The increase in human muscle protein synthesis induced by food intake is similar when assessed with the constant infusion and flooding techniques

Circulating metabolite homeostasis achieved through mass action

Homeostasis maintains serum metabolites within physiological ranges. For glucose, this requires insulin, which suppresses glucose production while accelerating its consumption. For other circulating metabolites, a comparable master regulator has yet to be discovered. Here we show that, in mice, many circulating metabolites are cleared via the tricarboxylic acid cycle (TCA) cycle in linear proportionality to their circulating concentration. Abundant circulating metabolites (essential amino acids, serine, alanine, citrate, 3-hydroxybutyrate) were administered intravenously in perturbative amounts and their fluxes were measured using isotope labelling. The increased circulating concentrations induced by the perturbative infusions hardly altered production fluxes while linearly enhancing consumption fluxes and TCA contributions. The same mass action relationship between concentration and consumption flux largely held across feeding, fasting and high- and low-protein diets, with amino acid homeostasis during fasting further supported by enhanced endogenous protein catabolism. Thus, despite the copious regulatory machinery in mammals, circulating metabolite homeostasis is achieved substantially through mass action-driven oxidation.

Muscle wasting in the presence of disease, why is it so variable?

Skeletal muscle wasting is a common clinical feature of many chronic diseases and also occurs in response to single acute events. The accompanying loss of strength can lead to significant disability, increased care needs and have profound negative effects on quality of life. As muscle is the most abundant source of amino acids in the body, it appears to function as a buffer for fuel and substrates that can be used to repair damage elsewhere and to feed the immune system. In essence, the fundamentals of muscle wasting are simple: less muscle is made than is broken down. However, although well-described mechanisms modulate muscle protein turnover, significant individual differences in the amount of muscle lost in the presence of a given severity of disease complicate the understanding of underlying mechanisms and suggest that individuals have different sensitivities to signals for muscle loss. Furthermore, the rate at which muscle protein is turned over under normal conditions means that clinically significant muscle loss can occur with changes in the rate of protein synthesis and/or breakdown that are too small to be measurable. Consequently, the changes in expression of factors regulating muscle turnover required to cause a decline in muscle mass are small and, except in cases of rapid wasting, there is no consistent pattern of change in the expression of factors that regulate muscle mass. MicroRNAs are fine tuners of cell phenotype and are therefore ideally suited to cause the subtle changes in proteome required to tilt the balance between synthesis and degradation in a way that causes clinically significant wasting. Herein we present a model in which muscle loss as a consequence of disease in non-muscle tissue is modulated by a set of microRNAs, the muscle expression of which is associated with severity of disease in the non-muscle tissue. These microRNAs alter fundamental biological processes including the synthesis of ribosomes and mitochondria leading to reduced protein synthesis and increased protein breakdown, thereby freeing amino acids from the muscle. We argue that the variability in muscle loss observed in the human population arises from at least two sources. The first is from pre-existing or disease-induced variation in the expression of microRNAs controlling the sensitivity of muscle to the atrophic signal and the second is from the expression of microRNAs from imprinted loci (i.e. only expressed from the maternally or paternally inherited allele) and may control the rate of myonuclear recruitment. In the absence of disease, these factors do not correlate with muscle mass, since there is no challenge to the established balance. However, in the presence of such a challenge, these microRNAs determine the rate of decline for a given disease severity. Together these mechanisms provide novel insight into the loss of muscle mass and its variation in the human population. The involvement of imprinted loci also suggests that genes that regulate early development also contribute to the ability of individuals to resist muscle loss in response to disease.

An attenuated rate of leg muscle protein depletion and leg free amino acid efflux over time is seen in ICU long-stayers

BACKGROUND

There is extensive documentation on skeletal muscle protein depletion during the initial phase of critical illness. However, for intensive care unit (ICU) long-stayers, objective data are very limited. In this study, we examined skeletal muscle protein and amino acid turnover in patients with a prolonged ICU stay.

