Sample records for hepatic glycogen formation

  1. Hepatic glycogen supercompensation activates AMP-activated protein kinase, impairs insulin signaling, and reduces glycogen deposition in the liver.

    PubMed

    Winnick, Jason J; An, Zhibo; Ramnanan, Christopher J; Smith, Marta; Irimia, Jose M; Neal, Doss W; Moore, Mary Courtney; Roach, Peter J; Cherrington, Alan D

    2011-02-01

    The objective of this study was to determine how increasing the hepatic glycogen content would affect the liver's ability to take up and metabolize glucose. During the first 4 h of the study, liver glycogen deposition was stimulated by intraportal fructose infusion in the presence of hyperglycemic-normoinsulinemia. This was followed by a 2-h hyperglycemic-normoinsulinemic control period, during which the fructose infusion was stopped, and a 2-h experimental period in which net hepatic glucose uptake (NHGU) and disposition (glycogen, lactate, and CO(2)) were measured in the absence of fructose but in the presence of a hyperglycemic-hyperinsulinemic challenge including portal vein glucose infusion. Fructose infusion increased net hepatic glycogen synthesis (0.7 ± 0.5 vs. 6.4 ± 0.4 mg/kg/min; P < 0.001), causing a large difference in hepatic glycogen content (62 ± 9 vs. 100 ± 3 mg/g; P < 0.001). Hepatic glycogen supercompensation (fructose infusion group) did not alter NHGU, but it reduced the percent of NHGU directed to glycogen (79 ± 4 vs. 55 ± 6; P < 0.01) and increased the percent directed to lactate (12 ± 3 vs. 29 ± 5; P = 0.01) and oxidation (9 ± 3 vs. 16 ± 3; P = NS). This change was associated with increased AMP-activated protein kinase phosphorylation, diminished insulin signaling, and a shift in glycogenic enzyme activity toward a state discouraging glycogen accumulation. These data indicate that increases in hepatic glycogen can generate a state of hepatic insulin resistance, which is characterized by impaired glycogen synthesis despite preserved NHGU.

  2. Activation of Basal Gluconeogenesis by Coactivator p300 Maintains Hepatic Glycogen Storage

    PubMed Central

    Cao, Jia; Meng, Shumei; Ma, Anlin; Radovick, Sally; Wondisford, Fredric E.

    2013-01-01

    Because hepatic glycogenolysis maintains euglycemia during early fasting, proper hepatic glycogen synthesis in the fed/postprandial states is critical. It has been known for decades that gluconeogenesis is essential for hepatic glycogen synthesis; however, the molecular mechanism remains unknown. In this report, we show that depletion of hepatic p300 reduces glycogen synthesis, decreases hepatic glycogen storage, and leads to relative hypoglycemia. We previously reported that insulin suppressed gluconeogenesis by phosphorylating cAMP response element binding protein-binding protein (CBP) at S436 and disassembling the cAMP response element-binding protein-CBP complex. However, p300, which is closely related to CBP, lacks the corresponding S436 phosphorylation site found on CBP. In a phosphorylation-competent p300G422S knock-in mouse model, we found that mutant mice exhibited reduced hepatic glycogen content and produced significantly less glycogen in a tracer incorporation assay in the postprandial state. Our study demonstrates the important and unique role of p300 in glycogen synthesis through maintaining basal gluconeogenesis. PMID:23770612

  3. Chronic ethanol consumption disrupts diurnal rhythms of hepatic glycogen metabolism in mice

    PubMed Central

    Udoh, Uduak S.; Swain, Telisha M.; Filiano, Ashley N.; Gamble, Karen L.; Young, Martin E.

    2015-01-01

    Chronic ethanol consumption has been shown to significantly decrease hepatic glycogen content; however, the mechanisms responsible for this adverse metabolic effect are unknown. In this study, we examined the impact chronic ethanol consumption has on time-of-day-dependent oscillations (rhythms) in glycogen metabolism processes in the liver. For this, male C57BL/6J mice were fed either a control or ethanol-containing liquid diet for 5 wk, and livers were collected every 4 h for 24 h and analyzed for changes in various genes and proteins involved in hepatic glycogen metabolism. Glycogen displayed a robust diurnal rhythm in the livers of mice fed the control diet, with the peak occurring during the active (dark) period of the day. The diurnal glycogen rhythm was significantly altered in livers of ethanol-fed mice, with the glycogen peak shifted into the inactive (light) period and the overall content of glycogen decreased compared with controls. Chronic ethanol consumption further disrupted diurnal rhythms in gene expression (glycogen synthase 1 and 2, glycogenin, glucokinase, protein targeting to glycogen, and pyruvate kinase), total and phosphorylated glycogen synthase protein, and enzyme activities of glycogen synthase and glycogen phosphorylase, the rate-limiting enzymes of glycogen metabolism. In summary, these results show for the first time that chronic ethanol consumption disrupts diurnal rhythms in hepatic glycogen metabolism at the gene and protein level. Chronic ethanol-induced disruption in these daily rhythms likely contributes to glycogen depletion and disruption of hepatic energy homeostasis, a recognized risk factor in the etiology of alcoholic liver disease. PMID:25857999

  4. ²H enrichment distribution of hepatic glycogen from ²H₂O reveals the contribution of dietary fructose to glycogen synthesis.

    PubMed

    Delgado, Teresa C; Martins, Fátima O; Carvalho, Filipa; Gonçalves, Ana; Scott, Donald K; O'Doherty, Robert; Macedo, M Paula; Jones, John G

    2013-02-15

    Dietary fructose can benefit or hinder glycemic control, depending on the quantity consumed, and these contrasting effects are reflected by alterations in postprandial hepatic glycogen synthesis. Recently, we showed that ²H enrichment of glycogen positions 5 and 2 from deuterated water (²H₂O) informs direct and indirect pathway contributions to glycogenesis in naturally feeding rats. Inclusion of position 6(S) ²H enrichment data allows indirect pathway sources to be further resolved into triose phosphate and Krebs cycle precursors. This analysis was applied to six rats that had fed on standard chow (SC) and six rats that had fed on SC plus 35% sucrose in their drinking water (HS). After 2 wk, hepatic glycogenesis sources during overnight feeding were determined by ²H₂O administration and postmortem analysis of glycogen ²H enrichment at the conclusion of the dark period. Net overnight hepatic glycogenesis was similar between SC and HS rodents. Whereas direct pathway contributions were similar (403 ± 71 μmol/g dry wt HS vs. 578 ± 76 μmol/g dry wt SC), triose phosphate contributions were significantly higher for HS compared with SC (382 ± 61 vs. 87 ± 24 μmol/g dry wt, P < 0.01) and Krebs cycle inputs lower for HS compared with SC (110 ± 9 vs. 197 ± 32 μmol/g dry wt, P < 0.05). Analysis of plasma glucose ²H enrichments at the end of the feeding period also revealed a significantly higher fractional contribution of triose phosphate to plasma glucose levels in HS vs. SC. Hence, the ²H enrichment distributions of hepatic glycogen and glucose from ²H₂O inform the contribution of dietary fructose to hepatic glycogen and glucose synthesis.

  5. Lack of liver glycogen causes hepatic insulin resistance and steatosis in mice.

    PubMed

    Irimia, Jose M; Meyer, Catalina M; Segvich, Dyann M; Surendran, Sneha; DePaoli-Roach, Anna A; Morral, Nuria; Roach, Peter J

    2017-06-23

    Disruption of the Gys2 gene encoding the liver isoform of glycogen synthase generates a mouse strain (LGSKO) that almost completely lacks hepatic glycogen, has impaired glucose disposal, and is pre-disposed to entering the fasted state. This study investigated how the lack of liver glycogen increases fat accumulation and the development of liver insulin resistance. Insulin signaling in LGSKO mice was reduced in liver, but not muscle, suggesting an organ-specific defect. Phosphorylation of components of the hepatic insulin-signaling pathway, namely IRS1, Akt, and GSK3, was decreased in LGSKO mice. Moreover, insulin stimulation of their phosphorylation was significantly suppressed, both temporally and in an insulin dose response. Phosphorylation of the insulin-regulated transcription factor FoxO1 was somewhat reduced and insulin treatment did not elicit normal translocation of FoxO1 out of the nucleus. Fat overaccumulated in LGSKO livers, showing an aberrant distribution in the acinus, an increase not explained by a reduction in hepatic triglyceride export. Rather, when administered orally to fasted mice, glucose was directed toward hepatic lipogenesis as judged by the activity, protein levels, and expression of several fatty acid synthesis genes, namely, acetyl-CoA carboxylase, fatty acid synthase, SREBP1c, chREBP, glucokinase, and pyruvate kinase. Furthermore, using cultured primary hepatocytes, we found that lipogenesis was increased by 40% in LGSKO cells compared with controls. Of note, the hepatic insulin resistance was not associated with increased levels of pro-inflammatory markers. Our results suggest that loss of liver glycogen synthesis diverts glucose toward fat synthesis, correlating with impaired hepatic insulin signaling and glucose disposal. © 2017 by The American Society for Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Inc.

  6. Hepatic protein phosphatase 1 regulatory subunit 3B (Ppp1r3b) promotes hepatic glycogen synthesis and thereby regulates fasting energy homeostasis.

    PubMed

    Mehta, Minal B; Shewale, Swapnil V; Sequeira, Raymond N; Millar, John S; Hand, Nicholas J; Rader, Daniel J

    2017-06-23

    Maintenance of whole-body glucose homeostasis is critical to glycemic function. Genetic variants mapping to chromosome 8p23.1 in genome-wide association studies have been linked to glycemic traits in humans. The gene of known function closest to the mapped region, PPP1R3B (protein phosphatase 1 regulatory subunit 3B), encodes a protein (G L ) that regulates glycogen metabolism in the liver. We therefore sought to test the hypothesis that hepatic PPP1R3B is associated with glycemic traits. We generated mice with either liver-specific deletion ( Ppp1r3b Δ hep ) or liver-specific overexpression of Ppp1r3b The Ppp1r3b deletion significantly reduced glycogen synthase protein abundance, and the remaining protein was predominantly phosphorylated and inactive. As a consequence, glucose incorporation into hepatic glycogen was significantly impaired, total hepatic glycogen content was substantially decreased, and mice lacking hepatic Ppp1r3b had lower fasting plasma glucose than controls. The concomitant loss of liver glycogen impaired whole-body glucose homeostasis and increased hepatic expression of glycolytic enzymes in Ppp1r3b Δ hep mice relative to controls in the postprandial state. Eight hours of fasting significantly increased the expression of two critical gluconeogenic enzymes, phosphoenolpyruvate carboxykinase and glucose-6-phosphatase, above the levels in control livers. Conversely, the liver-specific overexpression of Ppp1r3b enhanced hepatic glycogen storage above that of controls and, as a result, delayed the onset of fasting-induced hypoglycemia. Moreover, mice overexpressing hepatic Ppp1r3b upon long-term fasting (12-36 h) were protected from blood ketone-body accumulation, unlike control and Ppp1r3b Δ hep mice. These findings indicate a major role for Ppp1r3b in regulating hepatic glycogen stores and whole-body glucose/energy homeostasis. © 2017 by The American Society for Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Inc.

  7. Hormonal control of hepatic glycogen metabolism in food-deprived, continuously swimming coho salmon Oncorhynchus kisutch

    USGS Publications Warehouse

    Vijayan, M.M.; Maule, A.G.; Schreck, C.B.; Moon, T.W.

    1993-01-01

    The plasma cortisol concentration and liver cytosolic glucocorticoid receptor activities of continuously swimming, food-deprived coho salmon (Oncorhynchus kisutch) did not differ from those of resting, fed fish. Plasma glucose concentration was significantly higher in the exercising, starved fish, but there were no significant differences in either hepatic glycogen concentration or hepatic activities of glycogen phosphorylase, glycogen synthase, pyruvate kinase, or lactate dehydrogenase between the two groups. Total glucose production by hepatocytes did not differ significantly between the two groups; glycogen breakdown accounted for all the glucose produced in the resting, fed fish whereas it explained only 59% of the glucose production in the exercised animals. Epinephrine and glucagon stimulation of glucose production by hepatocytes was decreased in the exercised fish without significantly affecting hepatocyte glycogen breakdown in either group. Insulin prevented glycogen breakdown and enhanced glycogen deposition in exercised fish. The results indicate that food-deprived, continuously swimming coho salmon conserve glycogen by decreasing the responsiveness of hepatocytes to catabolic hormones and by increasing the responsiveness to insulin (anabolic hormone).

  8. Pregnancy and pentobarbital anaesthesia modify hepatic synthesis of acylglycerol glycerol and glycogen from gluconeogenic precursors during fasting in rats.

    PubMed Central

    Zorzano, A; Herrera, E

    1988-01-01

    1. Incorporation of gluconeogenic precursors into blood glucose and hepatic glycogen and acylglycerol glycerol was examined in 24 h-fasted virgin rats by using a flooding procedure for substrate administration. At 10 min after their intravenous injection, the conversion of alanine or glycerol into liver glycogen or acylglycerol glycerol was proportional to glucose synthesis. 2. In 24 h-fasted 21-day-pregnant rats, the incorporation of alanine and glycerol into hepatic acylglycerol glycerol was markedly enhanced compared with the control group. In addition, during fasting at late pregnancy, the proportion of substrates directed to acylglycerol glycerol as compared with the fraction incorporated into glucose was augmented. 3. In pentobarbital-treated fasted rats, the incorporation of both alanine and pyruvate into circulating glucose and into hepatic glycogen and acylglycerol glycerol was increased. Pentobarbital treatment increased the proportion of substrates incorporated into liver glycogen, compared with the fraction appearing in circulating glucose. These changes were concomitant with a marked accumulation of glycogen. 4. The data indicate that, during fasting, gluconeogenesis provides glucose as well as hepatic glycogen and acylglycerol glycerol, independently of whether the substrates enter gluconeogenesis at the level of pyruvate or dihydroxyacetone phosphate. PMID:3223926

  9. A physiological increase in the hepatic glycogen level does not affect the response of net hepatic glucose uptake to insulin.

    PubMed

    Winnick, Jason J; An, Zhibo; Moore, Mary Courtney; Ramnanan, Christopher J; Farmer, Ben; Shiota, Masakazu; Cherrington, Alan D

    2009-08-01

    To determine the effect of an acute increase in hepatic glycogen on net hepatic glucose uptake (NHGU) and disposition in response to insulin in vivo, studies were performed on two groups of dogs fasted 18 h. During the first 4 h of the study, somatostatin was infused peripherally, while insulin and glucagon were replaced intraportally in basal amounts. Hyperglycemia was brought about by glucose infusion, and either saline (n = 7) or fructose (n = 7; to stimulate NHGU and glycogen deposition) was infused intraportally. A 2-h control period then followed, during which the portal fructose and saline infusions were stopped, allowing NHGU and glycogen deposition in the fructose-infused animals to return to rates similar to those of the animals that received the saline infusion. This was followed by a 2-h experimental period, during which hyperglycemia was continued but insulin infusion was increased fourfold in both groups. During the initial 4-h glycogen loading period, NHGU averaged 1.18 +/- 0.27 and 5.55 +/- 0.53 mg x kg(-1) x min(-1) and glycogen synthesis averaged 0.72 +/- 0.24 and 3.98 +/- 0.57 mg x kg(-1) x min(-1) in the saline and fructose groups, respectively (P < 0.05). During the 2-h hyperinsulinemic period, NHGU rose from 1.5 +/- 0.4 and 0.9 +/- 0.2 to 3.1 +/- 0.6 and 2.5 +/- 0.5 mg x kg(-1) x min(-1) in the saline and fructose groups, respectively, a change of 1.6 mg x kg(-1) x min(-1) in both groups despite a significantly greater liver glycogen level in the fructose-infused group. Likewise, the metabolic fate of the extracted glucose (glycogen, lactate, or carbon dioxide) was not different between groups. These data indicate that an acute physiological increase in the hepatic glycogen content does not alter liver glucose uptake and storage under hyperglycemic/hyperinsulinemic conditions in the dog.

  10. 13C Mrs Studies of the Control of Hepatic Glycogen Metabolism at High Magnetic Fields

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Miller, Corin O.; Cao, Jin; Zhu, He; Chen, Li M.; Wilson, George; Kennan, Richard; Gore, John C.

    2017-06-01

    Introduction: Glycogen is the primary intracellular storage form of carbohydrates. In contrast to most tissues where stored glycogen can only supply the local tissue with energy, hepatic glycogen is mobilized and released into the blood to maintain appropriate circulating glucose levels, and is delivered to other tissues as glucose in response to energetic demands. Insulin and glucagon, two current targets of high interest in the pharmaceutical industry, are well known glucose-regulating hormones whose primary effect in liver is to modulate glycogen synthesis and breakdown. The purpose of these studies was to develop methods to measure glycogen metabolism in real time non-invasively both in isolated mouse livers, and in non-human primates (NHPs) using 13C MRS. Methods: Livers were harvested from C57/Bl6 mice and perfused with [1-13C] Glucose. To demonstrate the ability to measure acute changes in glycogen metabolism ex-vivo, fructose, glucagon, and insulin were administered to the liver ex-vivo. The C1 resonance of glycogen was measured in real time with 13C MRS using an 11.7T (500 MHz) NMR spectrometer. To demonstrate the translatability of this approach, NHPs (male rhesus monkeys) were studied in a 7 T Philips MRI using a partial volume 1H/13C imaging coil. NPHs were subjected to a variable IV infusion of [1-13C] glucose (to maintain blood glucose at 3-4x basal), along with a constant 1 mg/kg/min infusion of fructose. The C1 resonance of glycogen was again measured in real time with 13C MRS. To demonstrate the ability to measure changes in glycogen metabolism in vivo, animals received a glucagon infusion (1 μg/kg bolus followed by 40 ng/kg/min constant infusion) half way through the study on the second study session. Results: In both perfused mouse livers and in NHPs, hepatic 13C-glycogen synthesis (i.e. monotonic increases in the 13C-glycogen NMR signal) was readily detected. In both paradigms, addition of glucagon resulted in cessation of glycogen synthesis

  11. Interleukin 6 stimulates hepatic glucose release from prelabeled glycogen pools

    DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

    Ritchie, D.G.

    1990-01-01

    Cytokines, derived from a wide variety of cell types, are now believed to initiate many of the physiological responses accompanying the inflammatory phase that follows either Gram-negative septicemia or thermal injury. Because hypoglycemia (after endotoxic challenge) and hyperglycemia (after thermal injury) represent well-characterized responses to these injuries, we sought to determine whether hepatic glycogen metabolism could be altered by specific cytokines. Cultured adult rat hepatocytes were prelabeled with ({sup 14}C)glucose for 24 h, a procedure that resulted in the labeling of hepatic glycogen pools that subsequently could be depleted (with concomitant ({sup 14}C)glucose release) by either glucagon or norepinephrine. Aftermore » the addition of a highly concentrated human monocyte-conditioned medium (MCM) or various cytokines to these prelabeled cells, ({sup 14}C)glucose release was stimulated by MCM and recombinant human interleukin 6 (IL-6) but was not stimulated by other cytokines tested. Furthermore, only antisera to IL-6 were capable of reducing the glucose-releasing factor activity found in MCM. These data therefore suggest a novel glucoregulatory role for IL-6.« less

  12. Substrate-induced Nuclear Export and Peripheral Compartmentalization of Hepatic Glucokinase Correlates with Glycogen Deposition

    PubMed Central

    Shiota, Masa; Knobel, Susan M.; Piston, David W.; Cherrington, Alan D.; Magnuson, Mark A.

    2001-01-01

    Hepatic glucokinase (GK) is acutely regulated by binding to its nuclear-anchored regulatory protein (GKRP). Although GK release by GKRP is tightly coupled to the rate of glycogen synthesis, the nature of this association is obscure. To gain insight into this coupling mechanism under physiological stimulating conditions in primary rat hepatocytes, we analyzed the subcellular distribution of GK and GKRP with immunofluorescence, and glycogen deposition with glycogen cytochemical fluorescence, using confocal microscopyand quantitative image analysis. Following stimulation, a fraction of the GK signal translocated from the nucleus to the cytoplasm. The reduction in the nuclear to cytoplasmic ratio of GK, an index of nuclear export, correlated with a >50% increase in glycogen cytochemical fluorescence over a 60min stimulation period. Furthermore, glycogen accumulation was initially deposited in a peripheral pattern in hepatocytes similar to that of GK. These data suggest that a compartmentalization exists of both active GK and the initial sites of glycogen deposition at the hepatocyte surface. PMID:12369705

  13. Effect of Repeated Glucagon Doses on Hepatic Glycogen in Type 1 Diabetes: Implications for a Bihormonal Closed-Loop System

    PubMed Central

    El Youssef, Joseph; Bakhtiani, Parkash A.; Cai, Yu; Stobbe, Jade M.; Branigan, Deborah; Ramsey, Katrina; Jacobs, Peter; Reddy, Ravi; Woods, Mark; Ward, W. Kenneth

    2015-01-01

    OBJECTIVE To evaluate subjects with type 1 diabetes for hepatic glycogen depletion after repeated doses of glucagon, simulating delivery in a bihormonal closed-loop system. RESEARCH DESIGN AND METHODS Eleven adult subjects with type 1 diabetes participated. Subjects underwent estimation of hepatic glycogen using 13C MRS. MRS was performed at the following four time points: fasting and after a meal at baseline, and fasting and after a meal after eight doses of subcutaneously administered glucagon at a dose of 2 µg/kg, for a total mean dose of 1,126 µg over 16 h. The primary and secondary end points were, respectively, estimated hepatic glycogen by MRS and incremental area under the glucose curve for a 90-min interval after glucagon administration. RESULTS In the eight subjects with complete data sets, estimated glycogen stores were similar at baseline and after repeated glucagon doses. In the fasting state, glycogen averaged 21 ± 3 g/L before glucagon administration and 25 ± 4 g/L after glucagon administration (mean ± SEM) (P = NS). In the fed state, glycogen averaged 40 ± 2 g/L before glucagon administration and 34 ± 4 g/L after glucagon administration (P = NS). With the use of an insulin action model, the rise in glucose after the last dose of glucagon was comparable to the rise after the first dose, as measured by the 90-min incremental area under the glucose curve. CONCLUSIONS In adult subjects with well-controlled type 1 diabetes (mean A1C 7.2%), glycogen stores and the hyperglycemic response to glucagon administration are maintained even after receiving multiple doses of glucagon. This finding supports the safety of repeated glucagon delivery in the setting of a bihormonal closed-loop system. PMID:26341131

  14. A low calorie morning meal prevents the decline of hepatic glycogen stores: a pilot in vivo (13)C magnetic resonance study.

