Measurement of protein synthesis in human skeletal muscle: further investigation of the flooding technique

1991 ◽  
Vol 81 (s25) ◽  
pp. 557-564 ◽  
Author(s):  
M. A. McNurlan ◽  
P. Essen ◽  
S. D. Heys ◽  
V. Buchan ◽  
P. J. Garlick ◽  
...  

1. The rate of protein synthesis in quadriceps muscle of healthy subjects estimated from the incorporation of l-[1-13C]leucine given by continuous infusion was 1.1%/day. The estimate of protein synthesis from the incorporation of a flooding amount of labelled leucine was 1.8%/day (sd 0.65). The possibility that the higher rate obtained with the flooding technique arose from stimulation of protein synthesis by the large amount of leucine is unlikely. 2. The same rate of protein synthesis (1.7%/day, sd 0.3) was obtained with a flooding amount (0.05 g/kg) of a different amino acid, l-[1-13C]phenylalanine, as was obtained with leucine. 3. Incorporation of l-[1-13C]phenylalanine was not affected by simultaneous injection of leucine (1.7%/day, sd 0.7) or valine (1.6%/day, sd 0.4). 4. Protein synthesis, assessed in a completely different way from the proportion of polyribosomes isolated from the skeletal muscle, was unaltered by the injection of 0.05 g of l-leucine/kg (44.6%, sd 8.5 versus 43.8%, sd 7.7). 5. Good agreement in estimates of protein synthesis was observed in subjects in whom both legs were measured with both l-[1-13C]leucine (mean difference 0.16%/day) and l-[1-13C]phenylalanine (mean difference 0.2%/day).

1998 ◽  
Vol 275 (1) ◽  
pp. E73-E78 ◽  
Author(s):  
Kenneth Smith ◽  
Nigel Reynolds ◽  
Shaun Downie ◽  
Ayyub Patel ◽  
Michael J. Rennie

We investigated the effects of the nature of the flooding amino acid on the rate of incorporation of tracer leucine into human skeletal muscle sampled by biopsy. Twenty-three healthy young men (24.5 ± 5.0 yr, 76.2 ± 8.3 kg) were studied in groups of four or five. First, the effects of flooding with phenylalanine, threonine, or arginine (all at 0.05 g/kg body wt) on the incorporation of tracer [13C]leucine were studied. Then the effects of flooding with labeled [13C]glycine [0.1 g/kg body wt, 20 atoms percent excess (APE)] and [13C]serine (0.05 g/kg body wt, 15 APE) on the incorporation of simultaneously infused [13C]leucine were investigated. When a large dose of phenylalanine or threonine was administered, incorporation of the tracer leucine was significantly increased (from 0.036 to 0.067 %/h and 0.037 to 0.070 %/h, respectively; each P < 0.01). However, when arginine, glycine, or serine was administered as a flooding dose, no stimulation of tracer leucine incorporation could be observed. These results, together with those previously obtained, suggest that large doses of individual essential, but not nonessential, amino acids are able to stimulate incorporation of constantly infused tracer amino acids into human muscle protein.


1995 ◽  
Vol 268 (1) ◽  
pp. E75-E84 ◽  
Author(s):  
G. Biolo ◽  
R. Y. Fleming ◽  
S. P. Maggi ◽  
R. R. Wolfe

We have used stable isotopic tracers of amino acids to measure in vivo transmembrane transport of phenylalanine, leucine, lysine, alanine, and glutamine as well as the rates of intracellular amino acid appearance from proteolysis, de novo synthesis, and disappearance to protein synthesis in human skeletal muscle. Calculations were based on data obtained by the arteriovenous catheterization of the femoral vessels and muscle biopsy. We found that the fractional contribution of transport from the bloodstream to the total intracellular amino acid appearance depends on the individual amino acid, varying between 0.63 +/- 0.02 for phenylalanine and 0.22 +/- 0.02 for alanine. Rates of alanine and glutamine de novo synthesis were approximately eight and five times their rate of appearance from protein breakdown, respectively. The model-derived rate of protein synthesis was highly correlated with the same value calculated by means of the tracer incorporation technique. Furthermore, amino acid transport rates were in the range expected from literature values. Consequently, we conclude that our new model provides a valid means of quantifying the important aspects of protein synthesis, breakdown, and amino acid transport in human subjects.


1999 ◽  
Vol 277 (6) ◽  
pp. E1077-E1086 ◽  
Author(s):  
Thomas C. Vary ◽  
Leonard S. Jefferson ◽  
Scot R. Kimball