METHODS

Patients (n = 20) were studied serially every 8-12 days between days 10 and 40 of their ICU stay as long as patients stayed in the ICU. Leg muscle protein turnover was assessed by measurements of phenylalanine kinetics, for which we employed a stable isotope-labeled phenylalanine together with two-pool and three-pool models for calculations, and results were expressed per 100 ml of leg volume. In addition, leg muscle amino acid flux was studied.

RESULTS

The negative leg muscle protein net balance seen on days 10-20 of the ICU stay disappeared by days 30-40 (p = 0.012). This was attributable mainly to an increase in the de novo protein synthesis rate (p = 0.007). It was accompanied by an attenuated efflux of free amino acids from the leg. Leg muscle protein breakdown rates stayed unaltered (p = 0.48), as did the efflux of 3-methylhistidine. The arterial plasma concentrations of free amino acids did not change over the course of the study.

CONCLUSIONS

In critically ill patients with sustained organ failure and in need of a prolonged ICU stay, the initial high rate of skeletal muscle protein depletion was attenuated over time. The distinction between the acute phase and a more prolonged and more stable phase concerning skeletal muscle protein turnover must be considered in study protocols as well as in clinical practice.

TRIAL REGISTRATION

Australian New Zealand Trial Registry, ACTRN12616001012460 . Retrospectively registered on 1 August 2016.

Historical and contemporary stable isotope tracer approaches to studying mammalian protein metabolism

Over a century ago, Frederick Soddy provided the first evidence for the existence of isotopes; elements that occupy the same position in the periodic table are essentially chemically identical but differ in mass due to a different number of neutrons within the atomic nucleus. Allied to the discovery of isotopes was the development of some of the first forms of mass spectrometers, driven forward by the Nobel laureates JJ Thomson and FW Aston, enabling the accurate separation, identification, and quantification of the relative abundance of these isotopes. As a result, within a few years, the number of known isotopes both stable and radioactive had greatly increased and there are now over 300 stable or radioisotopes presently known. Unknown at the time, however, was the potential utility of these isotopes within biological disciplines, it was soon discovered that these stable isotopes, particularly those of carbon (13 C), nitrogen (15 N), oxygen (18 O), and hydrogen (2 H) could be chemically introduced into organic compounds, such as fatty acids, amino acids, and sugars, and used to "trace" the metabolic fate of these compounds within biological systems. From this important breakthrough, the age of the isotope tracer was born. Over the following 80 yrs, stable isotopes would become a vital tool in not only the biological sciences, but also areas as diverse as forensics, geology, and art. This progress has been almost exclusively driven through the development of new and innovative mass spectrometry equipment from IRMS to GC-MS to LC-MS, which has allowed for the accurate quantitation of isotopic abundance within samples of complex matrices. This historical review details the development of stable isotope tracers as metabolic tools, with particular reference to their use in monitoring protein metabolism, highlighting the unique array of tools that are now available for the investigation of protein metabolism in vivo at a whole body down to a single protein level. Importantly, it will detail how this development has been closely aligned to the technological development within the area of mass spectrometry. Without the dedicated development provided by these mass spectrometrists over the past century, the use of stable isotope tracers within the field of protein metabolism would not be as widely applied as it is today, this relationship will no doubt continue to flourish in the future and stable isotope tracers will maintain their importance as a tool within the biological sciences for many years to come. © 2016 The Authors. Mass Spectrometry Reviews Published by Wiley Periodicals, Inc. Mass Spec Rev.