    PubMed

    Bawden, S J; Stephenson, M C; Ciampi, E; Hunter, K; Marciani, L; Spiller, R C; Aithal, G P; Morris, P G; Macdonald, I A; Gowland, P A

    2014-09-01

    Previous studies have reported a meal-induced rise in hepatic glycogen stores from baseline levels following a fast and it is generally assumed that glycogen levels rise steadily following meals throughout the day. However, measurements are normally taken in conditions that are not typical of the Western breakfast, which is relatively carbohydrate rich with a lower calorific content than most experimental test meals. As such, little is known about the normal metabolic response to a realistic, low calorie morning meal. Therefore, the aim of this pilot study was to evaluate the effects of a low dose oral glucose intake on hepatic glycogen levels following an overnight fast in healthy subjects. Glycogen levels were monitored in vivo using (13)C Magnetic Resonance Spectroscopy at baseline and hourly for 4 hours following either a 50 g glucose drink (773 kJ) or a control drink (0 kJ) given over two different visits. During the control visit hepatic glycogen levels decreased throughout the experiment with statistically significant decreases from baseline at 190 minutes (P < 0.05) and 250 minutes (P < 0.05). By contrast, the low dose glucose intake maintained glycogen concentrations with no significant decrease from baseline over 4 hours. A comparison between visits revealed that mean glycogen concentrations were significantly greater during the glucose visit (control visit, AUC = 218 ± 39 mol L(-1) min(-1); glucose visit, AUC = 305 ± 49 mol L(-1) min(-1); P < 0.05). Liver volume decreased significantly from baseline at 180 minutes (P < 0.05) post consumption in both groups, with no significant difference found between visits. Gastric content volumes were significantly higher for the glucose visit immediately following consumption (P < 0.001) and at 60 minutes (P = 0.007) indicating slower gastric emptying for the glucose compared with the control. In conclusion, following an overnight fast, a low dose oral glucose challenge prevents a reduction in hepatic glycogen

  15. Maintaining HNF6 expression prevents AdHNF3beta-mediated decrease in hepatic levels of Glut-2 and glycogen.

    PubMed

    Tan, Yongjun; Adami, Guy; Costa, Robert H

    2002-04-01

    The hepatocyte nuclear factor 3 (HNF-3) proteins are members of the Forkhead Box (Fox) family of transcription factors that play important roles in regulating expression of genes involved in cellular proliferation, differentiation, and metabolic homeostasis. In previous studies we increased liver expression of HNF-3beta by using either transgenic mice (transthyretin HNF-3beta) or recombinant adenovirus infection (AdHNF3beta), and observed diminished hepatic levels of glycogen, and glucose transporter 2 (Glut-2), as well as the HNF-6, HNF-3, HNF-1alpha, HNF-4alpha, and C/EBPalpha transcription factors. We conducted the present study to determine whether maintaining HNF-6 protein expression during AdHNF3beta infection prevents reduction of hepatic levels of glycogen and the earlier-mentioned genes. Here, we show that AdHNF3beta- and AdHNF6-infected mouse liver displayed increased hepatic levels of glycogen, Glut-2, HNF-3gamma, HNF-1alpha, and HNF-4alpha at 2 and 3 days postinfection (PI). Furthermore, restoration of hepatic glycogen levels after AdHNF3beta and AdHNF6 coinfection was associated with increased Glut-2 expression. AdHNF6 infection alone caused a 2-fold increase in hepatic Glut-2 levels, suggesting that HNF 6 stimulates in vivo transcription of the Glut-2 gene. DNA binding assays showed that only recombinant HNF-6 protein, but not the HNF-3 proteins, binds to the mouse -185 to -144 bp Glut-2 promoter sequences. Cotransfection assays in human hepatoma (HepG2) cells with either HNF-3 or HNF-6 expression vectors show that only HNF-6 provided significant transcriptional activation of the Glut-2 promoter. In conclusion, these studies show that the hepatic Glut-2 promoter is a direct target for HNF-6 transcriptional activation.

  16. Disposition of [U-2H7]glucose into hepatic glycogen in rat and in seabass.

    PubMed

    Martins, Fátima O; Rito, João; Jarak, Ivana; Viegas, Ivan; Pardal, Miguel A; Macedo, M Paula; Jones, John G

    2013-10-01

    The stimulation of hepatic glycogenesis is a ubiquitous response to a glucose challenge and quantifying its contribution to glucose uptake informs its role in restoring euglycemia. Glycogenesis can be quantified with labeled water provided that exchange of glucose-6-phosphate hydrogen 2 (G6P-H2) and body water via glucose-6-phosphate isomerase, and exchange of positions 4, 5 and 6 hydrogens (G6P-H456) via transaldolase, are known. These exchanges were quantified in 24-h fasted rats (Rattus norvegicus; n=6) and 21-day fasted seabass (Dicentrarchus labrax; n=8) by administration of a glucose load (2000mg·kg(-1)) enriched with [U-(2)H7]glucose and by quantifying hepatic glycogen (2)H-enrichments after 2h (rats) and 48h (seabass). Direct pathway contributions of the glucose load to glycogenesis were also estimated. G6P-H2 and body water exchange was 61±1% for rat and 47±3% for seabass. Transaldolase-mediated exchange of G6P-H456 was 5±1% for rat and 10±1% for seabass. Conversion of the glucose load to hepatic glycogen was significant in seabass (249±54mg·kg(-1)) but negligible in rats (12±1mg·kg(-1)). Preload plasma glucose levels were similar for seabass and rats (3.3±0.7 and 4.4±0.1mmol·L(-1), respectively) but post-load plasma glucose was significantly higher in seabass compared to rats (14.6±1.8 versus 5.8±0.3mmol·L(-1), p<0.01). In conclusion, G6P-H2 and body water exchange is incomplete for both species and has to be accounted for in estimating hepatic glycogen synthesis and direct pathway activities with labeled water tracers. Transaldolase-mediated exchange is insignificant. Hepatic direct pathway glycogenesis plays a prominent role in seabass glucose load disposal, but a negligible role in the rat. © 2013.

  17. Dietary Methionine Restriction Alleviates Hyperglycemia in Pigs with Intrauterine Growth Restriction by Enhancing Hepatic Protein Kinase B Signaling and Glycogen Synthesis.

    PubMed

    Ying, Zhixiong; Zhang, Hao; Su, Weipeng; Zhou, Le; Wang, Fei; Li, Yue; Zhang, Lili; Wang, Tian

    2017-10-01

    Background: Individuals with intrauterine growth restriction (IUGR) are prone to developing type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM). Dietary methionine restriction (MR) improves insulin sensitivity and glucose homeostasis in individuals with normal birth weight (NBW). Objective: This study investigated the effects of MR on plasma glucose concentration and hepatic and muscle glucose metabolism in pigs with IUGR. Methods: Thirty female NBW and 60 same-sex spontaneous IUGR piglets (Landrace × Yorkshire) were selected. After weaning (day 21), the piglets were fed diets with adequate methionine (NBW-CON and IUGR-CON) or 30% less methionine (IUGR-MR) ( n = 6). At day 180, 1 pig with a body weight near the mean of each replication was selected for biochemical analysis. Results: The IUGR-CON group showed 41.6%, 68.6%, and 67.1% higher plasma glucose concentration, hepatic phosphoenolpyruvate carboxykinase activity, and glucose-6-phosphatase activity, respectively, than the NBW-CON group ( P < 0.05). Muscle glycogen content and glycogen synthase activity were 36.9% and 38.8% lower, respectively, in the IUGR-CON than the NBW-CON group ( P < 0.05), respectively, and there was decreased hepatic and muscle protein kinase B phosphorylation in the IUGR-CON group ( P < 0.05). Compared with the IUGR-CON pigs, the IUGR-MR pigs had 28.7% lower plasma glucose concentrations ( P < 0.05), which were similar to those of the NBW-CON pigs ( P ≥ 0.05). The hepatic glycogen content and glycogen synthase activity of the IUGR-MR pigs were 62.9% and 50.8% higher than those of the IUGR-CON pigs ( P < 0.05) and 53.5% and 84.3% higher than the NBW-CON pigs ( P < 0.05), respectively. The IUGR-MR pigs' hepatic and muscle protein kinase B phosphorylation was higher than that of the IUGR-CON pigs ( P < 0.05) and similar to that of the NBW-CON pigs ( P ≥ 0.05). Conclusion: MR attenuates hyperglycemia in IUGR pigs by enhancing hepatic protein kinase B signaling and glycogen synthesis, implying a potential

  18. Downregulation of SIRT1 signaling underlies hepatic autophagy impairment in glycogen storage disease type Ia

    PubMed Central

    Cho, Jun-Ho; Pan, Chi-Jiunn; Anduaga, Javier

    2017-01-01

    A deficiency in glucose-6-phosphatase-α (G6Pase-α) in glycogen storage disease type Ia (GSD-Ia) leads to impaired glucose homeostasis and metabolic manifestations including hepatomegaly caused by increased glycogen and neutral fat accumulation. A recent report showed that G6Pase-α deficiency causes impairment in autophagy, a recycling process important for cellular metabolism. However, the molecular mechanism underlying defective autophagy is unclear. Here we show that in mice, liver-specific knockout of G6Pase-α (L-G6pc-/-) leads to downregulation of sirtuin 1 (SIRT1) signaling that activates autophagy via deacetylation of autophagy-related (ATG) proteins and forkhead box O (FoxO) family of transcriptional factors which transactivate autophagy genes. Consistently, defective autophagy in G6Pase-α-deficient liver is characterized by attenuated expressions of autophagy components, increased acetylation of ATG5 and ATG7, decreased conjugation of ATG5 and ATG12, and reduced autophagic flux. We further show that hepatic G6Pase-α deficiency results in activation of carbohydrate response element-binding protein, a lipogenic transcription factor, increased expression of peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor-γ (PPAR-γ), a lipid regulator, and suppressed expression of PPAR-α, a master regulator of fatty acid β-oxidation, all contributing to hepatic steatosis and downregulation of SIRT1 expression. An adenovirus vector-mediated increase in hepatic SIRT1 expression corrects autophagy defects but does not rectify metabolic abnormalities associated with G6Pase-α deficiency. Importantly, a recombinant adeno-associated virus (rAAV) vector-mediated restoration of hepatic G6Pase-α expression corrects metabolic abnormalities, restores SIRT1-FoxO signaling, and normalizes defective autophagy. Taken together, these data show that hepatic G6Pase-α deficiency-mediated down-regulation of SIRT1 signaling underlies defective hepatic autophagy in GSD-Ia. PMID:28558013

  19. Hepatic glycogen synthesis in farmed European seabass (Dicentrarchus labrax L.) is dominated by indirect pathway fluxes.

    PubMed

    Viegas, Ivan; Rito, João; Jarak, Ivana; Leston, Sara; Carvalho, Rui A; Metón, Isidoro; Pardal, Miguel A; Baanante, Isabel V; Jones, John G

    2012-09-01

    Hepatic glycogen synthesis fluxes from direct and indirect pathways were quantified in seabass by postmortem (2)H NMR analysis of plasma water (PW) and glycogen glucosyl (2)H enrichments from (2)H-enriched seawater. Eighteen fish (28.0 ± 1.7 cm and 218.0 ± 43.0 g) were divided into three groups of 6 and studied over 24 days with transfer to 5% (2)H-seawater after day 21. Over this period, one group was fed daily with fishmeal, a second group was fasted, and a third group was fasted for 21 days followed by 3 days refeeding. Glycogen turnover and sources were determined from the ratio of glucosyl position 5 enrichment to that of plasma water (H5/PW). Glycogen levels of fed fish were significantly higher than fasted (665.4 ± 345.2 μmol.g(-1) liver versus 77.2 ± 59.5 μmol.g(-1) liver, P<0.05) while refed fish had comparable levels to fed (584.6 ± 140.4 μmol.g(-1) liver). Glycogen enrichment of fed fish was undetectable indicating negligible turnover over 3 days. For fasted fish, H5/PW was ~50% indicating that half of the glycogen had turned over via indirect pathway flux. For refed fish, H5/PW was ~100% indicating that the indirect pathway accounted for all net glycogen synthesis. Direct pathway conversion of dietary carbohydrate to glycogen was not detected in any of the groups. Copyright © 2012 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

  20. Increased Laforin and Laforin Binding to Glycogen Underlie Lafora Body Formation in Malin-deficient Lafora Disease*

    PubMed Central

    Tiberia, Erica; Turnbull, Julie; Wang, Tony; Ruggieri, Alessandra; Zhao, Xiao-Chu; Pencea, Nela; Israelian, Johan; Wang, Yin; Ackerley, Cameron A.; Wang, Peixiang; Liu, Yan; Minassian, Berge A.

    2012-01-01

    The solubility of glycogen, essential to its metabolism, is a property of its shape, a sphere generated through extensive branching during synthesis. Lafora disease (LD) is a severe teenage-onset neurodegenerative epilepsy and results from multiorgan accumulations, termed Lafora bodies (LB), of abnormally structured aggregation-prone and digestion-resistant glycogen. LD is caused by loss-of-function mutations in the EPM2A or EPM2B gene, encoding the interacting laforin phosphatase and malin E3 ubiquitin ligase enzymes, respectively. The substrate and function of malin are unknown; an early counterintuitive observation in cell culture experiments that it targets laforin to proteasomal degradation was not pursued until now. The substrate and function of laforin have recently been elucidated. Laforin dephosphorylates glycogen during synthesis, without which phosphate ions interfere with and distort glycogen construction, leading to LB. We hypothesized that laforin in excess or not removed following its action on glycogen also interferes with glycogen formation. We show in malin-deficient mice that the absence of malin results in massively increased laforin preceding the appearance of LB and that laforin gradually accumulates in glycogen, which corresponds to progressive LB generation. We show that increasing the amounts of laforin in cell culture causes LB formation and that this occurs only with glycogen binding-competent laforin. In summary, malin deficiency causes increased laforin, increased laforin binding to glycogen, and LB formation. Furthermore, increased levels of laforin, when it can bind glycogen, causes LB. We conclude that malin functions to regulate laforin and that malin deficiency at least in part causes LB and LD through increased laforin binding to glycogen. PMID:22669944

  1. Prevalent role of the insulin receptor isoform A in the regulation of hepatic glycogen metabolism in hepatocytes and in mice.

    PubMed

    Diaz-Castroverde, Sabela; Baos, Selene; Luque, María; Di Scala, Marianna; González-Aseguinolaza, Gloria; Gómez-Hernández, Almudena; Beneit, Nuria; Escribano, Oscar; Benito, Manuel

    2016-12-01

    In the postprandial state, the liver regulates glucose homeostasis by glucose uptake and conversion to glycogen and lipids. Glucose and insulin signalling finely regulate glycogen synthesis through several mechanisms. Glucose uptake in hepatocytes is favoured by the insulin receptor isoform A (IRA), rather than isoform B (IRB). Thus, we hypothesised that, in hepatocytes, IRA would increase glycogen synthesis by promoting glucose uptake and glycogen storage. We addressed the role of insulin receptor isoforms on glycogen metabolism in vitro in immortalised neonatal hepatocytes. In vivo, IRA or IRB were specifically expressed in the liver using adeno-associated virus vectors in inducible liver insulin receptor knockout (iLIRKO) mice, a model of type 2 diabetes. The role of IR isoforms in glycogen synthesis and storage in iLIRKO was subsequently investigated. In immortalised hepatocytes, IRA, but not IRB expression induced an increase in insulin signalling that was associated with elevated glycogen synthesis, glycogen synthase activity and glycogen storage. Similarly, elevated IRA, but not IRB expression in the livers of iLIRKO mice induced an increase in glycogen content. We provide new insight into the role of IRA in the regulation of glycogen metabolism in cultured hepatocytes and in the livers of a mouse model of type 2 diabetes. Our data strongly suggest that IRA is more efficient than IRB at promoting glycogen synthesis and storage. Therefore, we suggest that IRA expression in the liver could provide an interesting therapeutic approach for the regulation of hepatic glucose content and glycogen storage.

  2. Hepatic glycogen in humans. II. Gluconeogenetic formation after oral and intravenous glucose

    DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

    Radziuk, J.

    1989-08-01

    The amount of glycogen that is formed by gluconeogenetic pathways during glucose loading was quantitated in human subjects. Oral glucose loading was compared with its intravenous administration. Overnight-fasted subjects received a constant infusion or (3-{sup 3}H)glucose and a marker for gluconeogenesis, (U-{sup 14}C)lactate or sodium ({sup 14}C)bicarbonate ({sup 14}C)bicarbonate. An unlabeled glucose load was then administered. Postabsorptively, or after glucose infusion was terminated, a third tracer ((6-{sup 3}H)glucose) infusion was initiated along with a three-step glucagon infusion. Without correcting for background stimulation of ({sup 14}C)glucose production or for dilution of {sup 14}C with citric acid cycle carbon in the oxaloacetatemore » pool, the amount of glycogen mobilized by the glucagon infusion that was produced by gluconeogenesis during oral glucose loading was 2.9 +/- 0.7 g calculated from (U-{sup 14}C)-lactate incorporation and 7.4 +/- 1.3 g calculated using ({sup 14}C)bicarbonate as a gluconeogenetic marker. During intravenous glucose administration the latter measurement also yielded 7.2 +/- 1.1 g. When the two corrections above are applied, the respective quantities became 5.3 +/- 1.7 g for (U-{sup 14}C)lactate as tracer and 14.7 +/- 4.3 and 13.9 +/- 3.6 g for oral and intravenous glucose with ({sup 14}C)bicarbonate as tracer (P less than 0.05, vs. ({sup 14}C)-lactate as tracer). When (2-{sup 14}C)acetate was infused, the same amount of label was incorporated into mobilized glycogen regardless of which route of glucose administration was used. Comparison with previous data also suggests that {sup 14}CO{sub 2} is a potentially useful marker for the gluconeogenetic process in vivo.« less

  3. Hepatic lentiviral gene transfer prevents the long-term onset of hepatic tumours of glycogen storage disease type 1a in mice.

    PubMed

    Clar, Julie; Mutel, Elodie; Gri, Blandine; Creneguy, Alison; Stefanutti, Anne; Gaillard, Sophie; Ferry, Nicolas; Beuf, Olivier; Mithieux, Gilles; Nguyen, Tuan Huy; Rajas, Fabienne

    2015-04-15

    Glycogen storage disease type 1a (GSD1a) is a rare disease due to the deficiency in the glucose-6-phosphatase (G6Pase) catalytic subunit (encoded by G6pc), which is essential for endogenous glucose production. Despite strict diet control to maintain blood glucose, patients with GSD1a develop hepatomegaly, steatosis and then hepatocellular adenomas (HCA), which can undergo malignant transformation. Recently, gene therapy has attracted attention as a potential treatment for GSD1a. In order to maintain long-term transgene expression, we developed an HIV-based vector, which allowed us to specifically express the human G6PC cDNA in the liver. We analysed the efficiency of this lentiviral vector in the prevention of the development of the hepatic disease in an original GSD1a mouse model, which exhibits G6Pase deficiency exclusively in the liver (L-G6pc(-/-) mice). Recombinant lentivirus were injected in B6.G6pc(ex3lox/ex3lox). SA(creERT2/w) neonates and G6pc deletion was induced by tamoxifen treatment at weaning. Magnetic resonance imaging was then performed to follow up the development of hepatic tumours. Lentiviral gene therapy restored glucose-6 phosphatase activity sufficient to correct fasting hypoglycaemia during 9 months. Moreover, lentivirus-treated L-G6pc(-/-) mice presented normal hepatic triglyceride levels, whereas untreated mice developed steatosis. Glycogen stores were also decreased although liver weight remained high. Interestingly, lentivirus-treated L-G6pc(-/-) mice were protected against the development of hepatic tumours after 9 months of gene therapy while most of untreated L-G6pc(-/-) mice developed millimetric HCA. Thus the treatment of newborns by recombinant lentivirus appears as an attractive approach to protect the liver from the development of steatosis and hepatic tumours associated to GSD1a pathology. © The Author 2015. Published by Oxford University Press. All rights reserved. For Permissions, please email: journals.permissions@oup.com.