Amino acids stimulate protein synthesis in skeletal muscle by accelerating translation initiation. In the two studies described herein, we examined mechanisms by which amino acids regulate translation initiation in perfused skeletal muscle hindlimb preparation of rats. In the first study, the effects of supraphysiological amino acid concentrations on eukaryotic initiation factors (eIF) 2B and 4E were compared with physiological concentrations of amino acids. Amino acid supplementation stimulated protein synthesis twofold. No changes were observed in eIF2B activity, in the amount of eIF4E associated with the eIF4E-binding protein (4E-BP1), or in the phosphorylation of 4E-BP1. The abundance of eIF4E bound to eIF4G and the extent of phosphorylation of eIF4E were increased by 800 and 20%, respectively. In the second study, we examined the effect of removing leucine on translation initiation when all other amino acids were maintained at supraphysiological concentrations. Removal of leucine from the perfusate decreased the rate of protein synthesis by 40%. The inhibition of protein synthesis was associated with a 40% decrease in eIF2B activity and an 80% fall in the abundance of eIF4E ⋅ eIF4G complex. The fall in eIF4G binding to eIF4E was associated with increased 4E-BP1 bound to eIF4E and a reduced phosphorylation of 4E-BP1. In contrast, the extent of phosphorylation of eIF4E was unaffected. We conclude that formation of the active eIF4E ⋅ eIF4G complex controls protein synthesis in skeletal muscle when the amino acid concentration is above the physiological range, whereas removal of leucine reduces protein synthesis through changes in both eIF2B and eIF4E.


2002 ◽  
Vol 282 (4) ◽  
pp. E880-E890 ◽  
Author(s):  
Teresa A. Davis ◽  
Marta L. Fiorotto ◽  
Douglas G. Burrin ◽  
Peter J. Reeds ◽  
Hanh V. Nguyen ◽  
...  

In neonatal pigs, the feeding-induced stimulation of protein synthesis in skeletal muscle, but not liver, can be reproduced by insulin infusion when essential amino acids and glucose are maintained at fasting levels. In the present study, 7- and 26-day-old pigs were studied during 1) fasting, 2) hyperinsulinemic-euglycemic-euaminoacidemic clamps, 3) euinsulinemic-euglycemic-hyperaminoacidemic clamps, and 4) hyperinsulinemic-euglycemic-hyperaminoacidemic clamps. Amino acids were clamped using a new amino acid mixture enriched in nonessential amino acids. Tissue protein synthesis was measured using a flooding dose ofl-[4-3H]phenylalanine. In 7-day-old pigs, insulin infusion alone increased protein synthesis in various skeletal muscles (from +35 to +64%), with equivalent contribution of myofibrillar and sarcoplasmic proteins, as well as cardiac muscle (+50%), skin (+34%), and spleen (+26%). Amino acid infusion alone increased protein synthesis in skeletal muscles (from +28 to +50%), also with equivalent contribution of myofibrillar and sarcoplasmic proteins, as well as liver (+27%), pancreas (+28%), and kidney (+10%). An elevation of both insulin and amino acids did not have an additive effect. Similar qualitative results were obtained in 26-day-old pigs, but the magnitude of the stimulation of protein synthesis by insulin and/or amino acids was lower. The results suggest that, in the neonate, the stimulation of protein synthesis by feeding is mediated by either amino acids or insulin in most tissues; however, the feeding-induced stimulation of protein synthesis in skeletal muscle is uniquely regulated by both insulin and amino acids.


2010 ◽  
Vol 298 (5) ◽  
pp. E1011-E1018 ◽  
Author(s):  
Micah J. Drummond ◽  
Erin L. Glynn ◽  
Christopher S. Fry ◽  
Kyle L. Timmerman ◽  
Elena Volpi ◽  
...  

Essential amino acids (EAA) stimulate skeletal muscle mammalian target of rapamycin complex 1 (mTORC1) signaling and protein synthesis. It has recently been reported that an increase in amino acid (AA) transporter expression during anabolic conditions is rapamycin-sensitive. The purpose of this study was to determine whether an increase in EAA availability increases AA transporter expression in human skeletal muscle. Muscle biopsies were obtained from the vastus lateralis of seven young adult subjects (3 male, 4 female) before and 1–3 h after EAA ingestion (10 g). Blood and muscle samples were analyzed for leucine kinetics using stable isotopic techniques. Quantitative RT-PCR, and immunoblotting were used to determine the mRNA and protein expression, respectively, of AA transporters and members of the general AA control pathway [general control nonrepressed (GCN2), activating transcription factor (ATF4), and eukaryotic initiation factor (eIF2) α-subunit (Ser52)]. EAA ingestion increased blood leucine concentration, delivery of leucine to muscle, transport of leucine from blood into muscle, intracellular muscle leucine concentration, ribosomal protein S6 (Ser240/244) phosphorylation, and muscle protein synthesis. This was followed with increased L-type AA transporter (LAT1), CD98, sodium-coupled neutral AA transporter (SNAT2), and proton-coupled amino acid transporter (PAT1) mRNA expression at 1 h ( P < 0.05) and modest increases in LAT1 protein expression (3 h post-EAA) and SNAT2 protein expression (2 and 3 h post-EAA, P < 0.05). Although there were no changes in GCN2 expression and eIF2α phosphorylation, ATF4 protein expression reached significance by 2 h post-EAA ( P < 0.05). We conclude that an increase in EAA availability upregulates human skeletal muscle AA transporter expression, perhaps in an mTORC1-dependent manner, which may be an adaptive response necessary for improved AA intracellular delivery.


2021 ◽  
Vol 18 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Michael S. Borack ◽  
Jared M. Dickinson ◽  
Christopher S. Fry ◽  
Paul T. Reidy ◽  
Melissa M. Markofski ◽  
...  