Influence of nutrient ingestion on amino acid transporters and protein synthesis in human skeletal muscle after sprint exercise

Nutrient ingestion is known to increase the exercise-induced stimulation of muscle protein synthesis following resistance exercise. Less is known about the effect of nutrients on muscle protein synthesis following sprint exercise. At two occasions separated by 1 mo, 12 healthy subjects performed three 30-s sprints with 20-min rest between bouts. In randomized order, they consumed a drink with essential amino acids and maltodextrin (nutrient) or flavored water (placebo). Muscle biopsies were obtained 80 and 200 min after the last sprint, and blood samples were taken repeatedly during the experiment. Fractional synthetic rate (FSR) was measured by continuous infusion of l-[2H5]phenylalanine up to 200 min postexercise. The mRNA expression and protein expression of SNAT2 were both 1.4-fold higher ( P < 0.05) after nutrient intake compared with placebo at 200 min postexercise. Phosphorylated Akt, mammalian target of rapamycin (mTOR), and p70S6k were 1.7- to 3.6-fold higher ( P < 0.01) 80 min after the last sprint with nutrient ingestion as compared with placebo. In addition, FSR was higher ( P < 0.05) with nutrients when plasma phenylalanine (FSRplasma) was used as a precursor but not when intracellular phenylalanine (FSRmuscle) was used. Significant correlations were also found between FSRplasma on the one hand and plasma leucine and serum insulin on the other hand in the nutrient condition. The results show that nutrient ingestion induces the expression of the amino acid transporter SNAT2 stimulates Akt/mTOR signaling and most likely the rate of muscle protein synthesis following sprint exercise.

NEW & NOTEWORTHY There is limited knowledge regarding the effect of nutrients on muscle protein synthesis following sprint as compared with resistance exercise. The results demonstrate that nutrient ingestion during repeated 30-s bouts of sprint exercise induces expression of the amino acid transporter SNAT2 and stimulates Akt/mTOR signaling and most likely the rate of muscle protein synthesis. Future studies to explore the chronic effects of nutritional ingestion during sprint exercise sessions on muscle mass accretion are warranted.

Repeated quantitative measurements of De Novo synthesis of albumin and fibrinogen

The possibility of using two different isotopomers, for the incorporation of isotopically labeled amino acids, was explored to enable longitudinal studies of de novo synthesis of two export liver proteins, albumin and fibrinogen. The agreement of the synthesis rates between the two different labels was evaluated along with the reproducibility of repeated experiments using different time intervals. Healthy volunteers were studied in a standardized fed state. Protocol A (n = 10) involved two measurements 48 hours apart. Protocol B (n = 6) involved three measurements at baseline and five hours and then seven days after the initial measurement. De novo synthesis of albumin and fibrinogen by the incorporation of D5-phenylalanine or D8-phenylalanine were measured using the flooding dose technique. Albumin and fibrinogen were isolated from plasma using standard techniques. Fractional and absolute synthesis rates were calculated. Repeated measurements employing the two isotoptomers showed good agreement for albumin fractional synthesis rate after 48 hours (p = 0.92) and after 7 days (p = 0.99), with a coefficient of variation of 5.9% when using the same isotopic label. For fibrinogen, the coefficient of variation for the fractional synthesis rate employing the same isotopic label was 16.6%. Repeated measurements after 48 hours and seven days showed less agreement although there was no statistical difference (P = 0.32 and P = 0.30 respectively). Repeated measurement after five hours showed a statistical significant difference for the fractional synthesis rate of fibrinogen (p = 0.008) but not for albumin (p = 0.12). Repeated measurements of albumin de novo synthesis more than 48 hours apart show acceptable agreement using either one or two different isotopic labels. For fibrinogen the larger intra-individual scatter necessitates larger study groups to detect changes in longitudinal studies. Repeated measurements within 48 hours need to be validated further.