  4. Computed tomography of the liver and kidneys in glycogen storage disease.

    PubMed

    Doppman, J L; Cornblath, M; Dwyer, A J; Adams, A J; Girton, M E; Sidbury, J

    1982-02-01

    Glycogen, in concentrations encountered in von Gierke's disease, has computed tomography (CT) attenuation coefficients in the 50 to 70 Hounsfield unit (HU: 1,000 scale) range and accounts for the increased density of the liver. However, in eight patients with Type I glycogen storage disease, simultaneous hepatic infiltration with fat and glycogen led to a range of liver CT densities from 13 to 80 HU. Fatty infiltration may facilitate the demonstration of hepatic tumors in older patients with this disease. Half the patients showed increased attenuation coefficients of the renal cortex, indicating glycogen deposition in the kidneys.

  5. [Features of the effect of bemethyl on glycogen metabolism in hepatocytes of pathological changed human liver].

    PubMed

    Kudriavtseva, M V; Bezborodkina, N N; Okovityĭ, S V; Ivanova, O V; Kudriavtsev, B N

    2002-01-01

    Effect of actoprotector bemithyl (2-ethylthiobenzimidazole hydrobromide) on glycogen metabolism in hepatocytes of patients with chronic hepatitis and liver cirrhosis was investigated. Using cytofluorimetric method, the content of glycogen and its fractions in isolated hepatocytes was measured. The treatment with bemithyl resulted in a decrease in glycogen levels in hepatocytes, and in a marked restoration of fractional glycogen composition as compared to the basic therapy. Besides, it was established that the degree of glycogen decrease in cells of patients with chronic hepatitis depended on the increase of glucose-6-phosphatase activity (r = 0.75, P < 0.05), and on the levels of glycogen in hepatocytes prior to bemitil treatment (r = = 0.87, P < 0.01). Positive changes in glycogen metabolism after bemithyl treatment are pronounced in patients with chronic hepatitis. These positive alterations take place simultaneously with the conservation of basic structural disturbances in the liver parenchyma. However, even in this case, the indices of glycogen metabolism do not reach the normal levels.

  6. Wnt9a secreted from the walls of hepatic sinusoids is essential for morphogenesis, proliferation, and glycogen accumulation of chick hepatic epithelium.

    PubMed

    Matsumoto, Ken; Miki, Rika; Nakayama, Mizuho; Tatsumi, Norifumi; Yokouchi, Yuji

    2008-07-15

    Hepatic epithelial morphogenesis, including hepatoblast migration and proliferation in the septum transversum, requires the interaction of hepatic epithelium with the embryonic sinusoidal wall. No factors that mediate this interaction have yet been identified. As the beta-catenin pathway is active in hepatoblast proliferation, then Wnt ligands might activate the canonical Wnt pathway during liver development. Here, we investigated the role of Wnts in mediating epithelial vessel interactions in the developing chick liver. We found that Wnt9a was specifically expressed in both endothelial and stellate cells of the embryonic sinusoidal wall. Induced overexpression of Wnt9a resulted in hepatomegaly with hyperplasia of the hepatocellular cords, and in hyperproliferation of hepatocytes. Knockdown of Wnt9a caused a reduction in liver size, with hypoplasia of hepatocellular cord branching, and hypoproliferation of hepatoblasts, and also inhibited glycogen accumulation at later developmental stages. Wnt9a promoted in vivo stabilization of beta-catenin through binding with Frizzled 4, 7, and 9, and activated TOPflash reporter expression in vitro via Frizzled 7 and 9. Our results demonstrate that Wnt9a from the embryonic sinusoidal wall is required for the proper morphogenesis of chick hepatocellular cords, proliferation of hepatoblasts/hepatocytes, and glycogen accumulation in hepatocytes. Wnt9a signaling appears to be mediated by an Fzd7/9-beta-catenin pathway.

  7. [Effect of endotoxin pretreatment-induced glycogen synthase kinase-3 inhibition on glycogen metabolism in rat liver and the mechanism].

    PubMed

    Chen, Xiaole; Gong, Jianping; Xu, Faliang

    2014-02-01

    To investigate the changes in the functional activity of glycogen synthase kinase-3 (GSK-3) in the hepatic tissue after endotoxin (lipopolysaccharide, LPS) tolerance and explore the effects of LPS-induced GSK-3 inhibition on glycogen metabolism in the liver. Male SD rats were randomly divided into normal control, endotoxin pretreatment and GSK-3 inhibitor (lithium chloride) groups with corresponding pretreatments prior to a large dose of LPS challenge (10 mg/kg) to induce liver injury. Glycogen deposition and content in the hepatic tissue was detected using periodic acid-Schiff (PAS) staining and a glycogen quantification kit, respectively. Western blotting was performed for semi-quantitative analysis of protein level and inhibitory phosphorylation of GSK-3, and a Coomassie brilliant blue G-250-based colorimetric assay was used to detect calpain activity in the liver. Glycogen content in the liver decreased significantly after LPS challenge in all the 3 groups (P<0.05) but showed no significant difference among the groups (P>0.05). Both LPS and lithium chloride pretreatments caused a significant increase of liver glycogen content (P<0.05). LPS pretreatment induced inhibitory phosphorylation of GSK-3β (P<0.05) and partial cleavage of GSK-3α but did not affect the expression of GSK-3 protein (P>0.05). Large-dose LPS challenge significantly increased the activity of calpain in the liver tissue (P<0.05) to a comparable level in the 3 groups (P>0.05). Endotoxin pretreatment induces inhibitory phosphorylation of GSK-3β and partial cleavage of GSK-3α and promotes the deposition of liver glycogen but does not affect the activity of calpain, which may contribute to an increased glycogen reserve for energy supply in the event of large-dose LPS challenge.

  8. Multiple defects in muscle glycogen synthase activity contribute to reduced glycogen synthesis in non-insulin dependent diabetes mellitus.

    PubMed Central

    Thorburn, A W; Gumbiner, B; Bulacan, F; Brechtel, G; Henry, R R

    1991-01-01

    To define the mechanisms of impaired muscle glycogen synthase and reduced glycogen formation in non-insulin dependent diabetes mellitus (NIDDM), glycogen synthase activity was kinetically analyzed during the basal state and three glucose clamp studies (insulin approximately equal to 300, 700, and 33,400 pmol/liter) in eight matched nonobese NIDDM and eight control subjects. Muscle glycogen content was measured in the basal state and following clamps at insulin levels of 33,400 pmol/liter. NIDDM subjects had glucose uptake matched to controls in each clamp by raising serum glucose to 15-20 mmol/liter. The insulin concentration required to half-maximally activate glycogen synthase (ED50) was approximately fourfold greater for NIDDM than control subjects (1,004 +/- 264 vs. 257 +/- 110 pmol/liter, P less than 0.02) but the maximal insulin effect was similar. Total glycogen synthase activity was reduced approximately 38% and glycogen content was approximately 30% lower in NIDDM. A positive correlation was present between glycogen content and glycogen synthase activity (r = 0.51, P less than 0.01). In summary, defects in muscle glycogen synthase activity and reduced glycogen content are present in NIDDM. NIDDM subjects also have less total glycogen synthase activity consistent with reduced functional mass of the enzyme. These findings and the correlation between glycogen synthase activity and glycogen content support the theory that multiple defects in glycogen synthase activity combine to cause reduced glycogen formation in NIDDM. PMID:1899428

  9. Glycogen-gold nanohybrid escalates the potency of silymarin.

    PubMed

    Kandimalla, Raghuram; Dash, Suvakanta; Bhowal, Ashim Chandra; Kalita, Sanjeeb; Talukdar, Narayan Chandra; Kundu, Sarathi; Kotoky, Jibon

    2017-01-01

    In this study, a glycogen-gold nanohybrid was fabricated to enhance the potency of a promising hepatoprotective agent silymarin (Sly) by improving its solubility and gut permeation. By utilizing a facile green chemistry approach, biogenic gold nanoparticles were synthesized from Annona reticulata leaf phytoconstituents in combination with Sly (SGNPs). Further, the SGNPs were aggregated in glycogen biopolymer to yield the therapeutic nanohybrids (GSGNPs). Transmission electron microscopy, UV-Vis spectroscopy, X-ray diffraction, and Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy analysis confirmed the successful formation and conjugation of both SGNPs and GSGNPs. The fabricated nanohybrids showed significant protection against CCl 4 -induced hepatic injury in Wistar rats and maintained natural antioxidant (superoxide dismutase and catalase) levels. Animals treated with GSGNPs (10 mg/kg) and SGNPs (20 mg/kg) retained usual hepatic functions with routine levels of hepatobiliary enzymes (aspartate transferase, alanine transaminase, alkaline phosphatase, and lactate dehydrogenase) and inflammatory markers (interleukin-1β and tumor necrosis factor-α) with minimal lipid peroxidation, whereas those treated with 100 mg/kg of Sly showed the similar effect. These results were also supported by histopathology of the livers where pronounced hepatoprotection with normal hepatic physiology and negligible inflammatory infiltrate were observed. Significant higher plasma C max supported the enhanced bioavailability of Sly upon GSGNPs treatment compared to SGNPs and free Sly. Graphite furnace atomic absorption spectrophotometry analysis also substantiated the efficient delivery of GSGNPs over SGNPs. The fabricated therapeutic nanohybrids were also found to be biocompatible toward human erythrocytes and L929 mouse fibroblast cells. Overall, due to increased solubility, bioavailability and profuse gut absorption; GSGNPs demonstrated tenfold enhanced potency compared to free Sly.

  10. Hepatic glucose-6-phosphatase-α deficiency leads to metabolic reprogramming in glycogen storage disease type Ia.

    PubMed

    Cho, Jun-Ho; Kim, Goo-Young; Mansfield, Brian C; Chou, Janice Y

    2018-04-15

    Glycogen storage disease type Ia (GSD-Ia) is caused by a deficiency in glucose-6-phosphatase-α (G6Pase-α or G6PC), a key enzyme in endogenous glucose production. This autosomal recessive disorder is characterized by impaired glucose homeostasis and long-term complications of hepatocellular adenoma/carcinoma (HCA/HCC). We have shown that hepatic G6Pase-α deficiency-mediated steatosis leads to defective autophagy that is frequently associated with carcinogenesis. We now show that hepatic G6Pase-α deficiency also leads to enhancement of hepatic glycolysis and hexose monophosphate shunt (HMS) that can contribute to hepatocarcinogenesis. The enhanced hepatic glycolysis is reflected by increased lactate accumulation, increased expression of many glycolytic enzymes, and elevated expression of c-Myc that stimulates glycolysis. The increased HMS is reflected by increased glucose-6-phosphate dehydrogenase activity and elevated production of NADPH and the reduced glutathione. We have previously shown that restoration of hepatic G6Pase-α expression in G6Pase-α-deficient liver corrects metabolic abnormalities, normalizes autophagy, and prevents HCA/HCC development in GSD-Ia. We now show that restoration of hepatic G6Pase-α expression normalizes both glycolysis and HMS in GSD-Ia. Moreover, the HCA/HCC lesions in L-G6pc-/- mice exhibit elevated levels of hexokinase 2 (HK2) and the M2 isoform of pyruvate kinase (PKM2) which play an important role in aerobic glycolysis and cancer cell proliferation. Taken together, hepatic G6Pase-α deficiency causes metabolic reprogramming, leading to enhanced glycolysis and elevated HMS that along with impaired autophagy can contribute to HCA/HCC development in GSD-Ia. Published by Elsevier Inc.

  11. Salinity Effects on Strategies of Glycogen Utilization in Livers of Euryhaline Milkfish (Chanos chanos) under Hypothermal Stress

    PubMed Central

    Chang, Chia-Hao; Huang, Jian-Jun; Yeh, Chun-Yi; Tang, Cheng-Hao; Hwang, Lie-Yueh; Lee, Tsung-Han

    2018-01-01

    The fluctuation of temperature affects many physiological responses in ectothermic organisms, including feed intake, growth, reproduction, and behavior. Changes in environmental temperatures affect the acquisition of energy, whereas hepatic glycogen plays a central role in energy supply for the homeostasis of the entire body. Glycogen phosphorylase (GP), which catalyzes the rate-limiting step in glycogenolysis, is also an indicator of environmental stress. Here, we examined the effects of salinity on glycogen metabolism in milkfish livers under cold stress. A reduction of feed intake was observed in both freshwater (FW) and seawater (SW) milkfish under cold adaptation. At normal temperature (28°C), compared to the FW milkfish, the SW milkfish exhibited greater mRNA abundance of the liver isoform of GP (Ccpygl), higher GP activity, and less glycogen content in the livers. Upon hypothermal (18°C) stress, hepatic Ccpygl mRNA expression of FW milkfish surged at 3 h, declined at 6 and 12 h, increased again at 24 h, and increased significantly after 96 h. Increases in GP protein, GP activity, and the phosphorylation state and the breakdown of glycogen were also found in FW milkfish livers after 12 h of exposure at 18°C. Conversely, the Ccpygl transcript levels in SW milkfish were downregulated after 1 h of exposure at 18°C, whereas the protein abundance of GP, GP activity, and glycogen content were not significantly altered. Taken together, under 18°C cold stress, FW milkfish exhibited an acute response with the breakdown of hepatic glycogen for maintaining energy homeostasis of the entire body, whereas no change was observed in the hepatic glycogen content and GP activity of SW milkfish because of their greater tolerance to cold conditions. PMID:29483878

  12. Salinity Effects on Strategies of Glycogen Utilization in Livers of Euryhaline Milkfish (Chanos chanos) under Hypothermal Stress.

    PubMed

    Chang, Chia-Hao; Huang, Jian-Jun; Yeh, Chun-Yi; Tang, Cheng-Hao; Hwang, Lie-Yueh; Lee, Tsung-Han

    2018-01-01

    The fluctuation of temperature affects many physiological responses in ectothermic organisms, including feed intake, growth, reproduction, and behavior. Changes in environmental temperatures affect the acquisition of energy, whereas hepatic glycogen plays a central role in energy supply for the homeostasis of the entire body. Glycogen phosphorylase (GP), which catalyzes the rate-limiting step in glycogenolysis, is also an indicator of environmental stress. Here, we examined the effects of salinity on glycogen metabolism in milkfish livers under cold stress. A reduction of feed intake was observed in both freshwater (FW) and seawater (SW) milkfish under cold adaptation. At normal temperature (28°C), compared to the FW milkfish, the SW milkfish exhibited greater mRNA abundance of the liver isoform of GP ( Ccpygl ), higher GP activity, and less glycogen content in the livers. Upon hypothermal (18°C) stress, hepatic Ccpygl mRNA expression of FW milkfish surged at 3 h, declined at 6 and 12 h, increased again at 24 h, and increased significantly after 96 h. Increases in GP protein, GP activity, and the phosphorylation state and the breakdown of glycogen were also found in FW milkfish livers after 12 h of exposure at 18°C. Conversely, the Ccpygl transcript levels in SW milkfish were downregulated after 1 h of exposure at 18°C, whereas the protein abundance of GP, GP activity, and glycogen content were not significantly altered. Taken together, under 18°C cold stress, FW milkfish exhibited an acute response with the breakdown of hepatic glycogen for maintaining energy homeostasis of the entire body, whereas no change was observed in the hepatic glycogen content and GP activity of SW milkfish because of their greater tolerance to cold conditions.

  13. Regulation of hepatic glucose metabolism in health and disease

    PubMed Central

    Petersen, Max C.; Vatner, Daniel F.; Shulman, Gerald I.

    2017-01-01

    The liver is crucial for the maintenance of normal glucose homeostasis — it produces glucose during fasting and stores glucose postprandially. However, these hepatic processes are dysregulated in type 1 and type 2 diabetes mellitus, and this imbalance contributes to hyperglycaemia in the fasted and postprandial states. Net hepatic glucose production is the summation of glucose fluxes from gluconeogenesis, glycogenolysis, glycogen synthesis, glycolysis and other pathways. In this Review, we discuss the in vivo regulation of these hepatic glucose fluxes. In particular, we highlight the importance of indirect (extrahepatic) control of hepatic gluconeogenesis and direct (hepatic) control of hepatic glycogen metabolism. We also propose a mechanism for the progression of subclinical hepatic insulin resistance to overt fasting hyperglycaemia in type 2 diabetes mellitus. Insights into the control of hepatic gluconeogenesis by metformin and insulin and into the role of lipid-induced hepatic insulin resistance in modifying gluconeogenic and net hepatic glycogen synthetic flux are also discussed. Finally, we consider the therapeutic potential of strategies that target hepatosteatosis, hyperglucagonaemia and adipose lipolysis. PMID:28731034

  14. Metformin normalizes the structural changes in glycogen preceding prediabetes in mice overexpressing neuropeptide Y in noradrenergic neurons.

    PubMed

    Ailanen, Liisa; Bezborodkina, Natalia N; Virtanen, Laura; Ruohonen, Suvi T; Malova, Anastasia V; Okovityi, Sergey V; Chistyakova, Elizaveta Y; Savontaus, Eriika

    2018-04-01

    Hepatic insulin resistance and increased gluconeogenesis are known therapeutic targets of metformin, but the role of hepatic glycogen in the pathogenesis of diabetes is less clear. Mouse model of neuropeptide Y (NPY) overexpression in noradrenergic neurons (OE-NPY D βH ) with a phenotype of late onset obesity, hepatosteatosis, and prediabetes was used to study early changes in glycogen structure and metabolism preceding prediabetes. Furthermore, the effect of the anti-hyperglycemic agent, metformin (300 mg/kg/day/4 weeks in drinking water), was assessed on changes in glycogen metabolism, body weight, fat mass, and glucose tolerance. Glycogen structure was characterized by cytofluorometric analysis in isolated hepatocytes and mRNA expression of key enzymes by qPCR. OE-NPY D βH mice displayed decreased labile glycogen fraction relative to stabile fraction (the intermediate form of glycogen) suggesting enhanced glycogen cycling. This was supported by decreased filling of glucose residues in the 10th outer tier of the glycogen molecule, which suggests accelerated glycogen phosphorylation. Metformin reduced fat mass gain in both genotypes, but glucose tolerance was improved mostly in wild-type mice. However, metformin inhibited glycogen accumulation and normalized the ratio between glycogen structures in OE-NPY D βH mice indicating decreased glycogen synthesis. Furthermore, the presence of glucose residues in the 11th tier together with decreased glycogen phosphorylase expression suggested inhibition of glycogen degradation. In conclusion, structural changes in glycogen of OE-NPY D βH mice point to increased glycogen metabolism, which may predispose them to prediabetes. Metformin treatment normalizes these changes and suppresses both glycogen synthesis and phosphorylation, which may contribute to its preventive effect on the onset of diabetes.

  15. FR258900, a novel glycogen phosphorylase inhibitor isolated from Fungus No. 138354. I. Taxonomy, fermentation, isolation and biological activities.

    PubMed

    Furukawa, Shigetada; Tsurumi, Yasuhisa; Murakami, Kana; Nakanishi, Tomoko; Ohsumi, Keisuke; Hashimoto, Michizane; Nishikawa, Motoaki; Takase, Shigehiro; Nakayama, Osamu; Hino, Motohiro

    2005-08-01

    FR258900 is a novel glycogen synthesis activator produced by Fungus No. 138354. This compound was isolated from the culture broth by solvent extraction and reverse-phase column chromatography. FR258900 stimulated glycogen synthesis and glycogen synthase activity in primary rat hepatocytes. FR258900 exhibited a potent inhibitory effect on the activity of liver glycogen phosphorylase, suggesting that this compound may activate hepatic glycogen synthesis via glycogen phosphorylase inhibition. Thus, this glycogen phosphorylase inhibitor may be useful in the treatment of postprandial hyperglycemia in type 2 diabetes.

  16. Muscle Glycogen Remodeling and Glycogen Phosphate Metabolism following Exhaustive Exercise of Wild Type and Laforin Knockout Mice*

    PubMed Central

    Irimia, Jose M.; Tagliabracci, Vincent S.; Meyer, Catalina M.; Segvich, Dyann M.; DePaoli-Roach, Anna A.; Roach, Peter J.

    2015-01-01

    Glycogen, the repository of glucose in many cell types, contains small amounts of covalent phosphate, of uncertain function and poorly understood metabolism. Loss-of-function mutations in the laforin gene cause the fatal neurodegenerative disorder, Lafora disease, characterized by increased glycogen phosphorylation and the formation of abnormal deposits of glycogen-like material called Lafora bodies. It is generally accepted that the phosphate is removed by the laforin phosphatase. To study the dynamics of skeletal muscle glycogen phosphorylation in vivo under physiological conditions, mice were subjected to glycogen-depleting exercise and then monitored while they resynthesized glycogen. Depletion of glycogen by exercise was associated with a substantial reduction in total glycogen phosphate and the newly resynthesized glycogen was less branched and less phosphorylated. Branching returned to normal on a time frame of days, whereas phosphorylation remained suppressed over a longer period of time. We observed no change in markers of autophagy. Exercise of 3-month-old laforin knock-out mice caused a similar depletion of glycogen but no loss of glycogen phosphate. Furthermore, remodeling of glycogen to restore the basal branching pattern was delayed in the knock-out animals. From these results, we infer that 1) laforin is responsible for glycogen dephosphorylation during exercise and acts during the cytosolic degradation of glycogen, 2) excess glycogen phosphorylation in the absence of laforin delays the normal remodeling of the branching structure, and 3) the accumulation of glycogen phosphate is a relatively slow process involving multiple cycles of glycogen synthesis-degradation, consistent with the slow onset of the symptoms of Lafora disease. PMID:26216881

  17. Lobular and cellular patterns of early hepatic glycogen deposition in the rat as observed by light and electron microscopic radioautography after injection of /sup 3/H-galactose

    DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

    Michaels, J.E.; Hung, J.T.; Garfield, S.A.

