Branched-chain 2-oxo acid dehydrogenase interferes with the measurement of the activity and activity state of hepatic pyruvate dehydrogenase

Effect of R(+)alpha-lipoic acid on pyruvate metabolism and fatty acid oxidation in rat hepatocytes

R-(+)-alpha-lipoic acid (R-LA) is the naturally occurring enantiomer of LA. It is a strong antioxidant and cofactor of key metabolic enzyme complexes catalyzing the decarboxylation of alpha-keto acids. Racemic LA (rac-LA) has shown promise in treating diabetic polyneuropathy, and some studies suggest that it improves glucose homeostasis in patients with type 2 diabetes. We examined the effects of R-LA on pyruvate metabolism and free fatty acid (FFA) oxidation in primary cultured hepatocytes isolated from 24-hour fasted rats. After overnight culture in serum-free medium, cells were pre-exposed to R-LA for 3 hours before assays. R-LA (25 to 200 micromol/L) significantly increased pyruvate oxidation ( approximately 2-fold at the highest dose tested) measured as (14)CO(2) production from [1-(14)C]pyruvate by the cells over 1 hour post-treatment. These effects correlated with proportional, significant increases in the activation state of the pyruvate dehydrogenase (PDH) complex. R-LA treatment inhibited glucose production from pyruvate by approximately 50% at 50 micromol/L R-LA and approximately 90% at 200 micromol/L. Palmitate oxidation was measured in hepatocytes cultured in the presence of albumin and physiological (0.1 mmol/L) or high (1.5 mmol/L) concentrations of FFA. The latter markedly enhanced FFA oxidation. R-LA treatment significantly inhibited FFA oxidation in both media, but was more effective in high FFA, where it reduced FFA oxidation by 48% to 82% at 25 to 200 micromol/L, respectively. Identical doses of R-LA did not affect FFA oxidation by L6 myotubes (a cell culture model for skeletal muscle) in either high or low FFA medium, but enhanced pyruvate oxidation. In conclusion, 3-hour exposure of primary cultured rat hepatocytes to R-LA at therapeutically relevant concentrations increased pyruvate oxidation, apparently by activation of the PDH complex, and decreased gluconeogenesis and FFA oxidation. These features may prove useful in the control of type 2 diabetes.

An improved assay for pyruvate dehydrogenase in liver and heart

A radiochemical assay was developed to measure pyruvate dehydrogenase complex (PDC) activity in liver and heart without interference by branched-chain 2-oxo acid dehydrogenase (BCODH). Decarboxylation of pyruvate by BCODH was eliminated by using low pyruvate concentration (0.5 mM), a preferred substrate for BCODH (3-methyl-2-oxopentanoate) that is not used by PDC, and a competitive inhibitor of BCODH, dichloroacetate. This method was validated by assaying a combination of both purified enzymes and tissue homogenates with known amounts of added BCODH. The actual percentage of active PDC decreased after 48 h starvation from 13.6 to 3.1 in liver and from 77.1 to 9.0 in heart. Total PDC activity (munits of PDC/units of citrate synthase) in starved rats was increased by 34% in liver and decreased by 23% in heart. Total PDC activity (munits/g wet wt.) in fed- and starved-rat liver was 0.8 and 1.3, and in heart was 6.6 and 5.8, respectively.

Effects of growth hormone on pyruvate dehydrogenase activity in intact rat liver and in isolated hepatocytes: comparison with insulin

The effects of growth hormone and insulin on the activity of pyruvate dehydrogenase were examined in the rat, both in vivo and in isolated hepatocytes. Liver mitochondria isolated from rats killed from five to 45 minutes after injection of 50 micrograms/100 g human growth hormone (hGH) or 25 micrograms/100 g insulin displayed a significant increase in the activity of basal pyruvate dehydrogenase (38% and 48% above control at ten minutes, respectively). These changes probably result from the conversion of the phosphorylated form to the nonphosphorylated form of pyruvate dehydrogenase since total enzyme activity was unaffected. Treatment of isolated hepatocytes by hGH or insulin also led to an increase in pyruvate dehydrogenase activity which was maximal (25% above control value) at 15 minutes. Later, activation progressively decreased and was no longer detectable at 60 minutes. The concentrations of hGH or insulin required for maximal activation were 100 nmol/L and 20 nmol/L, respectively, and the concentration required for half-maximal stimulation was 2 nmol/L for both hormones. The effects of 100 nmol/L hGH and 100 nmol/L insulin on pyruvate dehydrogenase activity were not additive. Basal pyruvate dehydrogenase activity in hepatocytes exhibited linear kinetics; hGH or insulin increased the Vmax of the enzyme without changing its Km and did not affect the Vmax of the total enzyme activity. It is concluded that growth hormone is as potent and as efficient as insulin in its ability to stimulate the activity of liver pyruvate dehydrogenase, and thus may be a physiological activator of this enzyme.

Preservation of the activity state of hepatic branched-chain 2-oxo acid dehydrogenase during the isolation of mitochondria

A comparison was conducted of current methods for estimation of the activity states (proportion of enzyme in active, dephosphorylated, form) of hepatic branched-chain 2-oxo acid dehydrogenase. Practically all of the enzyme was active in freeze-clamped liver obtained from chow-fed and 48 h-starved rats, regardless of the presence of fluoride in the extraction and assay media to inhibit phosphatase activity. Likewise, the enzyme was almost completely active in mitochondria isolated by a conventional method from livers of chow-fed and starved rats. However, when fluoride and 4-methyl-2-oxopentanoate were included in the mitochondrial isolation medium the activity state was decreased to 73% and 47% in mitochondria isolated from chow-fed and starved rats respectively. Furthermore, branched-chain 2-oxo acid dehydrogenase became partially inactivated upon incubation of isolated mitochondria on ice in fluoride- and/or 4-methyl-2-oxopentanoate-supplemented media. The rate of inactivation was greater in mitochondria prepared from starved than from chow-fed rats, which correlated with the lower activity state found in mitochondria of starved rats isolated in the fluoride- and 4-methyl-2-oxopentanoate-supplemented media. Thus the activity state of branched-chain 2-oxo acid dehydrogenase is underestimated in mitochondria isolated in media supplemented with fluoride plus 4-methyl-2-oxopentanoate.

Activities of branched-chain amino acid aminotransferase and branched-chain 2-oxo acid dehydrogenase complex in tissues of maternal and fetal sheep

Branched-chain amino acid aminotransferase (BCAAT) and branched-chain 2-oxo acid dehydrogenase (BCODH) activities were determined in sheep maternal and fetal liver, kidney, skeletal muscle, adipose and placenta in the fed and 5-day-starved states at 125 days gestation (term is 147 days). BCAAT activities were quite low in maternal skeletal muscle, low in fetal and maternal liver, high in fetal muscle, and very high in placenta. No significant changes occurred with maternal starvation. The high BCAAT activity of the placenta may provide the essential branched-chain 2-oxo acids for the fetus. BCODH activity was highest in liver and kidney of both the mother and fetus; it was largely in the active (dephosphorylated) state in maternal liver and kidney, and in fetal kidney, and about 50% active in fetal liver. The enzyme was largely inactive in fetal muscle, and about 50% active in maternal muscle. Although starvation had little effect on the activity of BCODH in fetal tissues, a significant decrease in activity was observed in maternal tissues, thereby potentially sparing branched-chain amino acids or the corresponding 2-oxo acids for maintenance of the fetus during compromised maternal nutrition.