Suppression of glycogen consumption during acute exercise by dietary branched-chain amino acids in rats

Sea Bass Essence from Lates calcarifer Improves Exercise Performance and Anti-Fatigue in Mice

Sea bass (Lates calcarifer) is rich in protein, amino acids, and long-chain omega 3 (omega-3), which have many health benefits. In East Asian food culture, soup is often eaten as a nutritional supplement. The purpose of this study was to investigate the benefits of Hi-Q sea bass essence (SBE) supplementation for improved exercise performance and anti-fatigue. Fifty male Institute of Cancer Research (ICR) mice were divided to five groups (10 mice/group) and administered different doses of SBE (EC): (1) vehicle (water); (2) isocaloric (0.94 g casein/kg/mice/day); (3) SBE-1X (1.04 g/kg/mice/day); (4) SBE-2X (2.08 g/kg/mice/day); and (5) SBE-4X (4.16 g/kg/mice/day). We found that SBE supplementation significantly improved more than 1.96-fold endurance exercise performance (p < 0.05) and more than 1.13-fold glycogen storage in the liver and muscles (p < 0.05), and had dose-dependent by SBE dose (p < 0.05). In addition, supplementation with SBE at different doses had significant effects on the fatigue-related biochemical markers, i.e., lactate, ammonia, and blood urea nitrogen (BUN) levels were reduced significantly (p < 0.05), and were also dose-dependent. In conclusion, supplementation with SBE for 4 weeks was able to effectively improve exercise performance and had an anti-fatigue effect. In addition, it did not cause any physiological or histopathological damage.

Anti-fatigue effect of Auxis thazard oligopeptide via modulation of AMPK/ PGC-1α pathway in mice

In this study, the anti-fatigue effect and mechanism of Auxis thazard oligopeptide (ATO) were studied by exhaustive swimming in mice. The results showed that ATO could significantly prolong the exhaustive...

Application of Metabolomics in Diagnosis of Cow Mastitis: A Review

Cow mastitis, with high incidence rate and complex cause of disease, is one of the main diseases that affect the development of dairy industry in the world. Clinical mastitis and subclinical mastitis caused by Staphylococcus aureus, Escherichia coli, Streptococcus, and other pathogens have a huge potential safety hazard to food safety and the rapid development of animal husbandry. The economic loss caused by cow mastitis is billions of dollars every year in the world. In recent years, the omics technology has been widely used in animal husbandry with the continuous breakthrough of sequencing technology and the continuous reduction of sequencing cost. For dairy cow mastitis, the traditional diagnostic technique, such as histopathological screening, somatic cell count, milk pH test, milk conductivity test, enzyme activity test, and infrared thermography, are difficult to fully and comprehensively clarify its pathogenesis due to their own limitations. Metabolomics technology is an important part of system biology, which can simultaneously analyze all low molecular weight metabolites such as amino acids, lipids, carbohydrates under the action of complex factors including internal and external environment and in a specific physiological period accurately and efficiently, and then clarify the related metabolic pathways. Metabolomics, as the most downstream of gene expression, can amplify the small changes of gene and protein expression at the level of metabolites, which can more fully reflect the cell function. The application of metabolomics technology in cow mastitis can analyze the hetero metabolites, identify the related biomarkers, and reveal the physiological and pathological changes of cow mammary gland, so as to provide valuable reference for the prediction, diagnosis, and treatment of mastitis. The research progress of metabolomics technology in cow mastitis in recent years was reviewed, in order to provide guidance for the development of cow health and dairy industry safety in this manuscript.