    1984-05-01

    Very low hepatic glycogen levels are achieved by overnight fasting of adrenalectomized (ADX) rats. Subsequent injection of dexamethasone (DEX), a synthetic glucocorticoid, stimulates marked increases in glycogen synthesis. Using this system and injecting /sup 3/H-galactose as a glycogen precursor 1 hr prior to sacrifice, the intralobular and intracellular patterns of labeled glycogen deposition were studied by light (LM) and electron (EM) microscopic radioautography. LM radioautography revealed that 1 hr after DEX treatment, labeling patterns for both periportal and centrilobular hepatocytes resembled those in rats with no DEX treatment: 18% of the hepatocytes were unlabeled, and 82% showed light labeling. Twomore » hours after treatment with DEX, 14% of the hepatocytes remained unlabeled, and 78% were lightly labeled; however, 8% of the cells, located randomly throughout the lobule, were intensely labeled. An increased number of heavily labeled cells (26%) appeared 3 hr after DEX treatment; and by 5 hr 91% of the hepatocytes were intensely labeled. Label over the periportal cells at this time was aggregated, whereas centrilobular cells displayed dispersed label. EM radioautographs showed that 2 to 3 hr after DEX injection initial labeling of hepatocytes, regardless of their intralobular location, occurred over foci of smooth endoplasmic reticulum (SER) and small electron-dense particles of presumptive glycogen, and in areas of SER and distinct glycogen particles. After 5 hrs of treatment with DEX, the intracellular distribution of label reflected the glycogen patterns characteristic of periportal or centrilobular regions.« less

  18. Diffuse reticuloendothelial system involvement in type IV glycogen storage disease with a novel GBE1 mutation: a case report and review.

    PubMed

    Magoulas, Pilar L; El-Hattab, Ayman W; Roy, Angshumoy; Bali, Deeksha S; Finegold, Milton J; Craigen, William J

    2012-06-01

    Glycogen storage disease type IV is a rare autosomal recessive disorder of glycogen metabolism caused by mutations in the GBE1 gene that encodes the 1,4-alpha-glucan-branching enzyme 1. Its clinical presentation is variable, with the most common form presenting in early childhood with primary hepatic involvement. Histologic manifestations in glycogen storage disease type IV typically consist of intracytoplasmic non-membrane-bound inclusions containing abnormally branched glycogen (polyglucosan bodies) within hepatocytes and myocytes. We report a female infant with classic hepatic form of glycogen storage disease type IV who demonstrated diffuse reticuloendothelial system involvement with the spleen, bone marrow, and lymph nodes infiltrated by foamy histiocytes with intracytoplasmic polyglucosan deposits. Sequence analysis of the GBE1 gene revealed compound heterozygosity for a previously described frameshift mutation (c.1239delT) and a novel missense mutation (c.1279G>A) that is predicted to alter a conserved glycine residue. GBE enzyme analysis revealed no detectable activity. A review of the literature for glycogen storage disease type IV patients with characterized molecular defects and deficient enzyme activity reveals most GBE1 mutations to be missense mutations clustering in the catalytic enzyme domain. Individuals with the classic hepatic form of glycogen storage disease type IV tend to be compound heterozygotes for null and missense mutations. Although the extensive reticuloendothelial system involvement that was observed in our patient is not typical of glycogen storage disease type IV, it may be associated with severe enzymatic deficiency and a poor outcome. Copyright © 2012 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

  19. Nuclear glycogen and glycogen synthase kinase 3.

    PubMed

    Ragano-Caracciolo, M; Berlin, W K; Miller, M W; Hanover, J A

    1998-08-19

    Glycogen is the principal storage form of glucose in animal cells. It accumulates in electron-dense cytoplasmic granules and is synthesized by glycogen synthase (GS), the rate-limiting enzyme of glycogen deposition. Glycogen synthase kinase-3 (GSK-3) is a protein kinase that phosphorylates GS. Two nearly identical forms of GSK-3 exist: GSK-3 alpha and GSK-3 beta. Both are constitutively active in resting cells and their activity can be modulated by hormones and growth factors. GSK-3 is implicated in the regulation of many physiological responses in mammalian cells by phosphorylating substrates including neuronal cell adhesion molecule, neurofilaments, synapsin I, and tau. Recent observations point to functions for glycogen and glycogen metabolism in the nucleus. GSK-3 phosphorylates several transcription factors, and we have recently shown that it modifies the major nuclear pore protein p62. It also regulates PK1, a protein kinase required for maintaining the interphase state and for DNA replication in cycling Xenopus egg extracts. Recently, glycogen was shown to be required for nuclear reformation in vitro using ovulated Xenopus laevis egg lysates. Because neither glycogen nor GSK-3 has been localized to the nuclear envelope or intranuclear sites, glycogen and GSK-3 activites were measured in rat liver nuclei and nuclear reformation extracts. Significant quantities of glycogen-like material co-purified with the rat-liver nuclear envelope. GSK-3 is also highly enriched in the glycogen pellet of egg extracts of Xenopus that is required for nuclear assembly in vitro. Based on the finding that enzymes of glycogen metabolism copurify with glycogen, we propose that glycogen may serve a structural role as a scaffold for nuclear assembly and sequestration of critical kinases and phosphatases in the nucleus. Copyright 1998 Academic Press.

  20. Brain glycogen in health and disease.

    PubMed

    Duran, Jordi; Guinovart, Joan J

    2015-12-01

    Glycogen is present in the brain at much lower concentrations than in muscle or liver. However, by characterizing an animal depleted of brain glycogen, we have shown that the polysaccharide plays a key role in learning capacity and in activity-dependent changes in hippocampal synapse strength. Since glycogen is essentially found in astrocytes, the diverse roles proposed for this polysaccharide in the brain have been attributed exclusively to these cells. However, we have demonstrated that neurons have an active glycogen metabolism that contributes to tolerance to hypoxia. However, these cells can store only minute amounts of glycogen, since the progressive accumulation of this molecule leads to neuronal loss. Loss-of-function mutations in laforin and malin cause Lafora disease. This condition is characterized by the presence of high numbers of insoluble polyglucosan bodies, known as Lafora bodies, in neuronal cells. Our findings reveal that the accumulation of this aberrant glycogen accounts for the neurodegeneration and functional consequences, as well as the impaired autophagy, observed in models of this disease. Similarly glycogen synthase is responsible for the accumulation of corpora amylacea, which are polysaccharide-based aggregates present in the neurons of aged human brains. Our findings change the current view of the role of glycogen in the brain and reveal that endogenous neuronal glycogen metabolism is important under stress conditions and that neuronal glycogen accumulation contributes to neurodegenerative diseases and to aging-related corpora amylacea formation. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

  1. Acid Hydrolysis and Molecular Density of Phytoglycogen and Liver Glycogen Helps Understand the Bonding in Glycogen α (Composite) Particles

    PubMed Central

    Powell, Prudence O.; Sullivan, Mitchell A.; Sheehy, Joshua J.; Schulz, Benjamin L.; Warren, Frederick J.; Gilbert, Robert G.

    2015-01-01

    Phytoglycogen (from certain mutant plants) and animal glycogen are highly branched glucose polymers with similarities in structural features and molecular size range. Both appear to form composite α particles from smaller β particles. The molecular size distribution of liver glycogen is bimodal, with distinct α and β components, while that of phytoglycogen is monomodal. This study aims to enhance our understanding of the nature of the link between liver-glycogen β particles resulting in the formation of large α particles. It examines the time evolution of the size distribution of these molecules during acid hydrolysis, and the size dependence of the molecular density of both glucans. The monomodal distribution of phytoglycogen decreases uniformly in time with hydrolysis, while with glycogen, the large particles degrade significantly more quickly. The size dependence of the molecular density shows qualitatively different shapes for these two types of molecules. The data, combined with a quantitative model for the evolution of the distribution during degradation, suggest that the bonding between β into α particles is different between phytoglycogen and liver glycogen, with the formation of a glycosidic linkage for phytoglycogen and a covalent or strong non-covalent linkage, most probably involving a protein, for glycogen as most likely. This finding is of importance for diabetes, where α-particle structure is impaired. PMID:25799321

  2. Abnormal metabolism of glycogen phosphate as a cause for Lafora disease.

    PubMed

    Tagliabracci, Vincent S; Girard, Jean Marie; Segvich, Dyann; Meyer, Catalina; Turnbull, Julie; Zhao, Xiaochu; Minassian, Berge A; Depaoli-Roach, Anna A; Roach, Peter J

    2008-12-05

    Lafora disease is a progressive myoclonus epilepsy with onset in the teenage years followed by neurodegeneration and death within 10 years. A characteristic is the widespread formation of poorly branched, insoluble glycogen-like polymers (polyglucosan) known as Lafora bodies, which accumulate in neurons, muscle, liver, and other tissues. Approximately half of the cases of Lafora disease result from mutations in the EPM2A gene, which encodes laforin, a member of the dual specificity protein phosphatase family that is able to release the small amount of covalent phosphate normally present in glycogen. In studies of Epm2a(-/-) mice that lack laforin, we observed a progressive change in the properties and structure of glycogen that paralleled the formation of Lafora bodies. At three months, glycogen metabolism remained essentially normal, even though the phosphorylation of glycogen has increased 4-fold and causes altered physical properties of the polysaccharide. By 9 months, the glycogen has overaccumulated by 3-fold, has become somewhat more phosphorylated, but, more notably, is now poorly branched, is insoluble in water, and has acquired an abnormal morphology visible by electron microscopy. These glycogen molecules have a tendency to aggregate and can be recovered in the pellet after low speed centrifugation of tissue extracts. The aggregation requires the phosphorylation of glycogen. The aggregrated glycogen sequesters glycogen synthase but not other glycogen metabolizing enzymes. We propose that laforin functions to suppress excessive glycogen phosphorylation and is an essential component of the metabolism of normally structured glycogen.

  3. Incorporation of phosphate into glycogen by glycogen synthase.

    PubMed

    Contreras, Christopher J; Segvich, Dyann M; Mahalingan, Krishna; Chikwana, Vimbai M; Kirley, Terence L; Hurley, Thomas D; DePaoli-Roach, Anna A; Roach, Peter J

    2016-05-01

    The storage polymer glycogen normally contains small amounts of covalently attached phosphate as phosphomonoesters at C2, C3 and C6 atoms of glucose residues. In the absence of the laforin phosphatase, as in the rare childhood epilepsy Lafora disease, the phosphorylation level is elevated and is associated with abnormal glycogen structure that contributes to the pathology. Laforin therefore likely functions in vivo as a glycogen phosphatase. The mechanism of glycogen phosphorylation is less well-understood. We have reported that glycogen synthase incorporates phosphate into glycogen via a rare side reaction in which glucose-phosphate rather than glucose is transferred to a growing polyglucose chain (Tagliabracci et al. (2011) Cell Metab13, 274-282). We proposed a mechanism to account for phosphorylation at C2 and possibly at C3. Our results have since been challenged (Nitschke et al. (2013) Cell Metab17, 756-767). Here we extend the evidence supporting our conclusion, validating the assay used for the detection of glycogen phosphorylation, measurement of the transfer of (32)P from [β-(32)P]UDP-glucose to glycogen by glycogen synthase. The (32)P associated with the glycogen fraction was stable to ethanol precipitation, SDS-PAGE and gel filtration on Sephadex G50. The (32)P-signal was not affected by inclusion of excess unlabeled UDP before analysis or by treatment with a UDPase, arguing against the signal being due to contaminating [β-(32)P]UDP generated in the reaction. Furthermore, [(32)P]UDP did not bind non-covalently to glycogen. The (32)P associated with glycogen was released by laforin treatment, suggesting that it was present as a phosphomonoester. The conclusion is that glycogen synthase can mediate the introduction of phosphate into glycogen, thereby providing a possible mechanism for C2, and perhaps C3, phosphorylation. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

  4. INCORPORATION OF PHOSPHATE INTO GLYCOGEN BY GLYCOGEN SYNTHASE

    PubMed Central

    Contreras, Christopher J.; Segvich, Dyann M.; Mahalingan, Krishna; Chikwana, Vimbai M.; Kirley, Terence L.; Hurley, Thomas D.; DePaoli-Roach, Anna A.; Roach, Peter J.

    2016-01-01

    The storage polymer glycogen normally contains small amounts of covalently attached phosphate as phosphomonoesters at C2, C3 and C6 atoms of glucose residues. In the absence of the laforin phosphatase, as in the rare childhood epilepsy Lafora disease, the phosphorylation level is elevated and is associated with abnormal glycogen structure that contributes to the pathology. Laforin therefore likely functions in vivo as a glycogen phosphatase. The mechanism of glycogen phosphorylation is less well-understood. We have reported that glycogen synthase incorporates phosphate into glycogen via a rare side reaction in which glucose-phosphate rather than glucose is transferred to a growing polyglucose chain (Tagliabracci et al. (2011) Cell Metab 13, 274-282). We proposed a mechanism to account for phosphorylation at C2 and possibly at C3. Our results have since been challenged (Nitschke et al. (2013) Cell Metab 17, 756-767). Here we extend the evidence supporting our conclusion, validating the assay used for the detection of glycogen phosphorylation, measurement of the transfer of 32P from [β-32P]UDP-glucose to glycogen by glycogen synthase. The 32P associated with the glycogen fraction was stable to ethanol precipitation, SDS-PAGE and gel filtration on Sephadex G50. The 32P-signal was not affected by inclusion of excess unlabeled UDP before analysis or by treatment with a UDPase, arguing against the signal being due to contaminating [β-32P]UDP generated in the reaction. Furthermore, [32P]UDP did not bind non-covalently to glycogen. The 32P associated with glycogen was released by laforin treatment, suggesting that it was present as a phosphomonoester. The conclusion is that glycogen synthase can mediate the introduction of phosphate into glycogen, thereby providing a possible mechanism for C2, perhaps C3, phosphorylation. PMID:27036853

  5. Role of Maltose Enzymes in Glycogen Synthesis by Escherichia coli▿

    PubMed Central

    Park, Jong-Tae; Shim, Jae-Hoon; Tran, Phuong Lan; Hong, In-Hee; Yong, Hwan-Ung; Oktavina, Ershita Fitria; Nguyen, Hai Dang; Kim, Jung-Wan; Lee, Tae Soo; Park, Sung-Hoon; Boos, Winfried; Park, Kwan-Hwa

    2011-01-01

    Mutants with deletion mutations in the glg and mal gene clusters of Escherichia coli MC4100 were used to gain insight into glycogen and maltodextrin metabolism. Glycogen content, molecular mass, and branch chain distribution were analyzed in the wild type and in ΔmalP (encoding maltodextrin phosphorylase), ΔmalQ (encoding amylomaltase), ΔglgA (encoding glycogen synthase), and ΔglgA ΔmalP derivatives. The wild type showed increasing amounts of glycogen when grown on glucose, maltose, or maltodextrin. When strains were grown on maltose, the glycogen content was 20 times higher in the ΔmalP strain (0.97 mg/mg protein) than in the wild type (0.05 mg/mg protein). When strains were grown on glucose, the ΔmalP strain and the wild type had similar glycogen contents (0.04 mg/mg and 0.03 mg/mg protein, respectively). The ΔmalQ mutant did not grow on maltose but showed wild-type amounts of glycogen when grown on glucose, demonstrating the exclusive function of GlgA for glycogen synthesis in the absence of maltose metabolism. No glycogen was found in the ΔglgA and ΔglgA ΔmalP strains grown on glucose, but substantial amounts (0.18 and 1.0 mg/mg protein, respectively) were found when they were grown on maltodextrin. This demonstrates that the action of MalQ on maltose or maltodextrin can lead to the formation of glycogen and that MalP controls (inhibits) this pathway. In vitro, MalQ in the presence of GlgB (a branching enzyme) was able to form glycogen from maltose or linear maltodextrins. We propose a model of maltodextrin utilization for the formation of glycogen in the absence of glycogen synthase. PMID:21421758

  6. Irisin inhibits hepatic gluconeogenesis and increases glycogen synthesis via the PI3K/Akt pathway in type 2 diabetic mice and hepatocytes.

    PubMed

    Liu, Tong-Yan; Shi, Chang-Xiang; Gao, Run; Sun, Hai-Jian; Xiong, Xiao-Qing; Ding, Lei; Chen, Qi; Li, Yue-Hua; Wang, Jue-Jin; Kang, Yu-Ming; Zhu, Guo-Qing

    2015-11-01

    Increased glucose production and reduced hepatic glycogen storage contribute to metabolic abnormalities in diabetes. Irisin, a newly identified myokine, induces the browning of white adipose tissue, but its effects on gluconeogenesis and glycogenesis are unknown. In the present study, we investigated the effects and underlying mechanisms of irisin on gluconeogenesis and glycogenesis in hepatocytes with insulin resistance, and its therapeutic role in type 2 diabetic mice. Insulin resistance was induced by glucosamine (GlcN) or palmitate in human hepatocellular carcinoma (HepG2) cells and mouse primary hepatocytes. Type 2 diabetes was induced by streptozotocin/high-fat diet (STZ/HFD) in mice. In HepG2 cells, irisin ameliorated the GlcN-induced increases in glucose production, phosphoenolpyruvate carboxykinase (PEPCK) and glucose-6-phosphatase (G6Pase) expression, and glycogen synthase (GS) phosphorylation; it prevented GlcN-induced decreases in glycogen content and the phosphoinositide 3-kinase (PI3K) p110α subunit level, and the phosphorylation of Akt/protein kinase B, forkhead box transcription factor O1 (FOXO1) and glycogen synthase kinase-3 (GSK3). These effects of irisin were abolished by the inhibition of PI3K or Akt. The effects of irisin were confirmed in mouse primary hepatocytes with GlcN-induced insulin resistance and in human HepG2 cells with palmitate-induced insulin resistance. In diabetic mice, persistent subcutaneous perfusion of irisin improved the insulin sensitivity, reduced fasting blood glucose, increased GSK3 and Akt phosphorylation, glycogen content and irisin level, and suppressed GS phosphorylation and PEPCK and G6Pase expression in the liver. Irisin improves glucose homoeostasis by reducing gluconeogenesis via PI3K/Akt/FOXO1-mediated PEPCK and G6Pase down-regulation and increasing glycogenesis via PI3K/Akt/GSK3-mediated GS activation. Irisin may be regarded as a novel therapeutic strategy for insulin resistance and type 2 diabetes. © 2015

  7. Systemic correction of the muscle disorder glycogen storage disease type II after hepatic targeting of a modified adenovirus vector encoding human acid-α-glucosidase

    PubMed Central

    Amalfitano, A.; McVie-Wylie, A. J.; Hu, H.; Dawson, T. L.; Raben, N.; Plotz, P.; Chen, Y. T.

    1999-01-01

    This report demonstrates that a single intravenous administration of a gene therapy vector can potentially result in the correction of all affected muscles in a mouse model of a human genetic muscle disease. These results were achieved by capitalizing both on the positive attributes of modified adenovirus-based vectoring systems and receptor-mediated lysosomal targeting of enzymes. The muscle disease treated, glycogen storage disease type II, is a lysosomal storage disorder that manifests as a progressive myopathy, secondary to massive glycogen accumulations in the skeletal and/or cardiac muscles of affected individuals. We demonstrated that a single intravenous administration of a modified Ad vector encoding human acid α-glucosidase (GAA) resulted in efficient hepatic transduction and secretion of high levels of the precursor GAA proenzyme into the plasma of treated animals. Subsequently, systemic distribution and uptake of the proenzyme into the skeletal and cardiac muscles of the GAA-knockout mouse was confirmed. As a result, systemic decreases (and correction) of the glycogen accumulations in a variety of muscle tissues was demonstrated. This model can potentially be expanded to include the treatment of other lysosomal enzyme disorders. Lessons learned from systemic genetic therapy of muscle disorders also should have implications for other muscle diseases, such as the muscular dystrophies. PMID:10430861

  8. Pregnancy augments hepatic glucose storage in response to a mixed meal

    PubMed Central

    Moore, Mary Courtney; Smith, Marta S.; Connolly, Cynthia C.