The single-biopsy approach in determining protein synthesis in human slow-turning-over tissue: use of flood-primed, continuous infusion of amino acid tracers

Muscle protein synthesis (MPS) rate is determined conventionally by obtaining two or more tissue biopsies during a primed, continuous infusion of a stable isotopically labeled amino acid. The purpose of the present study was to test whether tracer priming given as a flooding dose, thereby securing an instantaneous labeling of the tissue pools of free tracee amino acids, followed by a continuous infusion of the same tracer to maintain tracer isotopic steady state, could be used to determine the MPS rate over a prolonged period of time by obtaining only a single tissue biopsy. We showed that the tracer from the flood prime appeared immediately in the muscle free pool of amino acids and that this abundance could be kept constant by a subsequent continuous infusion of the tracer. When using phenylalanine as tracer, the flood-primed, continuous infusion protocol does not stimulate the MPS rate per se. In conclusion, the flood-primed, continuous infusion protocol using phenylalanine as tracer can validly be used to measure the protein synthesis rate in human in vivo experiments by obtaining only a single tissue biopsy after a prolonged infusion period.

Enhanced rates of muscle protein synthesis and elevated mTOR signalling following endurance exercise in human subjects

AIM

The major aim of this study was to determine the fractional rate of protein synthesis (FSR) during the early period of recovery after intensive aerobic exercise in the absence of nutritional supplementation.

METHODS

Sixteen male subjects performed one-legged cycling exercise for 1 h at approx. 65-70% of their one-legged maximal oxygen uptake. Using the stable isotope technique, the FSR in the vastus lateralis of both legs were determined during two periods, 0-90 min (n = 8) and 90-180 min (n = 8) after exercise. Biopsies were taken from both exercising and resting muscle before exercise, immediately after and following 90 or 180 min of recovery.

RESULTS

During the initial 90 min of recovery, FSR in the exercising muscle tended to be higher than in the resting muscle (1.57 ± 0.12 vs. 1.44 ± 0.07% 24 h(-1); P = 0.1) and was significantly higher during the period 90-180 min after exercise (1.74 ± 0.14 vs. 1.43 ± 0.12% 24 h(-1) ; P < 0.05). Exercise induced a 60% increase (P < 0.05) in phosphorylation of mTOR and a fivefold increase (P < 0.05) in Thr(389) phosphorylation of p70S6 kinase as well as a 30% reduction (P < 0.05) in phosphorylation of eEF2. Phosphorylation of AMP-activated protein kinase was enhanced by 40% (P < 0.05) after exercise, but no significant effect on phosphorylation of Akt, or eIF2Bε was observed immediately after exercise.

CONCLUSION

These findings indicate that during the first 3 h of recovery after intensive endurance exercise FSR gradually increases. Moreover, a stimulation of the mTOR-signalling pathway may be at least partially responsible for this elevated protein synthesis.

β-Adrenergic receptor blockade blunts postexercise skeletal muscle mitochondrial protein synthesis rates in humans

β-Adrenergic receptor (AR) signaling is a regulator of skeletal muscle protein synthesis and mitochondrial biogenesis in mice. We hypothesized that β-AR blockade blunts postexercise skeletal muscle mitochondrial protein synthesis rates in adult humans. Six healthy men (mean ± SD: 26 ± 6 yr old, 39.9 ± 4.9 ml·kg(-1)·min(-1) peak O(2) uptake, 26.7 ± 2.0 kg/m(2) body mass index) performed 1 h of stationary cycle ergometer exercise (60% peak O(2) uptake) during 1) β-AR blockade (intravenous propranolol) and 2) administration of saline (control). Skeletal muscle mitochondrial, myofibrillar, and sarcoplasmic protein synthesis rates were assessed using [(2)H(5)]phenylalanine incorporation into skeletal muscle proteins after exercise. The mRNA content of signals for mitochondrial biogenesis was determined using real-time PCR. β-AR blockade decreased mitochondrial (from 0.217 ± 0.076 to 0.135 ± 0.031%/h, P < 0.05), but not myofibrillar or sarcoplasmic, protein synthesis rates. Peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor-γ coactivator-1α mRNA was increased ∼2.5-fold (P < 0.05) at 5 h compared with 1 h postexercise but was not influenced by β-AR blockade. We conclude that decreased β-AR signaling during cycling can blunt the postexercise increase in mitochondrial protein synthesis rates without affecting mRNA content.