Flexibility of equine bioenergetics and muscle plasticity in response to different types of training: An integrative approach, questioning existing paradigms

Equine bioenergetics have predominantly been studied focusing on glycogen and fatty acids. Combining omics with conventional techniques allows for an integrative approach to broadly explore and identify important biomolecules. Friesian horses were aquatrained (n = 5) or dry treadmill trained (n = 7) (8 weeks) and monitored for: evolution of muscle diameter in response to aquatraining and dry treadmill training, fiber type composition and fiber cross-sectional area of the M. pectoralis, M. vastus lateralis and M. semitendinosus and untargeted metabolomics of the M. pectoralis and M. vastus lateralis in response to dry treadmill training. Aquatraining was superior to dry treadmill training to increase muscle diameter in the hindquarters, with maximum effect after 4 weeks. After dry treadmill training, the M. pectoralis showed increased muscle diameter, more type I fibers, decreased fiber mean cross sectional area, and an upregulated oxidative metabolic profile: increased β-oxidation (key metabolites: decreased long chain fatty acids and increased long chain acylcarnitines), TCA activity (intermediates including succinyl-carnitine and 2-methylcitrate), amino acid metabolism (glutamine, aromatic amino acids, serine, urea cycle metabolites such as proline, arginine and ornithine) and xenobiotic metabolism (especially p-cresol glucuronide). The M. vastus lateralis expanded its fast twitch profile, with decreased muscle diameter, type I fibers and an upregulation of glycolytic and pentose phosphate pathway activity, and increased branched-chain and aromatic amino acid metabolism (cis-urocanate, carnosine, homocarnosine, tyrosine, tryptophan, p-cresol-glucuronide, serine, methionine, cysteine, proline and ornithine). Trained Friesians showed increased collagen and elastin turn-over. Results show that branched-chain amino acids, aromatic amino acids and microbiome-derived xenobiotics need further study in horses. They feed the TCA cycle at steps further downstream from acetyl CoA and most likely, they are oxidized in type IIA fibers, the predominant fiber type of the horse. These study results underline the importance of reviewing existing paradigms on equine bioenergetics.

Divergent Induction of Branched-Chain Aminotransferases and Phosphorylation of Branched Chain Keto-Acid Dehydrogenase Is a Potential Mechanism Coupling Branched-Chain Keto-Acid-Mediated-Astrocyte Activation to Branched-Chain Amino Acid Depletion-Mediated Cognitive Deficit after Traumatic Brain Injury

Deficient branched-chain amino acids (BCAAs) are implicated in cognitive dysfunction after traumatic brain injury (TBI). The mechanism remains unknown. BCAAs are catabolized by neuron-specific cytosolic and astrocyte-specific mitochondrial branched-chain aminotransferases (BCATc, BCATm) to generate glutamate and branched-chain keto-acids (BCKAs) that are metabolized by the mitochondrial branched-chain keto-acid dehydrogenase (BCKD) whose activity is regulated by its phosphorylation state. BCKD phosphorylation by BCKD kinase (BCKDK) inactivates BCKD and cause neurocognitive dysfunction, whereas dephosphorylation by specific phosphatase restores BCKD activity. Real-time polymerase chain reaction showed rapidly and significantly decreased BCATc messenger RNA (mRNA) levels, but significantly increased BCATm mRNA level post-CCI (controlled cortical impact). BCKD and BCKDK mRNA decreased significantly immediately after CCI-induced TBI (CCI) in the rat. Phosphorylated BCKD proteins (pBCKD) increased significantly in the ipsilateral-CCI hemisphere. Immunohistochemistry revealed significantly increased pBCKD proteins in ipsilateral astrocytes post-CCI. BCKD protein expression is higher in primarily cultured cortical neurons than in astrocytes, whereas pBCKD protein level is higher in astrocytes than in cortical neurons. Transforming growth factor beta treatment (10 μg/mL for 48 h) significantly increased pBCKD protein expression in astrocytes, whereas glutamate treatment (25 μM for 24 h) significantly decreased pBCKD protein in neurons. Because increased pBCKD would lead to increased BCKA accumulation, BCKA-mediated astrocyte activation, cell death, and cognitive dysfunction as found in maple syrup urine disease; thus, TBI may potentially induce cognitive deficit through diverting BCAA from glutamate production in neurons to BCKA production in astrocytes through the pBCKD-dependent mechanism.