    2013-01-01

    Studies were carried out on conscious female non-pregnant (NP) and pregnant (P; third-trimester) dogs (n 16; eight animals per group) to define the role of the liver in mixed meal disposition with arteriovenous difference and tracer techniques. Hepatic and hindlimb substrate disposal was assessed for 390 min during and after an intragastric mixed meal infusion labelled with [14C]glucose. The P dogs exhibited postprandial hyperglycaemia compared with NP dogs (area under the curve (AUC; change from basal over 390 min) of arterial plasma glucose: 86 680 (sem 12 140) and 187 990 (sem 33 990) mg/l in NP and P dogs, respectively; P<0·05). Plasma insulin concentrations did not differ significantly between the groups (AUC: 88 230 (sem 16 314) and 69 750 (sem 19 512) pmol/l in NP and P dogs, respectively). Net hepatic glucose uptake totalled 3691 (sem 508) v. 5081 (sem 1145) mg/100 g liver in NP and P dogs, respectively (P=0·38). The AUC of glucose oxidation by the gut and hindlimb were not different in NP and P dogs, but hepatic glucose oxidation (84 (sem 13) v. 206 (sem 30) mg/100 g liver) and glycogen synthesis (0·4 (sem 0·5) v. 26 (sem 0·7) g/100 g liver) were greater in P dogs (P<0·05). The proportion of hepatic glycogen deposited via the direct pathway did not differ between the groups. Hindlimb glucose uptake and skeletal muscle glycogen synthesis was similar between the groups, although final glycogen concentrations were higher in NP dogs (9·6 (sem 0·6) v. 70 (sem 0·6) mg/g muscle; P<0·05). Thus, hepatic glucose oxidation and glycogen storage were augmented in late pregnancy. Enhanced hepatic glycogen storage following a meal probably facilitates the maintenance of an adequate glucose supply to maternal and fetal tissues during the post-absorptive period PMID:21831337

  9. Exposures to arsenite and methylarsonite produce insulin resistance and impair insulin-dependent glycogen metabolism in hepatocytes.

    PubMed

    Zhang, Chongben; Fennel, Emily M J; Douillet, Christelle; Stýblo, Miroslav

    2017-12-01

    Environmental exposure to inorganic arsenic (iAs) has been shown to disturb glucose homeostasis, leading to diabetes. Previous laboratory studies have suggested several mechanisms that may underlie the diabetogenic effects of iAs exposure, including (i) inhibition of insulin signaling (leading to insulin resistance) in glucose metabolizing peripheral tissues, (ii) inhibition of insulin secretion by pancreatic β cells, and (iii) dysregulation of the methylation or expression of genes involved in maintenance of glucose or insulin metabolism and function. Published studies have also shown that acute or chronic iAs exposures may result in depletion of hepatic glycogen stores. However, effects of iAs on pathways and mechanisms that regulate glycogen metabolism in the liver have never been studied. The present study examined glycogen metabolism in primary murine hepatocytes exposed in vitro to arsenite (iAs 3+ ) or its methylated metabolite, methylarsonite (MAs 3+ ). The results show that 4-h exposures to iAs 3+ and MAs 3+ at concentrations as low as 0.5 and 0.2 µM, respectively, decreased glycogen content in insulin-stimulated hepatocytes by inhibiting insulin-dependent activation of glycogen synthase (GS) and by inducing activity of glycogen phosphorylase (GP). Further investigation revealed that both iAs 3+ and MAs 3+ inhibit insulin-dependent phosphorylation of protein kinase B/Akt, one of the mechanisms involved in the regulation of GS and GP by insulin. Thus, inhibition of insulin signaling (i.e., insulin resistance) is likely responsible for the dysregulation of glycogen metabolism in hepatocytes exposed to iAs 3+ and MAs 3+ . This study provides novel information about the mechanisms by which iAs exposure impairs glucose homeostasis, pointing to hepatic metabolism of glycogen as one of the targets.

  10. Quantifying the Contribution of the Liver to Glucose Homeostasis: A Detailed Kinetic Model of Human Hepatic Glucose Metabolism

    PubMed Central

    König, Matthias; Bulik, Sascha; Holzhütter, Hermann-Georg

    2012-01-01

    Despite the crucial role of the liver in glucose homeostasis, a detailed mathematical model of human hepatic glucose metabolism is lacking so far. Here we present a detailed kinetic model of glycolysis, gluconeogenesis and glycogen metabolism in human hepatocytes integrated with the hormonal control of these pathways by insulin, glucagon and epinephrine. Model simulations are in good agreement with experimental data on (i) the quantitative contributions of glycolysis, gluconeogenesis, and glycogen metabolism to hepatic glucose production and hepatic glucose utilization under varying physiological states. (ii) the time courses of postprandial glycogen storage as well as glycogen depletion in overnight fasting and short term fasting (iii) the switch from net hepatic glucose production under hypoglycemia to net hepatic glucose utilization under hyperglycemia essential for glucose homeostasis (iv) hormone perturbations of hepatic glucose metabolism. Response analysis reveals an extra high capacity of the liver to counteract changes of plasma glucose level below 5 mM (hypoglycemia) and above 7.5 mM (hyperglycemia). Our model may serve as an important module of a whole-body model of human glucose metabolism and as a valuable tool for understanding the role of the liver in glucose homeostasis under normal conditions and in diseases like diabetes or glycogen storage diseases. PMID:22761565

  11. Multiple Glycogen-binding Sites in Eukaryotic Glycogen Synthase Are Required for High Catalytic Efficiency toward Glycogen

    DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

    Baskaran, Sulochanadevi; Chikwana, Vimbai M.; Contreras, Christopher J.

    2012-12-10

    Glycogen synthase is a rate-limiting enzyme in the biosynthesis of glycogen and has an essential role in glucose homeostasis. The three-dimensional structures of yeast glycogen synthase (Gsy2p) complexed with maltooctaose identified four conserved maltodextrin-binding sites distributed across the surface of the enzyme. Site-1 is positioned on the N-terminal domain, site-2 and site-3 are present on the C-terminal domain, and site-4 is located in an interdomain cleft adjacent to the active site. Mutation of these surface sites decreased glycogen binding and catalytic efficiency toward glycogen. Mutations within site-1 and site-2 reduced the V{sub max}/S{sub 0.5} for glycogen by 40- and 70-fold,more » respectively. Combined mutation of site-1 and site-2 decreased the V{sub max}/S{sub 0.5} for glycogen by >3000-fold. Consistent with the in vitro data, glycogen accumulation in glycogen synthase-deficient yeast cells ({Delta}gsy1-gsy2) transformed with the site-1, site-2, combined site-1/site-2, or site-4 mutant form of Gsy2p was decreased by up to 40-fold. In contrast to the glycogen results, the ability to utilize maltooctaose as an in vitro substrate was unaffected in the site-2 mutant, moderately affected in the site-1 mutant, and almost completely abolished in the site-4 mutant. These data show that the ability to utilize maltooctaose as a substrate can be independent of the ability to utilize glycogen. Our data support the hypothesis that site-1 and site-2 provide a 'toehold mechanism,' keeping glycogen synthase tightly associated with the glycogen particle, whereas site-4 is more closely associated with positioning of the nonreducing end during catalysis.« less

  12. Influence of in situ progressive N-terminal is still controversial truncation of glycogen branching enzyme in Escherichia coli DH5α on glycogen structure, accumulation, and bacterial viability.

    PubMed

    Wang, Liang; Regina, Ahmed; Butardo, Vito M; Kosar-Hashemi, Behjat; Larroque, Oscar; Kahler, Charlene M; Wise, Michael J

    2015-05-07

    Glycogen average chain length (ACL) has been linked with bacterial durability, but this was on the basis of observations across different species. We therefore wished to investigate the relationship between bacterial durability and glycogen ACL by varying glycogen average chain length in a single species. It has been shown that progressive shortening of the N-terminus of glycogen branching enzyme (GBE) leads to a lengthening of oligosaccharide inter-α-1,6-glycosidic chain lengths, so we sought to harness this to create a set of Escherichia coli DH5α strains with a range of glycogen average chain lengths, and assess these strains for durability related attributes, such as starvation, cold and desiccation stress resistance, and biofilm formation. A series of Escherichia coli DH5α mutants were created with glgB genes that were in situ progressively N-terminus truncated. N-terminal truncation shifted the distribution of glycogen chain lengths from 5-11 DP toward 13-50 DP, but the relationship between glgB length and glycogen ACL was not linear. Surprisingly, removal of the first 270 nucleotides of glgB (glgBΔ270) resulted in comparatively high glycogen accumulation, with the glycogen having short ACL. Complete knockout of glgB led to the formation of amylose-like glycogen containing long, linear α1,4-glucan chains with significantly reduced branching frequency. Physiologically, the set of mutant strains had reduced bacterial starvation resistance, while minimally increasing bacterial desiccation resistance. Finally, although there were no obvious changes in cold stress resistance or biofilm forming ability, one strain (glgBΔ180) had significantly increased biofilm formation in favourable media. Despite glgB being the first gene of an operon, it is clear that in situ mutation is a viable means to create more biologically relevant mutant strains. Secondly, there was the suggestion in the data that impairments of starvation, cold and desiccation resistance were

  13. History of Hepatic Bile Formation: Old Problems, New Approaches

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Javitt, Norman B.

    2014-01-01

    Studies of hepatic bile formation reported in 1958 established that it was an osmotically generated water flow. Intravenous infusion of sodium taurocholate established a high correlation between hepatic bile flow and bile acid excretion. Secretin, a hormone that stimulates bicarbonate secretion, was also found to increase hepatic bile flow. The…

  14. Biomarker for Glycogen Storage Diseases

    ClinicalTrials.gov

    2017-07-03

    Fructose Metabolism, Inborn Errors; Glycogen Storage Disease; Glycogen Storage Disease Type I; Glycogen Storage Disease Type II; Glycogen Storage Disease Type III; Glycogen Storage Disease Type IV; Glycogen Storage Disease Type V; Glycogen Storage Disease Type VI; Glycogen Storage Disease Type VII; Glycogen Storage Disease Type VIII

  15. Glycogen Synthesis in Glycogenin 1-Deficient Patients: A Role for Glycogenin 2 in Muscle.

    PubMed

    Krag, Thomas O; Ruiz-Ruiz, Cristina; Vissing, John

    2017-08-01

    Glycogen storage disease (GSD) type XV is a rare disease caused by mutations in the GYG1 gene that codes for the core molecule of muscle glycogen, glycogenin 1. Nonetheless, glycogen is present in muscles of glycogenin 1-deficient patients, suggesting an alternative for glycogen buildup. A likely candidate is glycogenin 2, an isoform expressed in the liver and heart but not in healthy skeletal muscle. We wanted to investigate the formation of glycogen and changes in glycogen metabolism in patients with GSD type XV. Two patients with mutations in the GYG1 gene were investigated for histopathology, ultrastructure, and expression of proteins involved in glycogen synthesis and metabolism. Apart from occurrence of polyglucosan (PG) bodies in few fibers, glycogen appeared normal in most cells, and the concentration was normal in patients with GSD type XV. We found that glycogenin 1 was absent, but glycogenin 2 was present in the patients, whereas the opposite was the case in healthy controls. Electron microscopy revealed that glycogen was present between and not inside myofibrils in type II fibers, compromising the ultrastructure of these fibers, and only type I fibers contained PG bodies. We also found significant changes to the expression levels of several enzymes directly involved in glycogen and glucose metabolism. To our knowledge, this is the first report demonstrating expression of glycogenin 2 in glycogenin 1-deficient patients, suggesting that glycogenin 2 rescues the formation of glycogen in patients with glycogenin 1 deficiency. Copyright © 2017 Endocrine Society

  16. CREBH Maintains Circadian Glucose Homeostasis by Regulating Hepatic Glycogenolysis and Gluconeogenesis.

    PubMed

    Kim, Hyunbae; Zheng, Ze; Walker, Paul D; Kapatos, Gregory; Zhang, Kezhong

    2017-07-15

    Cyclic AMP-responsive element binding protein, hepatocyte specific (CREBH), is a liver-enriched, endoplasmic reticulum-tethered transcription factor known to regulate the hepatic acute-phase response and lipid homeostasis. In this study, we demonstrate that CREBH functions as a circadian transcriptional regulator that plays major roles in maintaining glucose homeostasis. The proteolytic cleavage and posttranslational acetylation modification of CREBH are regulated by the circadian clock. Functionally, CREBH is required in order to maintain circadian homeostasis of hepatic glycogen storage and blood glucose levels. CREBH regulates the rhythmic expression of the genes encoding the rate-limiting enzymes for glycogenolysis and gluconeogenesis, including liver glycogen phosphorylase (PYGL), phosphoenolpyruvate carboxykinase 1 (PCK1), and the glucose-6-phosphatase catalytic subunit (G6PC). CREBH interacts with peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor α (PPARα) to synergize its transcriptional activities in hepatic gluconeogenesis. The acetylation of CREBH at lysine residue 294 controls CREBH-PPARα interaction and synergy in regulating hepatic glucose metabolism in mice. CREBH deficiency leads to reduced blood glucose levels but increases hepatic glycogen levels during the daytime or upon fasting. In summary, our studies revealed that CREBH functions as a key metabolic regulator that controls glucose homeostasis across the circadian cycle or under metabolic stress. Copyright © 2017 American Society for Microbiology.

  17. CREBH Maintains Circadian Glucose Homeostasis by Regulating Hepatic Glycogenolysis and Gluconeogenesis

    PubMed Central

    Kim, Hyunbae; Zheng, Ze; Walker, Paul D.; Kapatos, Gregory

    2017-01-01

    ABSTRACT Cyclic AMP-responsive element binding protein, hepatocyte specific (CREBH), is a liver-enriched, endoplasmic reticulum-tethered transcription factor known to regulate the hepatic acute-phase response and lipid homeostasis. In this study, we demonstrate that CREBH functions as a circadian transcriptional regulator that plays major roles in maintaining glucose homeostasis. The proteolytic cleavage and posttranslational acetylation modification of CREBH are regulated by the circadian clock. Functionally, CREBH is required in order to maintain circadian homeostasis of hepatic glycogen storage and blood glucose levels. CREBH regulates the rhythmic expression of the genes encoding the rate-limiting enzymes for glycogenolysis and gluconeogenesis, including liver glycogen phosphorylase (PYGL), phosphoenolpyruvate carboxykinase 1 (PCK1), and the glucose-6-phosphatase catalytic subunit (G6PC). CREBH interacts with peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor α (PPARα) to synergize its transcriptional activities in hepatic gluconeogenesis. The acetylation of CREBH at lysine residue 294 controls CREBH-PPARα interaction and synergy in regulating hepatic glucose metabolism in mice. CREBH deficiency leads to reduced blood glucose levels but increases hepatic glycogen levels during the daytime or upon fasting. In summary, our studies revealed that CREBH functions as a key metabolic regulator that controls glucose homeostasis across the circadian cycle or under metabolic stress. PMID:28461393

  18. Neuronal glycogen synthesis contributes to physiological aging

    PubMed Central

    Sinadinos, Christopher; Valles-Ortega, Jordi; Boulan, Laura; Solsona, Estel; Tevy, Maria F; Marquez, Mercedes; Duran, Jordi; Lopez-Iglesias, Carmen; Calbó, Joaquim; Blasco, Ester; Pumarola, Marti; Milán, Marco; Guinovart, Joan J

    2014-01-01

    Glycogen is a branched polymer of glucose and the carbohydrate energy store for animal cells. In the brain, it is essentially found in glial cells, although it is also present in minute amounts in neurons. In humans, loss-of-function mutations in laforin and malin, proteins involved in suppressing glycogen synthesis, induce the presence of high numbers of insoluble polyglucosan bodies in neuronal cells. Known as Lafora bodies (LBs), these deposits result in the aggressive neurodegeneration seen in Lafora’s disease. Polysaccharide-based aggregates, called corpora amylacea (CA), are also present in the neurons of aged human brains. Despite the similarity of CA to LBs, the mechanisms and functional consequences of CA formation are yet unknown. Here, we show that wild-type laboratory mice also accumulate glycogen-based aggregates in the brain as they age. These structures are immunopositive for an array of metabolic and stress-response proteins, some of which were previously shown to aggregate in correlation with age in the human brain and are also present in LBs. Remarkably, these structures and their associated protein aggregates are not present in the aged mouse brain upon genetic ablation of glycogen synthase. Similar genetic intervention in Drosophila prevents the accumulation of glycogen clusters in the neuronal processes of aged flies. Most interestingly, targeted reduction of Drosophila glycogen synthase in neurons improves neurological function with age and extends lifespan. These results demonstrate that neuronal glycogen accumulation contributes to physiological aging and may therefore constitute a key factor regulating age-related neurological decline in humans. PMID:25059425

  19. Hyper-hippocampal glycogen induced by glycogen loading with exhaustive exercise.

    PubMed

    Soya, Mariko; Matsui, Takashi; Shima, Takeru; Jesmin, Subrina; Omi, Naomi; Soya, Hideaki

    2018-01-19

    Glycogen loading (GL), a well-known type of sports conditioning, in combination with exercise and a high carbohydrate diet (HCD) for 1 week enhances individual endurance capacity through muscle glycogen supercompensation. This exercise-diet combination is necessary for successful GL. Glycogen in the brain contributes to hippocampus-related memory functions and endurance capacity. Although the effect of HCD on the brain remains unknown, brain supercompensation occurs following exhaustive exercise (EE), a component of GL. We thus employed a rat model of GL and examined whether GL increases glycogen levels in the brain as well as in muscle, and found that GL increased glycogen levels in the hippocampus and hypothalamus, as well as in muscle. We further explored the essential components of GL (exercise and/or diet conditions) to establish a minimal model of GL focusing on the brain. Exercise, rather than a HCD, was found to be crucial for GL-induced hyper-glycogen in muscle, the hippocampus and the hypothalamus. Moreover, EE was essential for hyper-glycogen only in the hippocampus even without HCD. Here we propose the EE component of GL without HCD as a condition that enhances brain glycogen stores especially in the hippocampus, implicating a physiological strategy to enhance hippocampal functions.

  20. Mechanism suppressing glycogen synthesis in neurons and its demise in progressive myoclonus epilepsy.

    PubMed

    Vilchez, David; Ros, Susana; Cifuentes, Daniel; Pujadas, Lluís; Vallès, Jordi; García-Fojeda, Belén; Criado-García, Olga; Fernández-Sánchez, Elena; Medraño-Fernández, Iria; Domínguez, Jorge; García-Rocha, Mar; Soriano, Eduardo; Rodríguez de Córdoba, Santiago; Guinovart, Joan J

    2007-11-01

    Glycogen synthesis is normally absent in neurons. However, inclusion bodies resembling abnormal glycogen accumulate in several neurological diseases, particularly in progressive myoclonus epilepsy or Lafora disease. We show here that mouse neurons have the enzymatic machinery for synthesizing glycogen, but that it is suppressed by retention of muscle glycogen synthase (MGS) in the phosphorylated, inactive state. This suppression was further ensured by a complex of laforin and malin, which are the two proteins whose mutations cause Lafora disease. The laforin-malin complex caused proteasome-dependent degradation both of the adaptor protein targeting to glycogen, PTG, which brings protein phosphatase 1 to MGS for activation, and of MGS itself. Enforced expression of PTG led to glycogen deposition in neurons and caused apoptosis. Therefore, the malin-laforin complex ensures a blockade of neuronal glycogen synthesis even under intense glycogenic conditions. Here we explain the formation of polyglucosan inclusions in Lafora disease by demonstrating a crucial role for laforin and malin in glycogen synthesis.

  1. Neuronal glycogen synthesis contributes to physiological aging.

    PubMed

    Sinadinos, Christopher; Valles-Ortega, Jordi; Boulan, Laura; Solsona, Estel; Tevy, Maria F; Marquez, Mercedes; Duran, Jordi; Lopez-Iglesias, Carmen; Calbó, Joaquim; Blasco, Ester; Pumarola, Marti; Milán, Marco; Guinovart, Joan J

    2014-10-01

    Glycogen is a branched polymer of glucose and the carbohydrate energy store for animal cells. In the brain, it is essentially found in glial cells, although it is also present in minute amounts in neurons. In humans, loss-of-function mutations in laforin and malin, proteins involved in suppressing glycogen synthesis, induce the presence of high numbers of insoluble polyglucosan bodies in neuronal cells. Known as Lafora bodies (LBs), these deposits result in the aggressive neurodegeneration seen in Lafora's disease. Polysaccharide-based aggregates, called corpora amylacea (CA), are also present in the neurons of aged human brains. Despite the similarity of CA to LBs, the mechanisms and functional consequences of CA formation are yet unknown. Here, we show that wild-type laboratory mice also accumulate glycogen-based aggregates in the brain as they age. These structures are immunopositive for an array of metabolic and stress-response proteins, some of which were previously shown to aggregate in correlation with age in the human brain and are also present in LBs. Remarkably, these structures and their associated protein aggregates are not present in the aged mouse brain upon genetic ablation of glycogen synthase. Similar genetic intervention in Drosophila prevents the accumulation of glycogen clusters in the neuronal processes of aged flies. Most interestingly, targeted reduction of Drosophila glycogen synthase in neurons improves neurological function with age and extends lifespan. These results demonstrate that neuronal glycogen accumulation contributes to physiological aging and may therefore constitute a key factor regulating age-related neurological decline in humans. © 2014 The Authors. Aging cell published by the Anatomical Society and John Wiley & Sons Ltd.