Influence of tracer selection on protein synthesis rates at rest and postexercise in multiple human muscles

The goal of this investigation was to assess the influence of tracer selection on mixed muscle fractional synthesis rate (FSR) at rest and postexercise during amino acid infusion in multiple human skeletal muscles. Fractional synthesis rate was measured before and 24 hours after 45 minutes of running using simultaneous infusion of [(2)H(5)]-phenylalanine (Phe) and [(2)H(3)]-leucine (Leu) coupled with muscle biopsies from the vastus lateralis and soleus in aerobically trained men (n = 8; age, 26 ± 2 years). Mixed muscle protein FSR was analyzed by gas chromatography-mass spectrometry combined with a standard curve using the enriched muscle tissue fluid as the precursor pool. To control for potential analytical differences between tracers, all samples and standards for both tracers were matched for m + 0 abundance. Tracer selection did not influence resting FSR for the vastus lateralis or soleus (P > .05). Fractional synthesis rate measured 24 hours postexercise was higher (P < .05) compared with rate at rest and was similar between tracers for the vastus lateralis (Phe, 0.110% ± 0.010%·h(-1); Leu, 0.109% ± 0.005%·h(-1)) and soleus (Phe, 0.123% ± 0.008%·h(-1); Leu, 0.122% ± 0.005%·h(-1)). These data demonstrate that tracer selection does not influence the assessment of resting or postexercise FSR, thereby supporting the use of both [(2)H(5)]-phenylalanine and [(2)H(3)]-leucine for the measurement of FSR in exercise-based studies of human skeletal muscle.

Human muscle protein turnover--why is it so variable?

We undertook a comprehensive review of the literature to unravel the nature of the variability in the reported rate of human muscle protein synthesis. We analyzed the results from studies that report the protein fractional synthesis rate (FSR) in the vastus lateralis in healthy, nonobese, untrained adults ≤50 yr of age in the postabsorptive state at rest by using the primed, constant tracer amino acid infusion method according to experimental design characteristics. We hypothesized that if the variability is methodological (rather than physiological) in nature, systematic clustering of FSR values would be evident, and outliers would become apparent. Overall, as expected, the mixed muscle protein FSR values were significantly (P < 0.001) greater when the muscle vs. the plasma free amino acid enrichment is used as the surrogate precursor pool enrichment, and the average mixed muscle protein FSR values were significantly greater (P = 0.05) than the myofibrillar/myosin heavy chain FSR values. The within-study variability (i.e., population variance) was somewhat smaller in studies that used plasma amino acid/ketoacid enrichments vs. muscle free amino acid enrichment (∼24 vs. ∼31%), but this was not apparent in all circumstances. Furthermore, the between-study consistency of measured FSR values (i.e., interquartile range) was inversely correlated with the average duration between biopsies. Aside from that, the variation in reported FSR values could not be explained by differences in the experimental design and analytical methods, and none of the most commonly used approaches stood out as clearly superior in terms of consistency of results and/or within-study variability. We conclude that the variability in reported values is in part due to 1) differences in experimental design (e.g., choice of precursor pool) and 2) considerable within-subject variability. The summary of the results from our analysis can be used as guidelines for "normal" average basal FSR values at rest in healthy adults.

Feeding acutely stimulates fibrinogen synthesis in healthy young and elderly adults

Fibrinogen is a positive acute-phase protein and its hepatic synthesis is enhanced following inflammation and injury. However, it is not clear whether fibrinogen synthesis is also responsive to oral nutrients and whether the response to a meal may be affected by age. Our aim in this study was to investigate the acute effect of oral feeding on fibrinogen synthesis in both young and elderly men and women. Fibrinogen synthesis was determined in 3 separate occasions from the incorporation of l[(2)H(5)]phenylalanine (43 mg/kg body weight) in 8 young (21-35 y) and 8 elderly (>60 y) participants following the ingestion of water (control), a complete liquid meal (15% protein, 30% fat, and 55% carbohydrate), or only the protein component of the meal. The ingestion of the complete meal enhanced fibrinogen fractional synthesis rates (FSR) by 17 +/- 6% in the young and by 38 +/- 10% in the elderly participants compared with the water meal (P < 0.02). A comparable stimulation of FSR occurred with only the protein component of the meal in both young (29 +/- 7%) and elderly participants (41 +/- 9%) compared with the water meal (P < 0.005). Similar results were obtained when fibrinogen synthesis was expressed as absolute synthesis rates (i.e. mg.kg(-1).d(-1)). The results demonstrate that fibrinogen synthesis is acutely stimulated after ingestion of a meal and that this effect can be reproduced by the protein component of the meal alone, both in young and elderly adults.