Leucine-Enriched Essential Amino Acids Augment Muscle Glycogen Content in Rats Seven Days after Eccentric Contraction

Eccentric contractions induce muscle damage, which impairs recovery of glycogen and adenosine tri-phosphate (ATP) content over several days. Leucine-enriched essential amino acids (LEAAs) enhance the recovery in muscles that are damaged after eccentric contractions. However, the role of LEAAs in this process remains unclear. We evaluated the content in glycogen and high energy phosphates molecules (phosphocreatine (PCr), adenosine di-phosphate (ADP) and ATP) in rats that were following electrically stimulated eccentric contractions. Muscle glycogen content decreased immediately after the contraction and remained low for the first three days after the stimulation, but increased seven days after the eccentric contraction. LEAAs administration did not change muscle glycogen content during the first three days after the contraction. Interestingly, however, it induced a further increase in muscle glycogen seven days after the stimulation. Contrarily, ATP content decreased immediately after the eccentric contraction, and remained lower for up to seven days after. Additionally, LEAAs administration did not affect the ATP content over the experimental period. Finally, ADP and PCr levels did not significantly change after the contractions or LEAA administration. LEAAs modulate the recovery of glycogen content in muscle after damage-inducing exercise.

Metabolomics changes in a rat model of obstructive jaundice: mapping to metabolism of amino acids, carbohydrates and lipids as well as oxidative stress

The study examined the global metabolic and some biochemical changes in rats with cholestasis induced by bile duct ligation (BDL). Serum samples were collected in male Wistar rats with BDL (n = 8) and sham surgery (n = 8) at day 3 after surgery for metabolomics analysis using a combination of reversed phase chromatography and hydrophilic interaction chromatography (HILIC) and quadrupole-time-of-flight mass spectrometry (Q-TOF MS). The serum levels of malondialdehyde (MDA), total antioxidative capacity (T-AOC), glutathione (GSH) and glutathione disulfide (GSSG), the activities of superoxide dismutase (SOD) and glutathion peroxidase (GSH-Px) were measured to estimate the oxidative stress state. Key changes after BDL included increased levels of l-phenylalanine, l-glutamate, l-tyrosine, kynurenine, l-lactic acid, LysoPC^c (14:0), glycine and succinic acid and decreased levels of l-valine, PC^b (19:0/0:0), taurine, palmitic acid, l-isoleucine and citric acid metabolism products. And treatment with BDL significantly decreased the levels of GSH, T-AOC as well as SOD, GSH-Px activities, and upregulated MDA levels. The changes could be mapped to metabolism of amino acids and lipids, Krebs cycle and glycolysis, as well as increased oxidative stress and decreased antioxidant capability. Our study indicated that BDL induces major changes in the metabolism of all 3 major energy substances, as well as oxidative stress.

Usage of whey protein may cause liver damage via inflammatory and apoptotic responses

The purpose of this study was to investigate the long- and short-term inflammatory and apoptotic effects of whey protein on the livers of non-exercising rats. Thirty rats were divided into three groups namely (1) control group, (2) short-term whey (WS) protein diet (252 g/kg for 5 days), and (3) long-term whey (WL) protein diet (252 g/kg for 4 weeks). Interleukin 1β (IL-1β), IL-6, tumor necrosis factor α (TNF-α), and cytokeratin 18 (CK-18-M30) were assessed using enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay and immunohistochemical methods. Apoptosis was evaluated using the terminal transferase-mediated deoxyuridine triphosphate nick-end labeling (TUNEL) method. Hepatotoxicity was evaluated by quantitation of serum aspartate aminotransferase (AST) and alanine aminotransferase (ALT). Based on the biochemical levels and immunohistochemical results, the highest level of IL-1β was identified in the WL group (p < 0.01). The IL-6 and TNF-α results were slightly lower in the WS group than in the control group and were highest in the WL group (p < 0.01). The CK-18-M30 and TUNEL results were highest in the WS group and exhibited medium intensity in the WL group (p < 0.01). AST results were statistically significant for all groups, while our ALT groups were particularly significant between the WL and control groups (p < 0.01). The results showed that when whey protein is used in an uninformed manner and without exercising, adverse effects on the liver may occur by increasing the apoptotic signal in the short term and increasing inflammatory markers and hepatotoxicity in the long term.