  2. Hormetic modulation of hepatic insulin sensitivity by advanced glycation end products.

    PubMed

    Fabre, Nelly T; Thieme, Karina; Silva, Karolline S; Catanozi, Sérgio; Cavaleiro, Ana Mercedes; Pinto, Danilo A C; Okamoto, Maristela M; Morais, Mychel Raony P T; Falquetto, Bárbara; Zorn, Telma M; Machado, Ubiratan F; Passarelli, Marisa; Correa-Giannella, Maria Lúcia

    2017-05-15

    Because of the paucity of information regarding metabolic effects of advanced glycation end products (AGEs) on liver, we evaluated effects of AGEs chronic administration in (1) insulin sensitivity; (2) hepatic expression of genes involved in AGEs, glucose and fat metabolism, oxidative stress and inflammation and; (3) hepatic morphology and glycogen content. Rats received intraperitoneally albumin modified (AlbAGE) or not by advanced glycation for 12 weeks. AlbAGE induced whole-body insulin resistance concomitantly with increased hepatic insulin sensitivity, evidenced by activation of AKT, inactivation of GSK3, increased hepatic glycogen content, and decreased expression of gluconeogenesis genes. Additionally there was reduction in hepatic fat content, in expression of lipogenic, pro-inflamatory and pro-oxidative genes and increase in reactive oxygen species and in nuclear expression of NRF2, a transcription factor essential to cytoprotective response. Although considered toxic, AGEs become protective when administered chronically, stimulating AKT signaling, which is involved in cellular defense and insulin sensitivity. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

  3. Neuroendocrine factors affecting the glycogen metabolism of purified Mytilus edulis glycogen cells: partial characterization of the putative glycogen mobilization hormone--demonstration of a factor that stimulates glycogen synthesis.

    PubMed

    Robbins, I; Lenoir, F; Mathieu, M

    1991-04-01

    A putative glycogen mobilizing hormone (GMH) from the marine mussel Mytilus edulis L. has been partially characterized. GMH activity is present in the cerebral ganglia and the hemolymph serum and promotes the mobilization of glycogen in isolated glycogen cells. The cerebral GMH is trypsin sensitive and partially heat labile and has an apparent molecular mass of greater than 20 kDa. Following fractionation of cerebral extracts by molecular mass, a second factor, with a molecular mass of ca. 1.5 kDa, was discovered. This factor stimulates post-incubation incorporation of 14C into glycogen in isolated glycogen cells.

  4. Increased liver fat and glycogen stores after consumption of high versus low glycaemic index food: A randomized crossover study.

    PubMed

    Bawden, Stephen; Stephenson, Mary; Falcone, Yirga; Lingaya, Melanie; Ciampi, Elisabetta; Hunter, Karl; Bligh, Frances; Schirra, Jörg; Taylor, Moira; Morris, Peter; Macdonald, Ian; Gowland, Penny; Marciani, Luca; Aithal, Guruprasad P

    2017-01-01

    To investigate the acute and longer-term effects of low (LGI) versus high glycaemic index (HGI) diets on hepatic fat and glycogen accumulation and related blood measures in healthy volunteers. Eight healthy men (age 20.1 ± 0.4 years, body mass index 23.0 ± 0.9 kg/m 2 ) attended a test day before and after a 7-day macronutrient- and energy-matched HGI or LGI diet, followed by a minimum 4-week wash-out period, and then returned to repeat the intervention with the alternative diet. During test days, participants consumed either an HGI or an LGI test meal corresponding to their diet week, and liver fat [ 1 H magnetic resonance spectroscopy (MRS)], glycogen ( 13 C MRS) and gastric content volume (MRI) were measured. Blood samples were obtained regularly throughout the test day to assess plasma glucose and insulin levels. Plasma glucose and insulin peak values and area under the curve were significantly greater after the HGI test meal compared with the LGI test meal, as expected. Hepatic glycogen concentrations increased more after the HGI test meal ( P < .05) and peak levels were significantly greater after 7 days of HGI dietary intervention compared with those at the beginning of the intervention ( P < .05). Liver fat fractions increased significantly after the HGI dietary intervention compared with the LGI dietary intervention (two-way repeated-measures analysis of variance P ≤ .05). Compared with an LGI diet, a 1-week HGI diet increased hepatic fat and glycogen stores. This may have important clinical relevance for dietary interventions in the prevention and management of non-alcoholic fatty liver disease. © 2016 John Wiley & Sons Ltd.

  5. Contribution of dietary starch to hepatic and systemic carbohydrate fluxes in European seabass (Dicentrarchus labrax L.).

    PubMed

    Viegas, Ivan; Rito, João; Jarak, Ivana; Leston, Sara; Caballero-Solares, Albert; Metón, Isidoro; Pardal, Miguel A; Baanante, Isabel V; Jones, John G

    2015-05-14

    In the present study, the effects of partial substitution of dietary protein by digestible starch on endogenous glucose production were evaluated in European seabass (Dicentrarchus labrax). The fractional contribution of dietary carbohydrates v. gluconeogenesis to blood glucose appearance and hepatic glycogen synthesis was quantified in two groups of seabass fed with a diet containing 30% digestible starch (DS) or without a carbohydrate supplement as the control (CTRL). Measurements were performed by transferring the fish to a tank containing water enriched with 5% (2)H2O over the last six feeding days, and quantifying the incorporation of (2)H into blood glucose and hepatic glycogen by (2)H NMR. For CTRL fish, gluconeogenesis accounted for the majority of circulating glucose while for the DS fish, this contribution was significantly lower (CTRL 85 (SEM 4) % v. DS 54 (SEM 2) %; P < 0.001). Hepatic glycogen synthesis via gluconeogenesis (indirect pathway) was also significantly reduced in the DS fish, in both relative (CTRL 100 (SEM 1) % v. DS 72 (SEM 1) %; P < 0.001) and absolute terms (CTRL 28 (SEM 1) v. DS 17 (sem 1) μmol/kg per h; P < 0.001). A major fraction of the dietary carbohydrates that contributed to blood glucose appearance (33 (sem 1) % of the total 47 (SEM 2) %) had undergone exchange with hepatic glucose 6-phosphate. This indicated the simultaneous activity of hepatic glucokinase and glucose 6-phosphatase. In conclusion, supplementation of digestible starch resulted in a significant reduction of gluconeogenic contributions to systemic glucose appearance and hepatic glycogen synthesis.

  6. [Calculi formation and biliary hydrodynamics].

    PubMed

    Zou, S Q

    1990-09-01

    In this study, 167 white rabbits were divided into 5 groups to observe the effects of biliary stricture and infection on the formation of bile duct stones and the pathophysiological changes of the biliary tract. It was found that there was a gradient of static hydraulic pressure along biliary tract and the pressure was directly proportional to hepatic blood flow. In the rabbits with bile duct stone formation, the activity of SDH, ATP ase and glycogen (PAS) in the mucosa of biliary tract was low and that of LDH was high. In the biliary tract wall damaged by infection and choledocholithiasis, a frame work consisting of polysaccharide protein, mucin, and mucoid polymer was observed and the authors considered it as one of causing factors in the formation of the stones.

  7. Methodological and physiological test-retest reliability of (13) C-MRS glycogen measurements in liver and in skeletal muscle of patients with type 1 diabetes and matched healthy controls.

    PubMed

    Buehler, Tania; Bally, Lia; Dokumaci, Ayse Sila; Stettler, Christoph; Boesch, Chris

    2016-06-01

    Glycogen is a major substrate in energy metabolism and particularly important to prevent hypoglycemia in pathologies of glucose homeostasis such as type 1 diabetes mellitus (T1DM). (13) C-MRS is increasingly used to determine glycogen in skeletal muscle and liver non-invasively; however, the low signal-to-noise ratio leads to long acquisition times, particularly when glycogen levels are determined before and after interventions. In order to ease the requirements for the subjects and to avoid systematic effects of the lengthy examination, we evaluated if a standardized preparation period would allow us to shift the baseline (pre-intervention) experiments to a preceding day. Based on natural abundance (13) C-MRS on a clinical 3 T MR system the present study investigated the test-retest reliability of glycogen measurements in patients with T1DM and matched controls (n = 10 each group) in quadriceps muscle and liver. Prior to the MR examination, participants followed a standardized diet and avoided strenuous exercise for two days. The average coefficient of variation (CV) of myocellular glycogen levels was 9.7% in patients with T1DM compared with 6.6% in controls after a 2 week period, while hepatic glycogen variability was 13.3% in patients with T1DM and 14.6% in controls. For comparison, a single-session test-retest variability in four healthy volunteers resulted in 9.5% for skeletal muscle and 14.3% for liver. Glycogen levels in muscle and liver were not statistically different between test and retest, except for hepatic glycogen, which decreased in T1DM patients in the retest examination, but without an increase of the group distribution. Since the CVs of glycogen levels determined in a "single session" versus "within weeks" are comparable, we conclude that the major source of uncertainty is the methodological error and that physiological variations can be minimized by a pre-study standardization. For hepatic glycogen examinations, familiarization sessions

  8. Preactivated thiolated glycogen as mucoadhesive polymer for drug delivery.

    PubMed

    Perrone, Mara; Lopalco, Antonio; Lopedota, Angela; Cutrignelli, Annalisa; Laquintana, Valentino; Douglas, Justin; Franco, Massimo; Liberati, Elisa; Russo, Vincenzo; Tongiani, Serena; Denora, Nunzio; Bernkop-Schnürch, Andreas

    2017-10-01

    The purpose of this study was to synthesize and characterize a novel thiolated glycogen, so-named S-preactivated thiolated glycogen, as a mucosal drug delivery systems and the assessment of its mucoadhesive properties. In this regard, glycogen-cysteine and glycogen-cysteine-2-mercaptonicotinic acid conjugates were synthesized. Glycogen was activated by an oxidative ring opening with sodium periodate resulting in reactive aldehyde groups to which cysteine was bound via reductive amination. The obtained thiolated polymer displayed 2203.09±200μmol thiol groups per gram polymer. In a second step, the thiol moieties of thiolated glycogen were protected by disulfide bond formation with the thiolated aromatic residue 2-mercaptonicotinic acid (2MNA). In vitro screening of mucoadhesive properties was performed on porcine intestinal mucosa using different methods. In particular, in terms of rheology investigations of mucus/polymer mixtures, the S-preactivated thiolated glycogen showed a 4.7-fold increase in dynamic viscosity over a time period of 5h, in comparison to mucus/Simulated Intestinal Fluid control. The S-preactivated polymer remained attached on freshly excised porcine mucosa for 45h. Analogous results were obtained with tensile studies demonstrating a 2.7-fold increase in maximum detachment force and 3.1- fold increase in total work of adhesion for the S-preactivated polymer compared to unmodified glycogen. Moreover, water-uptake studies showed an over 4h continuing weight gain for the S-preactivated polymer, whereas disintegration took place for the unmodified polymer within the first hour. Furthermore, even in the highest tested concentration of 2mg/ml the new conjugates did not show any cytotoxicity on Caco-2 cell monolayer using an MTT assay. According to these results, S-preactivated glycogen represents a promising type of mucoadhesive polymers useful for the development of various mucosal drug delivery systems. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier B.V. All rights

  9. Focal hepatic infarction with bile lake formation

    DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

    Peterson, I.M.; Neumann, C.H.

    Venous thrombosis associated with oral contraceptives is a well recognized phenomenon. Arterial thrombosis, while less common, is also a known risk, as evidenced by the increased incidence of cerebral vascular accidents and myocardial ischemia or infarction. The liver is relatively protected from the usual consequences of arterial thrombosis because of its dual blood supply. The authors present an unusual case of a young woman with a history of oral contraceptive and cigarette use who developed hepatic artery thrombosis and had focal liver lesions on computed tomography (CT) due to hepatic infarction and bile lake formation despite an intact portal venousmore » system.« less

  10. Priming Effect of a Morning Meal on Hepatic Glucose Disposition Later in the Day

    PubMed Central

    Smith, Marta S.; Farmer, Ben; Kraft, Guillaume; Shiota, Masakazu; Williams, Phillip E.; Cherrington, Alan D.

    2017-01-01

    We used hepatic balance and tracer ([3H]glucose) techniques to examine the impact of “breakfast” on hepatic glucose metabolism later in the same day. From 0–240 min, 2 groups of conscious dogs (n = 9 dogs/group) received a duodenal infusion of glucose (GLC) or saline (SAL), then were fasted from 240–360 min. Three dogs from each group were euthanized and tissue collected at 360 min. From 360–600 min, the remaining dogs underwent a hyperinsulinemic (4× basal) hyperglycemic clamp (arterial blood glucose 146 ± 2 mg/dL) with portal GLC infusion. The total GLC infusion rate was 14% greater in dogs infused with GLC than in those receiving SAL (AUC360–600min 2,979 ± 296 vs. 2,597 ± 277 mg/kg, respectively). The rates of hepatic glucose uptake (5.8 ± 0.8 vs. 3.2 ± 0.3 mg ⋅ kg−1 ⋅ min−1) and glycogen storage (4.7 ± 0.6 vs. 2.9 ± 0.3 mg ⋅ kg−1 ⋅ min−1) during the clamp were markedly greater in dogs receiving GLC compared with those receiving SAL. Hepatic glycogen content was ∼50% greater, glycogen synthase activity was ∼50% greater, glycogen phosphorylase activity was ∼50% lower, and the amount of phosphorylated glycogen synthase was 34% lower, indicating activation of the enzyme, in dogs receiving GLC compared with those receiving SAL. Thus, morning GLC primed the liver to extract and store more glucose in the presence of hyperinsulinemic hyperglycemia later in the same day, indicating that breakfast enhances the liver’s role in glucose disposal in subsequent same-day meals. PMID:28174290

  11. Glycogen phosphorylation and Lafora disease.

    PubMed

    Roach, Peter J

    2015-12-01

    Covalent phosphorylation of glycogen, first described 35 years ago, was put on firm ground through the work of the Whelan laboratory in the 1990s. But glycogen phosphorylation lay fallow until interest was rekindled in the mid 2000s by the finding that it could be removed by a glycogen-binding phosphatase, laforin, and that mutations in laforin cause a fatal teenage-onset epilepsy, called Lafora disease. Glycogen phosphorylation is due to phosphomonoesters at C2, C3 and C6 of glucose residues. Phosphate is rare, ranging from 1:500 to 1:5000 phosphates/glucose depending on the glycogen source. The mechanisms of glycogen phosphorylation remain under investigation but one hypothesis to explain C2 and perhaps C3 phosphate is that it results from a rare side reaction of the normal synthetic enzyme glycogen synthase. Lafora disease is likely caused by over-accumulation of abnormal glycogen in insoluble deposits termed Lafora bodies in neurons. The abnormality in the glycogen correlates with elevated phosphorylation (at C2, C3 and C6), reduced branching, insolubility and an enhanced tendency to aggregate and become insoluble. Hyperphosphorylation of glycogen is emerging as an important feature of this deadly childhood disease. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

  12. Glycogen Phosphorylation and Lafora disease

    PubMed Central

    Roach, Peter J.

    2015-01-01

    Covalent phosphorylation of glycogen, first described 35 years ago, was put on firm ground through the work of the Whelan laboratory in the 1990s. But glycogen phosphorylation lay fallow until interest was rekindled in the mid 2000s by the finding that it could be removed by a glycogen-binding phosphatase, laforin, and that mutations in laforin cause a fatal teenage-onset epilepsy, called Lafora disease. Glycogen phosphorylation is due to phosphomonoesters at C2, C3 and C6 of glucose residues. Phosphate is rare, ranging from 1:500 - 1:5000 phosphates/glucose depending on the glycogen source. The mechanisms of glycogen phosphorylation remain under investigation but one hypothesis to explain C2 and perhaps C3 phosphate is that it results from a rare side reaction of the normal synthetic enzyme glycogen synthase. Lafora disease is likely caused by over-accumulation of abnormal glycogen in insoluble deposits termed Lafora bodies in neurons. The abnormality in the glycogen correlates with elevated phosphorylation (at C2, C3 and C6), reduced branching, insolubility and an enhanced tendency to aggregate and become insoluble. Hyperphosphorylation of glycogen is emerging as an important feature of this deadly childhood disease PMID:26278984

  13. Keratin 8/18 regulation of glucose metabolism in normal versus cancerous hepatic cells through differential modulation of hexokinase status and insulin signaling

    DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

    Mathew, Jasmin; Loranger, Anne; Gilbert, Stéphane

    2013-02-15

    As differentiated cells, hepatocytes primarily metabolize glucose for ATP production through oxidative phosphorylation of glycolytic pyruvate, whereas proliferative hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) cells undergo a metabolic shift to aerobic glycolysis despite oxygen availability. Keratins, the intermediate filament (IF) proteins of epithelial cells, are expressed as pairs in a lineage/differentiation manner. Hepatocyte and HCC (hepatoma) cell IFs are made solely of keratins 8/18 (K8/K18), thus providing models of choice to address K8/K18 IF functions in normal and cancerous epithelial cells. Here, we demonstrate distinctive increases in glucose uptake, glucose-6-phosphate formation, lactate release, and glycogen formation in K8/K18 IF-lacking hepatocytes and/or hepatoma cellsmore » versus their respective IF-containing counterparts. We also show that the K8/K18-dependent glucose uptake/G6P formation is linked to alterations in hexokinase I/II/IV content and localization at mitochondria, with little effect on GLUT1 status. In addition, we find that the insulin-stimulated glycogen formation in normal hepatocytes involves the main PI-3 kinase-dependent signaling pathway and that the K8/K18 IF loss makes them more efficient glycogen producers. In comparison, the higher insulin-dependent glycogen formation in K8/K18 IF-lacking hepatoma cells is associated with a signaling occurring through a mTOR-dependent pathway, along with an augmentation in cell proliferative activity. Together, the results uncover a key K8/K18 regulation of glucose metabolism in normal and cancerous hepatic cells through differential modulations of mitochondrial HK status and insulin-mediated signaling.« less

  14. Insights into Brain Glycogen Metabolism: THE STRUCTURE OF HUMAN BRAIN GLYCOGEN PHOSPHORYLASE.

    PubMed

    Mathieu, Cécile; Li de la Sierra-Gallay, Ines; Duval, Romain; Xu, Ximing; Cocaign, Angélique; Léger, Thibaut; Woffendin, Gary; Camadro, Jean-Michel; Etchebest, Catherine; Haouz, Ahmed; Dupret, Jean-Marie; Rodrigues-Lima, Fernando

    2016-08-26

    Brain glycogen metabolism plays a critical role in major brain functions such as learning or memory consolidation. However, alteration of glycogen metabolism and glycogen accumulation in the brain contributes to neurodegeneration as observed in Lafora disease. Glycogen phosphorylase (GP), a key enzyme in glycogen metabolism, catalyzes the rate-limiting step of glycogen mobilization. Moreover, the allosteric regulation of the three GP isozymes (muscle, liver, and brain) by metabolites and phosphorylation, in response to hormonal signaling, fine-tunes glycogenolysis to fulfill energetic and metabolic requirements. Whereas the structures of muscle and liver GPs have been known for decades, the structure of brain GP (bGP) has remained elusive despite its critical role in brain glycogen metabolism. Here, we report the crystal structure of human bGP in complex with PEG 400 (2.5 Å) and in complex with its allosteric activator AMP (3.4 Å). These structures demonstrate that bGP has a closer structural relationship with muscle GP, which is also activated by AMP, contrary to liver GP, which is not. Importantly, despite the structural similarities between human bGP and the two other mammalian isozymes, the bGP structures reveal molecular features unique to the brain isozyme that provide a deeper understanding of the differences in the activation properties of these allosteric enzymes by the allosteric effector AMP. Overall, our study further supports that the distinct structural and regulatory properties of GP isozymes contribute to the different functions of muscle, liver, and brain glycogen. © 2016 by The American Society for Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Inc.

  15. An Isozyme-specific Redox Switch in Human Brain Glycogen Phosphorylase Modulates Its Allosteric Activation by AMP.

    PubMed

    Mathieu, Cécile; Duval, Romain; Cocaign, Angélique; Petit, Emile; Bui, Linh-Chi; Haddad, Iman; Vinh, Joelle; Etchebest, Catherine; Dupret, Jean-Marie; Rodrigues-Lima, Fernando

    2016-11-11

    Brain glycogen and its metabolism are increasingly recognized as major players in brain functions. Moreover, alteration of glycogen metabolism in the brain contributes to neurodegenerative processes. In the brain, both muscle and brain glycogen phosphorylase isozymes regulate glycogen mobilization. However, given their distinct regulatory features, these two isozymes could confer distinct metabolic functions of glycogen in brain. Interestingly, recent proteomics studies have identified isozyme-specific reactive cysteine residues in brain glycogen phosphorylase (bGP). In this study, we show that the activity of human bGP is redox-regulated through the formation of a disulfide bond involving a highly reactive cysteine unique to the bGP isozyme. We found that this disulfide bond acts as a redox switch that precludes the allosteric activation of the enzyme by AMP without affecting its activation by phosphorylation. This unique regulatory feature of bGP sheds new light on the isoform-specific regulation of glycogen phosphorylase and glycogen metabolism. © 2016 by The American Society for Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Inc.

  16. Effect of stress on hepatic 11beta-hydroxysteroid dehydrogenase activity and its influence on carbohydrate metabolism.