Resistance training preserves fat-free mass without impacting changes in protein metabolism after weight loss in older women

This study assessed the effects of resistance training (RT) on energy restriction-induced changes in body composition, protein metabolism, and the fractional synthesis rate of mixed muscle proteins (FSRm) in postmenopausal, overweight women. Sixteen women (age 68 +/- 1 years, BMI 29 +/- 1 kg/m(2), mean +/- s.e.m.) completed a 16-week controlled diet study. Each woman consumed 1.0 g protein/kg/day. At baseline (weeks B1-B3) and poststudy (weeks RT12-RT13), energy intake matched each subject's need and during weeks RT1-RT11 was hypoenergetic by 2,092 kJ/day (500 kcal/day). From weeks RT1 to RT13, eight women performed RT 3 day/week (RT group) and eight women remained sedentary (SED group). RT did not influence the energy restriction-induced decrease in body mass (SED -5.8 +/- 0.6 kg; RT -5.0 +/- 0.2 kg) and fat mass (SED -4.1 +/- 0.9 kg; RT -4.7 +/- 0.5 kg). Fat free mass (FFM) and total body water decreased in SED (-1.6 +/- 0.4 and -2.1 +/- 0.5 kg) and were unchanged in RT (-0.3 +/- 0.4 and -0.4 +/- 0.7 kg) (group-by-time, P < or = 0.05 and P = 0.07, respectively). Protein-mineral mass did not change in either group (SED 0.4 +/- 0.2 kg; RT 0.1 +/- 0.4 kg). Nitrogen balance, positive at baseline (2.2 +/- 0.3 g N/day), was unchanged poststudy. After body mass loss, postabsorptive (PA) and postprandial (PP) leucine turnover, synthesis, and breakdown decreased. Leucine oxidation and balance were not changed. PA and total (PA + PP) FSRm in the vastus lateralis were higher after weight loss. RT did not influence these protein metabolism responses. In summary, RT helps older women preserve FFM during body mass loss. The comparable whole-body nitrogen retentions, leucine kinetics, and FSRm between groups are consistent with the lack of differential protein-mineral mass change.

A comparison of 2H2O and phenylalanine flooding dose to investigate muscle protein synthesis with acute exercise in rats

The primary objective of this investigation was to determine whether (2)H(2)O and phenylalanine (Phe) flooding dose methods yield comparable fractional rates of protein synthesis (FSR) in skeletal muscle following a single bout of high-intensity resistance exercise (RE). Sprague-Dawley rats were assigned by body mass to either 4-h control (CON 4 h; n = 6), 4-h resistance exercise (RE 4 h; n = 6), 24-h control (CON 24 h; n = 6), or 24-h resistance exercise (RE 24 h; n = 6). The RE groups were operantly conditioned to engage in a single bout of high-intensity, "squat-like" RE. All rats were given an intraperitoneal injection of 99.9% (2)H(2)O and provided 4.0% (2)H(2)O drinking water for either 24 (n = 12) or 4 h (n = 12) prior to receiving a flooding dose of l-[2,3,4,5,6-(3)H]Phe 16 h post-RE. Neither method detected an effect of RE on FSR in the mixed gastrocnemius, plantaris, or soleus muscle. Aside from the qualitative similarities between methods, the 4-h (2)H(2)O FSR measurements, when expressed in percent per hour, were quantitatively greater than the 24-h (2)H(2)O and Phe flooding in all muscles (P < 0.001), and the 24-h (2)H(2)O was greater than the Phe flooding dose in the mixed gastrocnemius and plantaris (P < 0.05). In contrast, the actual percentage of newly synthesized protein was significantly higher in the 24- vs. 4-h (2)H(2)O and Phe flooding dose groups (P < 0.001). These results suggest that the methodologies provide "qualitatively" similar results when a perturbation such as RE is studied. However, due to potential quantitative differences between methods, the experimental question should determine what approach should be used.