Effects of diets supplemented with branched-chain amino acids on the performance and fatigue mechanisms of rats submitted to prolonged physical exercise

This study aimed to determine the effects of diets chronically supplemented with branched-chain amino acids (BCAA) on the fatigue mechanisms of trained rats. Thirty-six adult Wistar rats were trained for six weeks. The training protocol consisted of bouts of swimming exercise (one hour a day, five times a week, for six weeks). The animals received a control diet (C) (n = 12), a diet supplemented with 3.57% BCAA (S1) (n = 12), or a diet supplemented with 4.76% BCAA (S2) (n = 12). On the last day of the training protocol, half the animals in each group were sacrificed after one hour of swimming (1H), and the other half after a swimming exhaustion test (EX). Swimming time until exhaustion was increased by 37% in group S1 and reduced by 43% in group S2 compared to group C. Results indicate that the S1 diet had a beneficial effect on performance by sparing glycogen in the soleus muscle (p < 0.05) and by inducing a lower concentration of plasma ammonia, whereas the S2 diet had a negative effect on performance due to hyperammonemia (p < 0.05). The hypothalamic concentration of serotonin was not significantly different between the 1H and EX conditions. In conclusion, chronic BCAA supplementation led to increased performance in rats subjected to a swimming test to exhaustion. However, this is a dose-dependent effect, since chronic ingestion of elevated quantities of BCAA led to a reduction in performance.

Exercise-induced muscle damage is reduced in resistance-trained males by branched chain amino acids: a randomized, double-blind, placebo controlled study

BACKGROUND

It is well documented that exercise-induced muscle damage (EIMD) decreases muscle function and causes soreness and discomfort. Branched-chain amino acid (BCAA) supplementation has been shown to increase protein synthesis and decrease muscle protein breakdown, however, the effects of BCAAs on recovery from damaging resistance training are unclear. Therefore, the aim of this study was to examine the effects of a BCAA supplementation on markers of muscle damage elicited via a sport specific bout of damaging exercise in trained volunteers.

METHODS

Twelve males (mean ± SD age, 23 ± 2 y; stature, 178.3 ± 3.6 cm and body mass, 79.6 ± 8.4 kg) were randomly assigned to a supplement (n = 6) or placebo (n = 6) group. The damaging exercise consisted of 100 consecutive drop-jumps. Creatine kinase (CK), maximal voluntary contraction (MVC), muscle soreness (DOMS), vertical jump (VJ), thigh circumference (TC) and calf circumference (CC) were measured as markers of muscle damage. All variables were measured immediately before the damaging exercise and at 24, 48, 72 and 96 h post-exercise.

RESULTS

A significant time effect was seen for all variables. There were significant group effects showing a reduction in CK efflux and muscle soreness in the BCAA group compared to the placebo (P<0.05). Furthermore, the recovery of MVC was greater in the BCAA group (P<0.05). The VJ, TC and CC were not different between groups.

CONCLUSION

The present study has shown that BCAA administered before and following damaging resistance exercise reduces indices of muscle damage and accelerates recovery in resistance-trained males. It seems likely that BCAA provided greater bioavailablity of substrate to improve protein synthesis and thereby the extent of secondary muscle damage associated with strenuous resistance exercise.

CLINICAL TRIAL REGISTRATION NUMBER

NCT01529281.