    PubMed

    Altuna, María Eugenia; Lelli, Sandra Marcela; San Martín de Viale, Leonor C; Damasco, María Cristina

    2006-10-01

    Stress activates the synthesis and secretion of catecholamines and adrenal glucocorticoids, increasing their circulating levels. In vivo, hepatic 11beta-hydroxysteroid dehydrogenase 1 (HSD1) stimulates the shift of 11-dehydrocorticosterone to corticosterone, enhancing active glucocorticoids at tissue level. We studied the effect of 3 types of stress, 1 induced by bucogastric overload with 200 mmol/L HCl causing metabolic acidosis (HCl), the second induced by bucogastric overload with 0.45% NaCl (NaCl), and the third induced by simulated overload (cannula), on the kinetics of hepatic HSD1 of rats and their influence on the activity of the gluconeogenic enzyme phosphoenolpyruvate carboxykinase, glycemia, and glycogen deposition. Compared with unstressed controls, all types of stress significantly increased HSD1 activity (146% cannula, 130% NaCl, and 253% HCl), phosphoenolpyruvate carboxykinase activity (51% cannula, 48% NaCl, and 86% HCl), and glycemia (29% cannula, 30% NaCl, and 41% HCl), but decreased hepatic glycogen (68% cannula, 68% NaCl, and 78% HCl). Owing to these results, we suggest the following events occur when stress is induced: an increase in hepatic HSD1 activity, augmented active glucocorticoid levels, increased gluconeogenesis, and glycemia. Also involved are the multiple events indirectly related to glucocorticoids, which lead to the depletion of hepatic glycogen deposits, thereby contributing to increased glycemia. This new approach shows that stress increments the activity of hepatic HSD1 and suggests that this enzyme could be involved in the development of the Metabolic Syndrome.

  17. Brain glycogen decreases during prolonged exercise

    PubMed Central

    Matsui, Takashi; Soya, Shingo; Okamoto, Masahiro; Ichitani, Yukio; Kawanaka, Kentaro; Soya, Hideaki

    2011-01-01

    Abstract Brain glycogen could be a critical energy source for brain activity when the glucose supply from the blood is inadequate (hypoglycaemia). Although untested, it is hypothesized that during prolonged exhaustive exercise that induces hypoglycaemia and muscular glycogen depletion, the resultant hypoglycaemia may cause a decrease in brain glycogen. Here, we tested this hypothesis and also investigated the possible involvement of brain monoamines with the reduced levels of brain glycogen. For this purpose, we exercised male Wistar rats on a treadmill for different durations (30–120 min) at moderate intensity (20 m min−1) and measured their brain glycogen levels using high-power microwave irradiation (10 kW). At the end of 30 and 60 min of running, the brain glycogen levels remained unchanged from resting levels, but liver and muscle glycogen decreased. After 120 min of running, the glycogen levels decreased significantly by ∼37–60% in five discrete brain loci (the cerebellum 60%, cortex 48%, hippocampus 43%, brainstem 37% and hypothalamus 34%) compared to those of the sedentary control. The brain glycogen levels in all five regions after running were positively correlated with the respective blood and brain glucose levels. Further, in the cortex, the levels of methoxyhydroxyphenylglycol (MHPG) and 5-hydroxyindoleacetic acid (5-HIAA), potential involved in degradation of the brain glycogen, increased during prolonged exercise and negatively correlated with the glycogen levels. These results support the hypothesis that brain glycogen could decrease with prolonged exhaustive exercise. Increased monoamines together with hypoglycaemia should be associated with the development of decreased brain glycogen, suggesting a new clue towards the understanding of central fatigue during prolonged exercise. PMID:21521757

  18. In vitro hepatic differentiation of human endometrial stromal stem cells.

    PubMed

    Yang, Xin-yuan; Wang, Wei; Li, Xu

    2014-02-01

    Human endometrial stromal stem cells (hESSCs) can differentiate into mesodermal and ectodermal cellular lineages in the endometrium. However, whether hESSCs can differentiate into functional hepatic-like cells is unknown. In this study, we developed a multiple-step induction protocol to differentiate hESSCs into functional hepatic-like cells in vitro. Endometrial stromal cells were isolated by magnetic affinity sorting using anti-epithelial cell adhesion molecule-coated Dynabeads. The enriched hESSCs were analyzed by flow cytometry and were able to differentiate into osteoblasts or adipocytes under proper induction media. To differentiate into hepatic-like cells, hESSCs were cultured in a stepwise system containing hepatocyte growth factor, fibroblast growth factor-4, oncostatin M, and trichostatin A for a total of 24 d. The hepatic-like cell differentiation was analyzed by confocal microscopy and immunocytochemical staining. Glycogen storage, cellular urea synthesis, and ammonia concentrations were measured. Hepatic-like cells were successfully generated from hESSCs and were identified by their epithelial-like shape characteristics and expression of specific biomarkers albumin and cytokeratin 8 accompanied with a reduction of alpha-fetoprotein and alpha-smooth muscle actin expression. The hepatic-like cells generated were functional as evidenced by urea synthesis and glycogen storage. Our study demonstrated that hESSCs were able to differentiate into hepatic-like cells in vitro. Thus, endometrial stromal cells may be used as an easily accessible alternative source of stem cells for potential therapeutic applications in liver disease.

  19. Type V glycogen storage disease

    MedlinePlus

    Type V glycogen storage disease (GSD V) is a rare inherited condition in which the body is not able to break down glycogen. ... provide more information and resources: Association for Glycogen Storage Disease -- www.agsdus.org National Organization for Rare ...

  20. [Extracapsular hepatic adenoma. Case report and literature review].

    PubMed

    Vargas-Flores, Edgar; Pérez-Aguilar, Francisco; Valdez-Mendieta, Yanet

    Hepatic adenomas are uncommon epithelial tumours. They usually appear in women between 20 and 44 years old. They are commonly located in the right hepatic lobe and are typically solitary masses. Multiple adenomas can present in patients with prolonged use of oral contraceptive pills, glycogen storage diseases and hepatic adenomatosis. A 35 year-old woman without any significant past medical history, with a chief complaint that started in December 2012 with oppressive, mild intensity abdominal pain located in right upper quadrant in the abdomen on deep palpation. With an abdominal ultrasound showing a mass of 91×82×65cm located in the right flank, isoechogenic with internal vascularity. Contrast computed tomography scan showing an ovoid tumour with circumscribed borders, with heterogenic intense reinforcement and displacement of adjacent structures with dimensions of 88×71×80cm. In laparotomy, excision of the tumour and cholecystectomy with the trans surgical findings of an 8cm tumour with a pedicle containing one artery and one vein coming from the hepatic free border with strong adhesions to the gallbladder. Pathologic diagnosis: Extracapsular hepatic adenoma. Incidence of hepatic adenomas has increased in the last decades, in a parallel fashion with the introduction of oral contraceptive pills, showing association with glycogen storage diseases and to a lesser degree with diabetes and pregnancy. Diagnosis is clinical with the aid of imaging studies. Prognosis of hepatic adenomas is not well established, therefore, management depends on symptoms, size, number, location and certainty of diagnosis. Copyright © 2015 Academia Mexicana de Cirugía A.C. Publicado por Masson Doyma México S.A. All rights reserved.

  1. Vitamin B12 supplement alleviates N'-nitrosodimethylamine-induced hepatic fibrosis in rats.

    PubMed

    Ahmad, Areeba; Afroz, Nishat; Gupta, Umesh D; Ahmad, Riaz

    2014-01-10

    Abstract Context: Altered vitamin B 12 levels have been correlated with hepatotoxicity; however, further evidence is required to establish its protective role. Objective: To evaluate the effects of vitamin B 12 supplement in protecting N'-nitrosodimethylamine (NDMA)-induced hepatic fibrosis in Wistar rats. Materials and methods: Hepatic fibrosis was induced by administering NDMA in doses of 10 mg/kg body weight thrice a week for 21 days. Another group received equal doses (10 mg/kg body weight) of vitamin B 12 subsequent to NDMA treatment. Animals from either group were sacrificed weekly from the start of the treatment along with their respective controls. Progression of hepatic fibrosis, in addition to the effect of vitamin B 12 , was assessed biochemically for liver function biomarkers, liver glycogen, hydroxyproline (HP) and B 12 reserves along with histopathologically by hematoxylin and eosin (H & E) as well immunohistochemical staining for α-SMA expression. Results and discussion: Elevation in the levels of aminotransferases, SALP, total bilirubin and HP was observed in NDMA treated rats, which was concomitant with remarkable depletion in liver glycogen and B 12 reserves (p < 0.05). Liver biopsies also demonstrated disrupted lobular architecture, collagen amassing and intense fibrosis by NDMA treatment. Immunohistochemical staining showed the presence of activated stellate cells that was dramatically increased up to day 21 in fibrotic rats. Following vitamin B 12 treatment, liver function biomarkers, glycogen contents and hepatic vitamin B 12 reserves were restored in fibrotic rats, significantly. Vitamin B 12 administration also facilitated restoration of normal liver architecture. Conclusion: These findings provide interesting new evidence in favor of protective role for vitamin B 12 against NDMA-induced hepatic fibrosis in rats.

  2. Effect of oral D-tagatose on liver volume and hepatic glycogen accumulation in healthy male volunteers.

    PubMed

    Boesch, C; Ith, M; Jung, B; Bruegger, K; Erban, S; Diamantis, I; Kreis, R; Bär, A

    2001-04-01

    Standard toxicity tests with high levels of D-tagatose showed a reversible enlargement of the liver in Sprague-Dawley rats without increase of liver enzymes. The present study tests the hypotheses that partial substitution of dietary sucrose by D-tagatose for 28 days increases the volume of human liver and the concentration of liver glycogen. Twelve healthy, male volunteers were studied in a double-blind crossover study with ingestion of D-tagatose (3x15 g daily) and placebo (sucrose, 3x15 g daily) for periods of 28 days each. Liver volume and glycogen concentration have been determined by magnetic resonance (MR) imaging and spectroscopy, which were accompanied by routine medical examinations. MR examinations before and after the treatments revealed no effects (P>0.05) of treatment, period, or subject for changes in liver volume or glycogen concentration. A steady increase of liver volumes, independent of the D-tagatose or placebo intake, has been observed over the study in parallel with a slight increase in body weight. The treatment with D-tagatose was not associated with clinically relevant changes of the examined clinico-chemical and hematological parameters, including liver enzymes and uric acid. Copyright 2001 Academic Press.

  3. Carbon Monoxide Protects against Hepatic Ischemia/Reperfusion Injury via ROS-Dependent Akt Signaling and Inhibition of Glycogen Synthase Kinase 3β

    PubMed Central

    Kim, Hyo Jeong; Joe, Yeonsoo; Kong, Jin Sun; Jeong, Sun-Oh; Cho, Gyeong Jae; Ryter, Stefan W.

    2013-01-01

    Carbon monoxide (CO) may exert important roles in physiological and pathophysiological states through the regulation of cellular signaling pathways. CO can protect organ tissues from ischemia/reperfusion (I/R) injury by modulating intracellular redox status and by inhibiting inflammatory, apoptotic, and proliferative responses. However, the cellular mechanisms underlying the protective effects of CO in organ I/R injury remain incompletely understood. In this study, a murine model of hepatic warm I/R injury was employed to assess the role of glycogen synthase kinase-3 (GSK3) and phosphatidylinositol 3-kinase (PI3K)-dependent signaling pathways in the protective effects of CO against inflammation and injury. Inhibition of GSK3 through the PI3K/Akt pathway played a crucial role in CO-mediated protection. CO treatment increased the phosphorylation of Akt and GSK3-beta (GSK3β) in the liver after I/R injury. Furthermore, administration of LY294002, an inhibitor of PI3K, compromised the protective effect of CO and decreased the level of phospho-GSK3β after I/R injury. These results suggest that CO protects against liver damage by maintaining GSK3β phosphorylation, which may be mediated by the PI3K/Akt signaling pathway. Our study provides additional support for the therapeutic potential of CO in organ injury and identifies GSK3β as a therapeutic target for CO in the amelioration of hepatic injury. PMID:24454979

  4. Carbon monoxide protects against hepatic ischemia/reperfusion injury via ROS-dependent Akt signaling and inhibition of glycogen synthase kinase 3β.

    PubMed

    Kim, Hyo Jeong; Joe, Yeonsoo; Kong, Jin Sun; Jeong, Sun-Oh; Cho, Gyeong Jae; Ryter, Stefan W; Chung, Hun Taeg

    2013-01-01

    Carbon monoxide (CO) may exert important roles in physiological and pathophysiological states through the regulation of cellular signaling pathways. CO can protect organ tissues from ischemia/reperfusion (I/R) injury by modulating intracellular redox status and by inhibiting inflammatory, apoptotic, and proliferative responses. However, the cellular mechanisms underlying the protective effects of CO in organ I/R injury remain incompletely understood. In this study, a murine model of hepatic warm I/R injury was employed to assess the role of glycogen synthase kinase-3 (GSK3) and phosphatidylinositol 3-kinase (PI3K)-dependent signaling pathways in the protective effects of CO against inflammation and injury. Inhibition of GSK3 through the PI3K/Akt pathway played a crucial role in CO-mediated protection. CO treatment increased the phosphorylation of Akt and GSK3-beta (GSK3β) in the liver after I/R injury. Furthermore, administration of LY294002, an inhibitor of PI3K, compromised the protective effect of CO and decreased the level of phospho-GSK3β after I/R injury. These results suggest that CO protects against liver damage by maintaining GSK3β phosphorylation, which may be mediated by the PI3K/Akt signaling pathway. Our study provides additional support for the therapeutic potential of CO in organ injury and identifies GSK3β as a therapeutic target for CO in the amelioration of hepatic injury.

  5. Is Glycogenin Essential for Glycogen Synthesis?

    PubMed

    Oldfors, Anders

    2017-07-05

    Glycogen synthesis requires a priming oligosaccharide, formed by autoglucosylation of glycogenin, a core protein in glycogen particles. In this edition of Cell Metabolism, Testoni et al. (2017) challenge this generally accepted concept by demonstrating that glycogenin inactivation in mice results in an increased amount of glycogen and not glycogen depletion. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

  6. Astrocytic glycogen-derived lactate fuels the brain during exhaustive exercise to maintain endurance capacity

    PubMed Central

    Matsui, Takashi; Omuro, Hideki; Liu, Yu-Fan; Soya, Mariko; Shima, Takeru; McEwen, Bruce S.; Soya, Hideaki

    2017-01-01

    Brain glycogen stored in astrocytes provides lactate as an energy source to neurons through monocarboxylate transporters (MCTs) to maintain neuronal functions such as hippocampus-regulated memory formation. Although prolonged exhaustive exercise decreases brain glycogen, the role of this decrease and lactate transport in the exercising brain remains less clear. Because muscle glycogen fuels exercising muscles, we hypothesized that astrocytic glycogen plays an energetic role in the prolonged-exercising brain to maintain endurance capacity through lactate transport. To test this hypothesis, we used a rat model of exhaustive exercise and capillary electrophoresis-mass spectrometry–based metabolomics to observe comprehensive energetics of the brain (cortex and hippocampus) and muscle (plantaris). At exhaustion, muscle glycogen was depleted but brain glycogen was only decreased. The levels of MCT2, which takes up lactate in neurons, increased in the brain, as did muscle MCTs. Metabolomics revealed that brain, but not muscle, ATP was maintained with lactate and other glycogenolytic/glycolytic sources. Intracerebroventricular injection of the glycogen phosphorylase inhibitor 1,4-dideoxy-1,4-imino-d-arabinitol did not affect peripheral glycemic conditions but suppressed brain lactate production and decreased hippocampal ATP levels at exhaustion. An MCT2 inhibitor, α-cyano-4-hydroxy-cinnamate, triggered a similar response that resulted in lower endurance capacity. These findings provide direct evidence for the energetic role of astrocytic glycogen-derived lactate in the exhaustive-exercising brain, implicating the significance of brain glycogen level in endurance capacity. Glycogen-maintained ATP in the brain is a possible defense mechanism for neurons in the exhausted brain. PMID:28515312

  7. Astrocytic glycogen-derived lactate fuels the brain during exhaustive exercise to maintain endurance capacity.

    PubMed

    Matsui, Takashi; Omuro, Hideki; Liu, Yu-Fan; Soya, Mariko; Shima, Takeru; McEwen, Bruce S; Soya, Hideaki

    2017-06-13

    Brain glycogen stored in astrocytes provides lactate as an energy source to neurons through monocarboxylate transporters (MCTs) to maintain neuronal functions such as hippocampus-regulated memory formation. Although prolonged exhaustive exercise decreases brain glycogen, the role of this decrease and lactate transport in the exercising brain remains less clear. Because muscle glycogen fuels exercising muscles, we hypothesized that astrocytic glycogen plays an energetic role in the prolonged-exercising brain to maintain endurance capacity through lactate transport. To test this hypothesis, we used a rat model of exhaustive exercise and capillary electrophoresis-mass spectrometry-based metabolomics to observe comprehensive energetics of the brain (cortex and hippocampus) and muscle (plantaris). At exhaustion, muscle glycogen was depleted but brain glycogen was only decreased. The levels of MCT2, which takes up lactate in neurons, increased in the brain, as did muscle MCTs. Metabolomics revealed that brain, but not muscle, ATP was maintained with lactate and other glycogenolytic/glycolytic sources. Intracerebroventricular injection of the glycogen phosphorylase inhibitor 1,4-dideoxy-1,4-imino-d-arabinitol did not affect peripheral glycemic conditions but suppressed brain lactate production and decreased hippocampal ATP levels at exhaustion. An MCT2 inhibitor, α-cyano-4-hydroxy-cinnamate, triggered a similar response that resulted in lower endurance capacity. These findings provide direct evidence for the energetic role of astrocytic glycogen-derived lactate in the exhaustive-exercising brain, implicating the significance of brain glycogen level in endurance capacity. Glycogen-maintained ATP in the brain is a possible defense mechanism for neurons in the exhausted brain.

  8. Studies on the disturbance of glucuronide formation in infectious hepatitis

    PubMed Central

    Vest, M. F.; Fritz, E.

    1961-01-01

    The ability of the liver to form glucuronides was measured in 10 patients with infectious hepatitis. One test was done at the onset and another about four weeks later after the clinical symptoms had disappeared. N-acetyl-p-aminophenol (N.A.P.A.) or acetanilide was administered in doses ranging from 10 to 20 mg. per kg. body weight, either orally or by intravenous injection. N.A.P.A. is conjugated by the liver at the hydroxyl group and excreted in the urine as sulphuric and glucuronic acid conjugates. Total conjugated p-aminophenol, free N.A.P.A., and N.A.P.A. glucuronide were estimated in the urine of our patients. In the blood the disappearance of N.A.P.A. (free form) and the formation of N.A.P.A. glucuronide were traced. During the acute phase of hepatitis the excretion of total conjugated p-aminophenol and of N.A.P.A. glucuronide in the urine is lower than after recovery from the disease. Likewise free N.A.P.A. disappears more slowly from the circulation and the peak concentration of N.A.P.A. glucuronide in the serum remains lower at the onset of hepatitis than after clinical cure. These results indicate that glucuronide formation during the acute stage of infectious hepatitis is depressed, as are other transformation mechanisms, i.e., of hippuric acid. PMID:13925655

  9. Insights into Brain Glycogen Metabolism

    PubMed Central

    Mathieu, Cécile; de la Sierra-Gallay, Ines Li; Duval, Romain; Xu, Ximing; Cocaign, Angélique; Léger, Thibaut; Woffendin, Gary; Camadro, Jean-Michel; Etchebest, Catherine; Haouz, Ahmed; Dupret, Jean-Marie; Rodrigues-Lima, Fernando

    2016-01-01

    Brain glycogen metabolism plays a critical role in major brain functions such as learning or memory consolidation. However, alteration of glycogen metabolism and glycogen accumulation in the brain contributes to neurodegeneration as observed in Lafora disease. Glycogen phosphorylase (GP), a key enzyme in glycogen metabolism, catalyzes the rate-limiting step of glycogen mobilization. Moreover, the allosteric regulation of the three GP isozymes (muscle, liver, and brain) by metabolites and phosphorylation, in response to hormonal signaling, fine-tunes glycogenolysis to fulfill energetic and metabolic requirements. Whereas the structures of muscle and liver GPs have been known for decades, the structure of brain GP (bGP) has remained elusive despite its critical role in brain glycogen metabolism. Here, we report the crystal structure of human bGP in complex with PEG 400 (2.5 Å) and in complex with its allosteric activator AMP (3.4 Å). These structures demonstrate that bGP has a closer structural relationship with muscle GP, which is also activated by AMP, contrary to liver GP, which is not. Importantly, despite the structural similarities between human bGP and the two other mammalian isozymes, the bGP structures reveal molecular features unique to the brain isozyme that provide a deeper understanding of the differences in the activation properties of these allosteric enzymes by the allosteric effector AMP. Overall, our study further supports that the distinct structural and regulatory properties of GP isozymes contribute to the different functions of muscle, liver, and brain glycogen. PMID:27402852

  10. History of hepatic bile formation: old problems, new approaches.

    PubMed

    Javitt, Norman B

    2014-12-01

    Studies of hepatic bile formation reported in 1958 established that it was an osmotically generated water flow. Intravenous infusion of sodium taurocholate established a high correlation between hepatic bile flow and bile acid excretion. Secretin, a hormone that stimulates bicarbonate secretion, was also found to increase hepatic bile flow. The sources of the water entering the biliary system with these two stimuli were differentiated by the use of mannitol. An increase in its excretion parallels the increase in bile flow in response to bile acids but not secretin, which led to a quantitative distinction between canalicular and ductular water flow. The finding of aquaglyceroporin-9 in the basolateral surface of the hepatocyte accounted for the rapid entry of mannitol into hepatocytes and its exclusion from water movement in the ductules where aquaporin-1 is present. Electron microscopy demonstrated that bile acids generate the formation of vesicles that contain lecithin and cholesterol after their receptor-mediated canalicular transport. Biophysical studies established that the osmotic effect of bile acids varies with their concentration and also with the proportion of mono-, di-, and trihydroxy bile acids and provides a basis for understanding their physiological effects. Because of the varying osmotic effect of bile acids, it is difficult to quantify bile acid independent flow generated by other solutes, such as glutathione, which enters the biliary system. Monohydroxy bile acids, by markedly increasing aggregation number, severely reduce water flow. Developing biomarkers for the noninvasive assessment of normal hepatic bile flow remains an elusive goal that merits further study. Copyright © 2014 The American Physiological Society.

