycolysis to insulin. These findings suggest that prostaglandins of the E series increase the sensitivity of muscle glycolysis to insulin in vivo.

Reversal of dietary-induced insulin resistance in muscle of the rat by adenosine deaminase and an adenosine-receptor antagonist

Transfer of young rats from a maintenance diet to a breeding diet plus 10% sucrose in the drinking water for 4 weeks caused the development of insulin resistance. Inclusion of the enzyme adenosine deaminase or the adenosine-receptor antagonist 8-phenyltheophylline caused a marked increase in the sensitivity of the soleus-muscle strips isolated from the diet-induced insulin-resistant rats: the concentration of insulin giving 50% of maximum response of glycolysis shifted from 500 to less than 20 microunits/ml.

Increased insulin sensitivity in soleus muscle from cold-exposed rats: reversal by an adenosine-receptor agonist

The effect of 0.5, 2, 7 and 14 days cold exposure at 4 degrees C on insulin sensitivity was investigated in the stripped soleus muscle preparation incubated in vitro. Cold-exposure for 2 or 7 days increased the sensitivity of glycolysis, but did not affect the sensitivity of glycogen synthesis to insulin. Cold-exposure for 0.5 or 14 days had no effect on the sensitivity of either process to insulin. The increased sensitivity to insulin after exposure of animals to the cold for 2 days was completely reversed by addition of the adenosine receptor agonist, 2-chloroadenosine, to the incubation medium. This suggests that cold exposure may increase insulin sensitivity in the muscle, either by a decrease in the concentration of adenosine in the muscle, or by a decrease in the number or affinity of the adenosine receptors.

Effects of an adenosine-receptor antagonist on insulin-resistance in soleus muscle from obese Zucker rats

The decreased sensitivity of glycolysis to insulin seen in isolated soleus muscles from genetically obese Zucker rats was abolished by addition of the adenosine-receptor antagonist 8-phenyltheophylline to the incubation medium; 8-phenyltheophylline had no effect on the sensitivity of glycogen synthesis to insulin. These findings suggest that changes in the sensitivity of glucose utilization by muscles of genetically obese rats may be explained, in part, by a modification in either the concentration of adenosine or the affinity of adenosine receptors in skeletal muscle.

Effects of analogues of adenosine and methyl xanthines on insulin sensitivity in soleus muscle of the rat

The concentration of insulin that produces half-maximal stimulation of glycolysis by stripped soleus muscle preparations is markedly increased by the adenosine analogues, 2-chloroadenosine and N6-phenylisopropyladenosine, but is markedly decreased by the methyl xanthine analogue, 8-phenyltheophylline. 2-Chloroadenosine increases the concentration of insulin required to stimulate glycolysis half maximally, from about 100 to 2000 mu units/ml. 8-Phenyltheophylline decreases this concentration of insulin from about 100 to 10 mu units/ml, an effect which is similar to that produced either by addition of adenosine deaminase to the medium or to exercise-training of the donor animals for 4 weeks.

Changes in muscle lipoprotein lipase activity during exercise in dogs fed on a mixed fat-rich meal

Skeletal muscle lipoprotein lipase activity LPLA was compared in dogs performing prolonged treadmill exercise after 20-22 h fasting or 4 h following mixed fat-rich meal ingestion. In the fasting state muscle LPLA increased progressively during 2 h exercise. In fed dogs the resting value of the muscle LPLA was considerably lower than that in the fasting state, and no increase in the enzyme activity occurred during physical effort. The inhibition of the muscle LPLA by the meal ingestion can be attributed to the persisting effects of increased plasma insulin and/or FFA concentrations, found at the beginning of exercise.

Effects of starvation on the maximal activities of some glycolytic and citric acid-cycle enzymes and glutaminase in mucosa of the small intestine of the rat

Starvation decreases activities of some glycolytic and citric acid-cycle enzymes, and increases those of glucose 6-phosphatase and fructose bisphosphatase, whereas that of glutaminase is unchanged. These findings may be of significance for the control of glucose metabolism in the absorptive cells of the intestine.

Chylomicron triglyceride metabolism in resting and exercising fed dogs

The turnover of circulating triglycerides (TG) was determined in dogs during rest, following ingestion of food that included corn oil, and in the final period of a 1-h treadmill exercise of moderate intensity (72-84 m/min). In all cases the loss of [14C]TG from the plasma followed a first-order process. The fractional removal rate constant at rest was 26.5 +/- 1.9% (SE) n = 10) of the circulating pool size per minute, and it was increased slightly to 33.8 +/- 3.6% (n = 7) per minute during exercise. The uptake of plasma TG-derived fatty acids (5 min postinjection) was increased (P less than 0.05) in working muscle, whereas the TG uptake in fat tended to decrease. Further, the percent of TG-derived fatty acids found in the muscle's acylglyceride pool was less (90.0 +/- 3.6 vs. 53.5 +/- 1.8%), while that in the muscle's free fatty acid pool was greater (12.3 +/- 36.1 +/- 4.7%) in working compared with resting muscle. Thus the fourfold greater quantity of plasma TG-derived fatty acids found in the working muscle's free fatty acid pool could account for the entire increased TG uptake caused by exercise. This suggests that, in the fed state, circulating TG could represent a potential source of fatty acids for beta-oxidation in working muscle. However, the importance of plasma TG-derived fatty acids as an energy substrate during muscle use in a postprandial state has yet to be determined quantitatively.

Lipoprotein lipase activity in the skeletal muscle during physical exercise in dogs

Changes in lipoprotein lipase activity /LPLA/ in the quadriceps femoris muscle were followed in ten dogs during 3-hour treadmill exercise and 2-hour post-exercise recovery period. During the first hour of exercise muscle LPLA steeply increased. Subsequently the enzyme activity tended to plateau. After exercise LPLA decreased to the pre-exercise value within 1 hour. It is concluded that exercise increases the ability of skeletal muscles to remove triglycerides from the circulation.