Branched-chain amino acid supplementation lowers perceived exertion but does not affect performance in untrained males

The purpose of this study was to determine whether branched-chain amino acid (BCAA) supplementation affects aerobic performance, ratings of perceived exertion (RPE), or substrate utilization as compared with an isocaloric, carbohydrate (CHO) beverage or a noncaloric placebo (PLAC) beverage. Nine untrained males performed three 90-minute cycling bouts at 55% VO₂ peak followed by 15-minute time trials. Subjects, who were blinded to beverage selection, ingested a total of 200 kcal via the CHO or BCAA beverage before and at 60 minutes of exercise or the PLAC beverage on the same time course. RPE and metabolic measurements were taken every 15 minutes during steady-state exercise, and each of the trials was separated by 8 weeks. Plasma glucose and BCAA concentrations were measured pre- and post-exercise. A greater distance (4.6 ± 0.6 km) was traveled in the time-trial during the CHO trial than the PLAC trial (3.9 ± 0.4 km) (p < 0.05). There was no difference between the BCAA (4.4 ± 0.5 km) and PLAC trials. RPE was reduced at the 75-minute and 90-minute mark during the BCAA trial as compared with the PLAC trial. There were no significant differences found for the trial vs. time interaction in regard to respiratory exchange ratio. Thus, CHO supplementation improves performance in a loaded time-trial as compared with a PLAC beverage. BCAA supplementation, although effective at increasing blood concentrations of BCAA, did not influence aerobic performance but did attenuate RPE as compared with a PLAC beverage.

Branched-chain amino acid supplementation increases the lactate threshold during an incremental exercise test in trained individuals

The effects of branched-chain amino acid (BCAA) supplementation on the lactate threshold (LT) were investigated as an index of endurance exercise capacity. Eight trained male subjects (21+/-2 y) participated in a double-blind crossover placebo-controlled study. The subjects were randomly assigned to two groups and were provided either a BCAA drink (0.4% BCAA, 4% carbohydrate; 1,500 mL/d) or an iso-caloric placebo drink for 6 d. On the 7th day, the subjects performed an incremental loading exercise test with a cycle ergometer until exhaustion in order to measure the LT. The test drink (500 mL) was ingested 15-min before the test. Oxygen consumption VO2 and the respiratory exchange ratio (RER) during the exercise test were measured with the breath-by-breath method. Blood samples were taken before and during the exercise test to measure the blood lactate and plasma BCAA concentrations. The same exercise test was performed again 1 wk later. BCAA supplementation increased the plasma BCAA concentration during the exercise test, while plasma BCAA concentration decreased in the placebo trial. The RER during the exercise test in the BCAA trial was lower than that in the placebo trial (p<0.05). The VO2 and workload levels at LT point in the BCAA trial were higher than those in the placebo trial (VO2: 29.8+/-6.8 vs. 26.4+/-5.4 mL/kg/min; workload: 175+/-42 vs. 165+/-38 W, p<0.05, respectively). The VO2max in the BCAA trial was higher than that in the placebo trial (47.1+/-5.7 vs. 45.2+/-5.0 mL/kg/min, p<0.05). These results suggest that BCAA supplementation may be effective to increase the endurance exercise capacity.

Effect of chronic supplementation with branched-chain amino acids on the performance and hepatic and muscle glycogen content in trained rats

The objective of this study was to evaluate the effects of a diet supplemented with branched-chain amino acids (BCAA; 3.57% and 4.76%) on the performance and glycogen metabolism of trained rats. Thirty-six adult male Wistar rats received the control diet (AIN-93M) (n=12) and two diets supplemented with BCAA (S1: AIN-93M+3.57% BCAA, n=12, and S2: AIN-93M+4.76% BCAA, n=12) for 6 weeks. The training protocol consisted of bouts of swimming exercise (60 min day(-1)) for 6 weeks at intensities close to the lactate threshold. On the last day of the experiment, all groups were trained for 1 h (1H) or were submitted to the exhaustion test (EX). The time to exhaustion did not differ between groups. The groups submitted to the exhaustion test presented a reduction in plasma glucose and an increase in plasma ammonia and blood lactate concentrations compared to the 1H condition. In the 1H condition, hepatic glycogen concentration was significantly higher in group S2 compared to the control diet and S1 groups (132% and 44%, respectively). Group S2 in the 1H condition presented a higher muscle glycogen concentration (45%) compared to the control diet group. In the EX condition, a significantly higher hepatic glycogen concentration was observed for group S2 compared to the control diet and S1 groups (262% and 222%, respectively). Chronic supplementation with BCAA promoted a higher hepatic and muscle glycogen concentration in trained animals, with this effect being dose dependent.