Abstract Background Previous work in HEK-293 cells demonstrated the importance of amino acid-induced mTORC1 translocation to the lysosomal surface for stimulating mTORC1 kinase activity and protein synthesis. This study tested the conservation of this amino acid sensing mechanism in human skeletal muscle by treating subjects with chloroquine—a lysosomotropic agent that induces in vitro and in vivo lysosome dysfunction. Methods mTORC1 signaling and muscle protein synthesis (MPS) were determined in vivo in a randomized controlled trial of 14 subjects (10 M, 4 F; 26 ± 4 year) that ingested 10 g of essential amino acids (EAA) after receiving 750 mg of chloroquine (CHQ, n = 7) or serving as controls (CON, n = 7; no chloroquine). Additionally, differentiated C2C12 cells were used to assess mTORC1 signaling and myotube protein synthesis (MyPS) in the presence and absence of leucine and the lysosomotropic agent chloroquine. Results mTORC1, S6K1, 4E-BP1 and rpS6 phosphorylation increased in both CON and CHQ 1 h post EAA ingestion (P < 0.05). MPS increased similarly in both groups (CON, P = 0.06; CHQ, P < 0.05). In contrast, in C2C12 cells, 1 mM leucine increased mTORC1 and S6K1 phosphorylation (P < 0.05), which was inhibited by 2 mg/ml chloroquine. Chloroquine (2 mg/ml) was sufficient to disrupt mTORC1 signaling, and MyPS. Conclusions Chloroquine did not inhibit amino acid-induced activation of mTORC1 signaling and skeletal MPS in humans as it does in C2C12 muscle cells. Therefore, different in vivo experimental approaches are required for confirming the precise role of the lysosome and amino acid sensing in human skeletal muscle. Trial registration NCT00891696. Registered 29 April 2009.


2020 ◽  
Vol 98 (Supplement_4) ◽  
pp. 118-119
Author(s):  
Teresa A Davis ◽  
Marko Rudar ◽  
Jane Naberhuis ◽  
Agus Suryawan ◽  
Marta Fiorotto

Abstract Livestock animals are important dual-purpose models that benefit both agricultural and biomedical research. The neonatal pig is an appropriate model for the human infant to assess long-term effects of early life nutrition on growth and metabolic outcomes. Previously we have demonstrated that prematurity blunts the feeding-induced stimulation of translation initiation and protein synthesis in skeletal muscle of neonatal pigs. The objective of this study was to determine whether reduced sensitivity to insulin and/or amino acids drives this blunted response. Pigs were delivered by caesarean section at preterm (PT, 103 d gestation) or at term (T, 112 d gestation) and fed parenterally for 4 d. On day 4, pigs were subject to euinsulinemic-euaminoacidemic-euglycemic (FAST), hyperinsulinemic-euaminoacidemic-euglycemic (INS), or euinsulinemic-hyperaminoacidemic-euglycemic (AA) clamps for 120 min, yielding six treatments: PT-FAST (n = 7), PT-INS (n = 9), PT-AA (n = 9), T-FAST (n = 8), T-INS (n = 9), and T-AA (n = 9). A flooding dose of L-[4-3H]Phe was injected into pigs 30 min before euthanasia. Birth weight and relative body weight gain were lower in PT than T pigs (P &lt; 0.001). Plasma insulin concentration was increased from ~3 to ~100 µU/mL in INS compared to FAST and AA pigs (P &lt; 0.001); plasma BCAA concentration was increased from ~250 to ~1,000 µmol/L in AA compared to FAST and INS pigs (P &lt; 0.001). Despite achieving similar insulin and amino acid levels, longissimus dorsi AKT phosphorylation, mechanistic target of rapamycin (mTOR)·Rheb abundance, mTOR activation, and protein synthesis were lower in PT-INS than T-INS pigs (Table 1). Although amino-acid induced dissociation of Sestrin2 from GATOR2 was not affected by prematurity, mTOR·RagA abundance, mTOR·RagC abundance, mTOR activation, and protein synthesis were lower in PT-AA than T-AA pigs. The impaired capacity of premature skeletal muscle to respond to insulin or amino acids and promote protein synthesis likely contributes to reduced lean mass accretion. Research was supported by NIH and USDA.


2004 ◽  
Vol 19 (3) ◽  
pp. 1-24 ◽  
Author(s):  
Russell Hyde ◽  
Eric Hajduch ◽  
Darren J. Powell ◽  
Peter M. Taylor ◽  
Harinder S. Hundal

1971 ◽  
Vol 121 (5) ◽  
pp. 817-827 ◽  
Author(s):  
R. C. Hider ◽  
E. B. Fern ◽  
D. R. London

1. The kinetics of radioactive labelling of extra- and intra-cellular amino acid pools and protein of the extensor digitorum longus muscle were studied after incubations with radioactive amino acids in vitro. 2. The results indicated that an extracellular pool could be defined, the contents of which were different from those of the incubation medium. 3. It was concluded that amino acids from the extracellular pool, as defined in this study, were incorporated directly into protein.


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