A novel approach for assessing protein synthesis in channel catfish, Ictalurus punctatus

A comprehensive understanding of animal growth requires adequate knowledge of protein synthesis (PS), which in fish, has traditionally been determined by the flooding dose method. However, this procedure is limited to short-term assessments and may not accurately describe fish growth over extended periods of time. Since deuterium oxide ((2)H(2)O) has been used to non-invasively quantify PS in mammals over short- and long-term periods, we aimed at determining if (2)H(2)O could also be used to measure PS in channel catfish. Fish were stocked in a 40-L aquarium with approximately 4% (2)H(2)O and sampled at 4, 8 and 24h (n=6 at each time period) to determine (2)H-labeling of body water (plasma), as well as protein-free and protein-bound (2)H-labeled alanine. The labeling of body water reflected that of aquarium water and the labeling of protein-free alanine remained constant over 24h and was approximately 3.8 times greater than that of body water. By measuring (2)H-labeled alanine incorporation after 24h of (2)H(2)O exposure we were able to calculate a rate of PS: 0.04+/-0.01% h(-1). These results demonstrate that PS in fish can be effectively measured using (2)H(2)O and, because this method yields integrative measures of PS, is relatively inexpensive and accounts for perturbations such as feeding, it is a novel and practical assessment option.

Altered protein metabolism following coronary artery bypass graft (CABG) surgery

The aim of the present study was to investigate the acute effect of CABG (coronary artery bypass graft) surgery on the rates of synthesis of muscle protein, the positive acute-phase protein fibrinogen and the negative acute-phase protein albumin. Synthesis rates of muscle protein, fibrinogen and albumin were measured simultaneously before and 4 h after the end of surgery from the incorporation of L-[2H5]phenylalanine (given at 43 mg/kg of body weight) in 12 patients undergoing CABG surgery. Surgery was performed either with the use of extracorporeal circulation with cardiopulmonary bypass (on-pump; n=5) or with the beating heart procedure without cardiopulmonary bypass (off-pump; n=7). Post-surgical muscle protein fractional synthesis rates were decreased by 36±6.5% compared with pre-surgical values (1.59±0.10 compared with 0.97±0.08%/day respectively; P<0.001). In contrast, the synthesis rates of both fibrinogen (36±4 compared with 100±11 mg·day−1·kg−1 of body weight; P<0.0001) and albumin (123±12 compared with 178±19 mg·day−1·kg−1 of body weight; P<0.001) were both significantly increased after surgery. No significant differences were found between surgery performed with or without cardiopulmonary bypass. In conclusion, the results demonstrate that CABG surgery has a profound effect on protein metabolism, with a differential response of protein synthesis in muscle and liver.

Alternative equations for whole-body protein synthesis and for fractional synthetic rates of proteins