Clofibrate treatment promotes branched-chain amino acid catabolism and decreases the phosphorylation state of mTOR, eIF4E-BP1, and S6K1 in rat liver

Leucine stimulates protein synthesis by modulating the mammalian target of rapamycin (mTOR) signaling pathway. We hypothesized that promotion of the branched-chain amino acid (BCAA) catabolism might influence the leucine-induced protein synthesis. Clofibric acid (an active metabolite of clofibrate) is known to promote the BCAA catabolism by activation of branched-chain alpha-keto acid dehydrogenase complex (BCKDC), the rate-limiting enzyme of the BCAA catabolism. In the present study, we examined the phosphorylation state of mTOR, eukaryotic initiation factor 4E-binding protein-1 (4E-BP1), and ribosomal protein S6 kinase 1 (S6K1) in liver of rats with or without activation of the BCKDC by clofibrate treatment. Clofibrate-treated rats were prepared by oral administration of clofibrate 5 h before sacrifice. In order to stimulate phosphorylation of components in the mTOR signaling pathway, rats were orally administered with leucine 1 h before sacrifice. Clofibrate treatment almost fully activated hepatic BCKDC and significantly decreased the plasma leucine concentration in rats without leucine administration, resulting in decreased mTOR and 4E-BP1 phosphorylation. Similarly, in rats administered with leucine, clofibrate treatment attenuated the predicted increase in plasma leucine concentration as well as the phosphorylation of mTOR, 4E-BP1, and S6K1. These results suggest that BCAA catabolism enhanced by clofibrate treatment has significant influences on the leucine-induced activation of translation initiation processes.

Nutraceutical effects of branched-chain amino acids on skeletal muscle

BCAA catabolism in skeletal muscle is regulated by the branched-chain alpha-keto acid dehydrogenase (BCKDH) complex, located at the second step in the BCAA catabolic pathway. The activity of the BCKDH complex is regulated by a phosphorylation/dephosphorylation cycle. Almost all of BCKDH complex in skeletal muscle under normal and resting conditions is in an inactive/phosphorylated state, which may contribute to muscle protein synthesis and muscle growth. Exercise activates the muscle BCKDH complex, resulting in enhanced BCAA catabolism. Therefore, exercise may increase the BCAA requirement. It has been reported that BCAA supplementation before exercise attenuates the breakdown of muscle proteins during exercise in humans and that leucine strongly promotes protein synthesis in skeletal muscle in humans and rats, suggesting that a BCAA supplement may attenuate muscle damage induced by exercise and promote recovery from the damage. We have examined the effects of BCAA supplementation on delayed-onset muscle soreness (DOMS) and muscle fatigue induced by squat exercise in humans. The results obtained showed that BCAA supplementation prior to squat exercise decreased DOMS and muscle fatigue occurring for a few days after exercise. These findings suggest that BCAAs may be useful for muscle recovery following exercise.

Dietary whey protein modulates liver glycogen level and glycoregulatory enzyme activities in exercise-trained rats

This study compared the effects of dietary whey protein with dietary casein or soy protein on glycogen storage and glycoregulatory enzyme activities in the liver of sedentary and exercise-trained rats. Male Sprague-Dawley rats (ca. 130 g) were divided into one sedentary and three exercise-trained groups, with eight animals in each group. Casein was provided as the source of dietary protein in the sedentary group while the exercise-trained groups were fed casein, whey, or soy protein. Rats in the exercise-trained groups ran for 30 mins/day, 4 days/week on a motor-driven treadmill. In the exercise-trained rats, animals fed whey protein had higher liver glycogen content than animals in the other two diet groups. Glucokinase activity was significantly higher in rats fed whey protein compared to that in rats fed soy protein, while glucose 6-phosphatase activity was significantly decreased in animals on the whey protein diet compared with those the other two diets. Although 6-phospho-fructokinase activity was significantly lower in the whey protein group than in the soy protein group, we found that fructose 1,6-bisphosphatase activity was significantly higher in the whey group compared with either the casein or soy groups. Pyruvate kinase activity in rats fed the casein diet was significantly higher than in rats fed either the whey or soy protein diets. In addition, hepatic alanine aminotransferase activity and serum alanine level were also increased in the whey protein group compared with the casein or soy protein groups. Taken together, these results demonstrate that the whey protein diet in exercise-trained rats results in significantly higher levels of liver glycogen, because of the combined effects of regulation of rate limiting glycolytic and gluconeogenic enzyme activities and activation of glycogenesis from alanine via alanine amino-transferase.

A preexercise alpha-lactalbumin-enriched whey protein meal preserves lipid oxidation and decreases adiposity in rats

The composition of the preexercise food intake is known to affect substrate utilization during exercise and thus can affect long-term changes in body weight and composition. These parameters were measured in male rats exercised 2 h daily over 5 wk, either in the fasting state or 1 h after they ingested a meal enriched with glucose (Glc), whole milk protein (WMP), or alpha-lactalbumin-enriched whey protein (CPalphaL). Compared with fasting, the Glc meal increased glucose oxidation and decreased lipid oxidation during and after exercise. In contrast, the WMP and CPalphaL meals preserved lipid oxidation and increased protein oxidation, the CPalphaL meal increasing protein oxidation more than the WMP meal. At the end of the study, body weight was larger in the WMP-, Glc-, and CPalphaL-fed rats than in the fasted ones. This resulted from an increased fat mass in the WMP and Glc rats and to an increased lean body mass, particularly muscles, in the CPalphaL rats. We conclude that the potential of the CPalphaL meal to preserve lipid oxidation and to rapidly deliver amino acids for use during exercise improved the efficiency of exercise training to decrease adiposity.

Mechanism of activation of branched-chain alpha-keto acid dehydrogenase complex by exercise

Branched-chain alpha-keto acid dehydrogenase (BCKDH) complex catalyzes the committed step of branched-chain amino acid catabolism, and its activity is regulated by the phosphorylation-dephosphorylation cycle. BCKDH kinase is responsible for inactivation of the complex by phosphorylation. In the present study, we examined acute exercise on the activity state of the complex as well as the amounts of bound and free forms of the kinase in rat liver and skeletal muscle. Acute exercise activated the complex in association with a decrease in the bound form of kinase in both liver and muscle. The free form of kinase in both tissues was slightly increased but the total amount of the kinase was not affected by acute exercise. The protein amount ratio of bound kinase to E1beta component of the complex was much higher in muscle than in the liver of rats, reflecting the low activity state of the complex in muscle. These results suggest that the amount of the bound kinase plays an important role in regulation of the activity state of the complex. We propose that the alteration in the amount of bound BCKDH kinase is a short-term regulatory mechanism for determining the activity of BCKDH complex.

The alpha-ketoisocaproate catabolism in human and rat livers

Catabolism of alpha-ketoisocaproate in liver is mediated by cytosolic alpha-ketoisocaproate dioxygenase (KICD) and mitochondrial branched-chain alpha-keto acid dehydrogenase complex (BCKDC). The latter is believed to be involved in the main pathway of the KIC catabolism. In the present study, we measured the activities of KICD and BCKDC in human and rat livers. The KICD activity in human liver was 0.9 mU/g tissue, which was 14.2% of the total activity of BCKDC, and that in rat liver was 4.2 mU/g tissue, which was only 1.0% of the total activity, suggesting that KICD in human liver plays a relatively important role in the alpha-ketoisocaproate catabolism. The KICD activity in human liver was significantly increased by cirrhosis. In rat liver, the enzyme activity was markedly increased by physical training and streptozotocin-induced diabetes, but not by feeding of a diet rich in branched-chain amino acids, although BCKDC activity was increased by feeding of the diet.