In a constant infusion study of a mass isotope of leucine, two alternative equations are commonly available to calculate amino acid oxidation rate and, thence, whole-body protein synthesis. One, developed by Matthews et al (Am J Physiol Endocrinol Metab. 1980;238:E473-E479), is shown here to require assuming a tracee steady state (TSS), namely, that tracee (unlabeled) amino acid concentrations and fluxes (rates of oxidation and incorporation into protein) are unaltered compared with the preinfusion state. The other, developed by Garlick and coworkers (Melville et al, Metabolism 1989;38:248-255), stems from a protein steady state (PSS) assumption, namely, that protein synthesis is unaffected by the tracer infusion. We derive here a simple expression for the relative difference in whole-body protein synthesis computed from the two assumptions, and a simple test of the validity of TSS in the form of an equality that must be satisfied by plasma measurements at all times. We also propose two experiments to discriminate between the two assumptions. Theoretical reasons and experimental evidence from the literature are offered to support PSS. The two assumptions result in different expressions for fractional synthetic rates (FSRs) of individual or organ proteins-TSS requires the use of tracer-to-tracee ratios and PSS the use of enrichments. An expression is derived here for the relative difference in FSR with TSS vs PSS. For both whole-body synthesis and for FSR, the TSS assumption consistently results in an underestimate, the relative bias roughly equal to the precursor amino acid enrichment.

Measuring in vivo intracellular protein degradation rates in animal systems

Continual synthesis and breakdown or remodeling of proteins (also called protein turnover) is a principal characteristic of protein metabolism. During animal production, the net differences between synthesis and breakdown represent the actual marketable muscle foods. Because protein synthesis is a highly end-ergonic and protein breakdown is metabolic energy dependent, efficiency of production can be markedly enhanced by lower muscle protein breakdown rates. Herein, various methodological approaches to studying protein breakdown, with particular emphasis toward food-producing animals, are presented. These include whole-animal tracer AA infusions in vivo, quantifying marker AA release from muscle proteins, and in vitro AA release-based methodologies. From such methods, protein synthesis rates and protein breakdown rates (mass units/time) may be obtained. The applications of such methods and innovations based on traditional methods are discussed. Whole-animal in vivo approaches are resource intensive and often not easily applied to high-throughput metabolic screening. Over the last 25 yr, biochemical mechanisms and molecular regulation of protein biosynthesis and protein breakdown have been extensively documented. Proteolysis is dependent in part on the extent of expression of genes for components of cellular proteolytic machinery during skeletal muscle atrophy. It is proposed that high-throughput methods, based on emerging understanding about protein breakdown, may be useful in enhancing production efficiency.

Response of albumin synthesis to oral nutrients in young and elderly subjects

BACKGROUND

The synthesis of albumin after oral ingestion of nutrients provides a means of storing amino acids, which can be made available during periods of fasting.

OBJECTIVE

This study was undertaken to see whether the response of albumin synthesis to the oral intake of nutrients is compromised in elderly subjects.

DESIGN

Albumin synthesis was determined from the incorporation of 43 mg l-[(2)H(5)]phenylalanine/kg body wt. Eight elderly subjects (aged >60 y) and 8 young subjects (aged 21-35 y) were studied on 3 separate occasions: after the intake of water, a liquid meal (with 15% of energy from protein, 30% of energy from fat, and 55% of energy from carbohydrate), or an isonitrogenous but not isocaloric meal containing only protein.

RESULTS

Mean (+/-SEM) albumin synthesis, expressed as an absolute rate (ie, the amount of albumin synthesized per day), was significantly lower in elderly subjects (108 +/- 7 mg . kg body wt(-1) . d(-1)) than in young subjects (141 +/- 7 mg . kg body wt(-1) . d(-1)). In response to the complete meal, albumin synthesis was significantly increased in both the elderly (144 +/- 7 mgkg body wt(-1) . d(-1)) and the young (187 +/- 11 mg . kg body wt(-1) . d(-1)) subjects. The protein component of the meal was sufficient to stimulate albumin synthesis in both the elderly (147 +/- 14 mg . kg body wt(-1) . d(-1)) and the young (182 +/- 6 mg . kg body wt(-1) . d(-1)) subjects.

CONCLUSIONS

Elderly subjects have lower rates of albumin synthesis than do young subjects during fasting, but they stimulate albumin synthesis proportionately in response to the oral ingestion of protein. The intakes of additional fat and carbohydrate do not stimulate albumin synthesis further.