  11. Impairment in long-term memory formation and learning-dependent synaptic plasticity in mice lacking glycogen synthase in the brain

    PubMed Central

    Duran, Jordi; Saez, Isabel; Gruart, Agnès; Guinovart, Joan J; Delgado-García, José M

    2013-01-01

    Glycogen is the only carbohydrate reserve of the brain, but its overall contribution to brain functions remains unclear. Although it has traditionally been considered as an emergency energetic reservoir, increasing evidence points to a role of glycogen in the normal activity of the brain. To address this long-standing question, we generated a brain-specific Glycogen Synthase knockout (GYS1Nestin-KO) mouse and studied the functional consequences of the lack of glycogen in the brain under alert behaving conditions. These animals showed a significant deficiency in the acquisition of an associative learning task and in the concomitant activity-dependent changes in hippocampal synaptic strength. Long-term potentiation (LTP) evoked in the hippocampal CA3-CA1 synapse was also decreased in behaving GYS1Nestin-KO mice. These results unequivocally show a key role of brain glycogen in the proper acquisition of new motor and cognitive abilities and in the underlying changes in synaptic strength. PMID:23281428

  12. Kinetic Modeling of Human Hepatic Glucose Metabolism in Type 2 Diabetes Mellitus Predicts Higher Risk of Hypoglycemic Events in Rigorous Insulin Therapy*

    PubMed Central

    König, Matthias; Holzhütter, Hermann-Georg

    2012-01-01

    A major problem in the insulin therapy of patients with diabetes type 2 (T2DM) is the increased occurrence of hypoglycemic events which, if left untreated, may cause confusion or fainting and in severe cases seizures, coma, and even death. To elucidate the potential contribution of the liver to hypoglycemia in T2DM we applied a detailed kinetic model of human hepatic glucose metabolism to simulate changes in glycolysis, gluconeogenesis, and glycogen metabolism induced by deviations of the hormones insulin, glucagon, and epinephrine from their normal plasma profiles. Our simulations reveal in line with experimental and clinical data from a multitude of studies in T2DM, (i) significant changes in the relative contribution of glycolysis, gluconeogenesis, and glycogen metabolism to hepatic glucose production and hepatic glucose utilization; (ii) decreased postprandial glycogen storage as well as increased glycogen depletion in overnight fasting and short term fasting; and (iii) a shift of the set point defining the switch between hepatic glucose production and hepatic glucose utilization to elevated plasma glucose levels, respectively, in T2DM relative to normal, healthy subjects. Intriguingly, our model simulations predict a restricted gluconeogenic response of the liver under impaired hormonal signals observed in T2DM, resulting in an increased risk of hypoglycemia. The inability of hepatic glucose metabolism to effectively counterbalance a decline of the blood glucose level becomes even more pronounced in case of tightly controlled insulin treatment. Given this Janus face mode of action of insulin, our model simulations underline the great potential that normalization of the plasma glucagon profile may have for the treatment of T2DM. PMID:22977253

  13. Astrocyte glycogen and brain energy metabolism.

    PubMed

    Brown, Angus M; Ransom, Bruce R

    2007-09-01

    The brain contains glycogen but at low concentration compared with liver and muscle. In the adult brain, glycogen is found predominantly in astrocytes. Astrocyte glycogen content is modulated by a number of factors including some neurotransmitters and ambient glucose concentration. Compelling evidence indicates that astrocyte glycogen breaks down during hypoglycemia to lactate that is transferred to adjacent neurons or axons where it is used aerobically as fuel. In the case of CNS white matter, this source of energy can extend axon function for 20 min or longer. Likewise, during periods of intense neural activity when energy demand exceeds glucose supply, astrocyte glycogen is degraded to lactate, a portion of which is transferred to axons for fuel. Astrocyte glycogen, therefore, offers some protection against hypoglycemic neural injury and ensures that neurons and axons can maintain their function during very intense periods of activation. These emerging principles about the roles of astrocyte glycogen contradict the long held belief that this metabolic pool has little or no functional significance.

  14. A Txnrd1-dependent metabolic switch alters hepatic lipogenesis, glycogen storage, and detoxification

    PubMed Central

    Iverson, Sonya V.; Eriksson, Sofi; Xu, Jianqiang; Prigge, Justin R.; Talago, Emily A.; Meade, Tesia A.; Meade, Erin S.; Capecchi, Mario R.; Arnér, Elias S.J.; Schmidt, Edward E.

    2013-01-01

    Besides helping to maintain a reducing intracellular environment, the thioredoxin (Trx) system impacts bioenergetics and drug-metabolism. We show that hepatocyte-specific disruption of Txnrd1, encoding Trx reductase-1 (TrxR1), causes a metabolic switch in which lipogenic genes are repressed and periportal hepatocytes become engorged with glycogen. These livers also overexpress machinery for biosynthesis of glutathione and conversion of glycogen into UDP-glucuronate; they stockpile glutathione-S-transferases and UDP-glucuronyl-transferases; and they overexpress xenobiotic exporters. This realigned metabolic profile suggested that the mutant hepatocytes might be preconditioned to more effectively detoxify certain xenobiotic challenges. Hepatocytes convert the pro-toxin acetaminophen (APAP, paracetamol) into cytotoxic N-acetyl-p-benzoquinone imine (NAPQI). APAP defenses include glucuronidation of APAP or glutathionylation of NAPQI, allowing removal by xenobiotic exporters. We found that NAPQI directly inactivates TrxR1, yet Txnrd1-null livers were resistant to APAP-induced hepatotoxicity. Txnrd1-null livers did not have more effective gene expression responses to APAP challenge; however their constitutive metabolic state supported more robust GSH biosynthesis-, glutathionylation-, and glucuronidation-systems. Following APAP challenge, this effectively sustained the GSH system and attenuated damage. PMID:23743293

  15. Muscle glycogen synthesis before and after exercise.

    PubMed

    Ivy, J L

    1991-01-01

    The importance of carbohydrates as a fuel source during endurance exercise has been known for 60 years. With the advent of the muscle biopsy needle in the 1960s, it was determined that the major source of carbohydrate during exercise was the muscle glycogen stores. It was demonstrated that the capacity to exercise at intensities between 65 to 75% VO2max was related to the pre-exercise level of muscle glycogen, i.e. the greater the muscle glycogen stores, the longer the exercise time to exhaustion. Because of the paramount importance of muscle glycogen during prolonged, intense exercise, a considerable amount of research has been conducted in an attempt to design the best regimen to elevate the muscle's glycogen stores prior to competition and to determine the most effective means of rapidly replenishing the muscle glycogen stores after exercise. The rate-limiting step in glycogen synthesis is the transfer of glucose from uridine diphosphate-glucose to an amylose chain. This reaction is catalysed by the enzyme glycogen synthase which can exist in a glucose-6-phosphate-dependent, inactive form (D-form) and a glucose-6-phosphate-independent, active form (I-form). The conversion of glycogen synthase from one form to the other is controlled by phosphorylation-dephosphorylation reactions. The muscle glycogen concentration can vary greatly depending on training status, exercise routines and diet. The pattern of muscle glycogen resynthesis following exercise-induced depletion is biphasic. Following the cessation of exercise and with adequate carbohydrate consumption, muscle glycogen is rapidly resynthesised to near pre-exercise levels within 24 hours. Muscle glycogen then increases very gradually to above-normal levels over the next few days. Contributing to the rapid phase of glycogen resynthesis is an increase in the percentage of glycogen synthase I, an increase in the muscle cell membrane permeability to glucose, and an increase in the muscle's sensitivity to insulin

  16. Relationship between single nucleotide polymorphism of glycogen synthase gene of Pacific oyster Crassostrea gigas and its glycogen content

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Liu, Siwei; Li, Qi; Yu, Hong; Kong, Lingfeng

    2017-02-01

    Glycogen is important not only for the energy supplementary of oysters, but also for human consumption. High glycogen content can improve the stress survival of oyster. A key enzyme in glycogenesis is glycogen synthase that is encoded by glycogen synthase gene GYS. In this study, the relationship between single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) in coding regions of Crassostrea gigas GYS (Cg-GYS) and individual glycogen content was investigated with 321 individuals from five full-sib families. Single-strand conformation polymorphism (SSCP) procedure was combined with sequencing to confirm individual SNP genotypes of Cg-GYS. Least-square analysis of variance was performed to assess the relationship of variation in glycogen content of C. gigas with single SNP genotype and SNP haplotype. As a consequence, six SNPs were found in coding regions to be significantly associated with glycogen content ( P < 0.01), from which we constructed four main haplotypes due to linkage disequilibrium. Furthermore, the most effective haplotype H2 (GAGGAT) had extremely significant relationship with high glycogen content ( P < 0.0001). These findings revealed the potential influence of Cg-GYS polymorphism on the glycogen content and provided molecular biological information for the selective breeding of good quality traits of C. gigas.

  17. REVISITING GLYCOGEN CONTENT IN THE HUMAN BRAIN

    PubMed Central

    Öz, Gülin; DiNuzzo, Mauro; Kumar, Anjali; Moheet, Amir; Seaquist, Elizabeth R.

    2015-01-01

    Glycogen provides an important glucose reservoir in the brain since the concentration of glucosyl units stored in glycogen is several fold higher than free glucose available in brain tissue. We have previously reported 3–4 µmol/g brain glycogen content using in vivo 13C magnetic resonance spectroscopy (MRS) in conjunction with [1-13C]glucose administration in healthy humans, while higher levels were reported in the rodent brain. Due to the slow turnover of bulk brain glycogen in humans, complete turnover of the glycogen pool, estimated to take 3–5 days, was not observed in these prior studies. In an attempt to reach complete turnover and thereby steady state 13C labeling in glycogen, here we administered [1-13C]glucose to healthy volunteers for 80 hours. To eliminate any net glycogen synthesis during this period and thereby achieve an accurate estimate of glycogen concentration, volunteers were maintained at euglycemic blood glucose levels during [1-13C]glucose administration and 13C-glycogen levels in the occipital lobe were measured by 13C MRS approximately every 12 hours. Finally, we fitted the data with a biophysical model that was recently developed to take into account the tiered structure of the glycogen molecule and additionally incorporated blood glucose levels and isotopic enrichments as input function in the model. We obtained excellent fits of the model to the 13C-glycogen data, and glycogen content in the healthy human brain tissue was found to be 7.8 ± 0.3 µmol/g, a value substantially higher than previous estimates of glycogen content in the human brain. PMID:26202425

  18. Revisiting Glycogen Content in the Human Brain.

    PubMed

    Öz, Gülin; DiNuzzo, Mauro; Kumar, Anjali; Moheet, Amir; Seaquist, Elizabeth R

    2015-12-01

    Glycogen provides an important glucose reservoir in the brain since the concentration of glucosyl units stored in glycogen is several fold higher than free glucose available in brain tissue. We have previously reported 3-4 µmol/g brain glycogen content using in vivo (13)C magnetic resonance spectroscopy (MRS) in conjunction with [1-(13)C]glucose administration in healthy humans, while higher levels were reported in the rodent brain. Due to the slow turnover of bulk brain glycogen in humans, complete turnover of the glycogen pool, estimated to take 3-5 days, was not observed in these prior studies. In an attempt to reach complete turnover and thereby steady state (13)C labeling in glycogen, here we administered [1-(13)C]glucose to healthy volunteers for 80 h. To eliminate any net glycogen synthesis during this period and thereby achieve an accurate estimate of glycogen concentration, volunteers were maintained at euglycemic blood glucose levels during [1-(13)C]glucose administration and (13)C-glycogen levels in the occipital lobe were measured by (13)C MRS approximately every 12 h. Finally, we fitted the data with a biophysical model that was recently developed to take into account the tiered structure of the glycogen molecule and additionally incorporated blood glucose levels and isotopic enrichments as input function in the model. We obtained excellent fits of the model to the (13)C-glycogen data, and glycogen content in the healthy human brain tissue was found to be 7.8 ± 0.3 µmol/g, a value substantially higher than previous estimates of glycogen content in the human brain.

  19. Characterization of the highly branched glycogen from the thermoacidophilic red microalga Galdieria sulphuraria and comparison with other glycogens.

    PubMed

    Martinez-Garcia, Marta; Stuart, Marc C A; van der Maarel, Marc J E C

    2016-08-01

    The thermoacidophilic red microalga Galdieria sulphuraria synthesizes glycogen when growing under heterotrophic conditions. Structural characterization revealed that G. sulphuraria glycogen is the most highly branched glycogen described to date, with 18% of α-(1→6) linkages. Moreover, it differs from other glycogens because it is composed of short chains only and has a substantially smaller molecular weight and particle size. The physiological role of this highly branched glycogen in G. sulphuraria is discussed. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

  20. Synthesis of glycogen from fructose in the presence of elevated levels of glycogen phosphorylase a in rat hepatocytes.

    PubMed

    Ciudad, C J; Massagué, J; Salavert, A; Guinovart, J J

    1980-03-20

    Incubation of hepatocytes with glucose promoted the increase in the glycogen synthase (-glucose 6-phosphate/+glucose 6-phosphate) activity ratio, the decrease in the levels of phosphorylase a and a marked increase in the intracellular glycogen level. Incubation with fructose alone promoted the simultaneous activation of glycogen synthase and increase in the levels of phosphorylase a. Strikingly, glycogen deposition occurred in spite of the elevated levels of phosphorylase a. When glucose and fructose were added to the media the activation of glycogen synthase was always higher than when the hexoses were added separately. On the other hand the effects on glycogen phosphorylase were a function of the relative concentrations of both sugars. Inactivation of glycogen phosphorylase occurred when the fructose to glucose ratio was low while activation took place when the ratio was high. The simultaneous presence of glucose and fructose resulted, in all cases, in an enhancement in the deposition of glycogen. The effects described were not limited to fructose as D-glyceraldehyde, dihydroxyacetone, L-sorbose, D-tagatose and sorbitol, compounds metabolically related to fructose, provoked the same behaviour.

  1. Chronic central leptin infusion modulates the glycemia response to insulin administration in male rats through regulation of hepatic glucose metabolism.

    PubMed

    Burgos-Ramos, Emma; Canelles, Sandra; Rodríguez, Amaia; Gómez-Ambrosi, Javier; Frago, Laura M; Chowen, Julie A; Frühbeck, Gema; Argente, Jesús; Barrios, Vicente

    2015-11-05

    Leptin and insulin use overlapping signaling mechanisms to modify hepatic glucose metabolism, which is critical in maintaining normal glycemia. We examined the effect of an increase in central leptin and insulin on hepatic glucose metabolism and its influence on serum glucose levels. Chronic leptin infusion increased serum leptin and reduced hepatic SH-phosphotyrosine phosphatase 1, the association of suppressor of cytokine signaling 3 to the insulin receptor in liver and the rise in glycemia induced by central insulin. Leptin also decreased hepatic phosphoenolpyruvate carboxykinase levels and increased insulin's ability to phosphorylate insulin receptor substrate-1, Akt and glycogen synthase kinase on Ser9 and to stimulate glucose transporter 2 and glycogen levels. Peripheral leptin treatment reproduced some of these changes, but to a lesser extent. Our data indicate that leptin increases the hepatic response to a rise in insulin, suggesting that pharmacological manipulation of leptin targets may be of interest for controlling glycemia. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Ireland Ltd. All rights reserved.

  2. Determination of the Glycogen Content in Cyanobacteria.

    PubMed

    De Porcellinis, Alice; Frigaard, Niels-Ulrik; Sakuragi, Yumiko

    2017-07-17

    Cyanobacteria accumulate glycogen as a major intracellular carbon and energy storage during photosynthesis. Recent developments in research have highlighted complex mechanisms of glycogen metabolism, including the diel cycle of biosynthesis and catabolism, redox regulation, and the involvement of non-coding RNA. At the same time, efforts are being made to redirect carbon from glycogen to desirable products in genetically engineered cyanobacteria to enhance product yields. Several methods are used to determine the glycogen contents in cyanobacteria, with variable accuracies and technical complexities. Here, we provide a detailed protocol for the reliable determination of the glycogen content in cyanobacteria that can be performed in a standard life science laboratory. The protocol entails the selective precipitation of glycogen from the cell lysate and the enzymatic depolymerization of glycogen to generate glucose monomers, which are detected by a glucose oxidase-peroxidase (GOD-POD) enzyme coupled assay. The method has been applied to Synechocystis sp. PCC 6803 and Synechococcus sp. PCC 7002, two model cyanobacterial species that are widely used in metabolic engineering. Moreover, the method successfully showed differences in the glycogen contents between the wildtype and mutants defective in regulatory elements or glycogen biosynthetic genes.

  3. Postexercise muscle glycogen resynthesis in humans.

    PubMed

    Burke, Louise M; van Loon, Luc J C; Hawley, John A

    2017-05-01

    Since the pioneering studies conducted in the 1960s in which glycogen status was investigated using the muscle biopsy technique, sports scientists have developed a sophisticated appreciation of the role of glycogen in cellular adaptation and exercise performance, as well as sites of storage of this important metabolic fuel. While sports nutrition guidelines have evolved during the past decade to incorporate sport-specific and periodized manipulation of carbohydrate (CHO) availability, athletes attempt to maximize muscle glycogen synthesis between important workouts or competitive events so that fuel stores closely match the demands of the prescribed exercise. Therefore, it is important to understand the factors that enhance or impair this biphasic process. In the early postexercise period (0-4 h), glycogen depletion provides a strong drive for its own resynthesis, with the provision of CHO (~1 g/kg body mass) optimizing this process. During the later phase of recovery (4-24 h), CHO intake should meet the anticipated fuel needs of the training/competition, with the type, form, and pattern of intake being less important than total intake. Dietary strategies that can enhance glycogen synthesis from suboptimal amounts of CHO or energy intake are of practical interest to many athletes; in this scenario, the coingestion of protein with CHO can assist glycogen storage. Future research should identify other factors that enhance the rate of synthesis of glycogen storage in a limited time frame, improve glycogen storage from a limited CHO intake, or increase muscle glycogen supercompensation. Copyright © 2017 the American Physiological Society.

  4. Interaction between glycogen body cell and neuron: examination in co-culture system.

    PubMed

    Imagawa, Tomohiro; Shogaki, Kyoko; Uehara, Masato

    2006-10-01

    The glycogen body (GB) is in the dorsal area of the lumbosacral spinal cord in birds and is composed of uniform cells characterized by high glycogen storage. The glycogen of GB cells remains unchanged in vivo by the effects of a variety of hormones such as insulin, glucagon, adrenocorticotropic hormone and by physiological conditions such as starvation. In order to investigate the latent functionability of GB cells, we observed morphological changes of glycogen body cells in a co-culture system with cerebellar neurons by light and transmission electron microscopy. Cultured GB cells were labeled with 1,1'-dioctadecyl-3,3,3',3'-tetramethylindocarbocyanine perchlorate (DiI). The cultured neurons derived from cerebellum were co-cultured with the labeled GB cells. Under the co-culture with neurons, 2 types of GB cells were detected. One was conventional with numerous glycogen deposits in the cytoplasm and tended to make clusters. The other type of GB cells singly extended the processes attaching to the neuronal body and axons. In the axons in contact with GB cell processes, small vesicles appearing as synaptic vesicles were observed. These observations suggested that some GB cells can differentiate to an average astrocyte. The GB cells were assumed to involve the synapse formation or maturing as astrocytes in the CNS.

  5. Glycogen synthase from the parabasalian parasite Trichomonas vaginalis: An unusual member of the starch/glycogen synthase family.

    PubMed

    Wilson, Wayne A; Pradhan, Prajakta; Madhan, Nayasha; Gist, Galen C; Brittingham, Andrew

    2017-07-01

    Trichomonas vaginalis, a parasitic protist, is the causative agent of the common sexually-transmitted infection trichomoniasis. The organism has long been known to synthesize substantial glycogen as a storage polysaccharide, presumably mobilizing this compound during periods of carbohydrate limitation, such as might be encountered during transmission between hosts. However, little is known regarding the enzymes of glycogen metabolism in T. vaginalis. We had previously described the identification and characterization of two forms of glycogen phosphorylase in the organism. Here, we measure UDP-glucose-dependent glycogen synthase activity in cell-free extracts of T. vaginalis. We then demonstrate that the TVAG_258220 open reading frame encodes a glycosyltransferase that is presumably responsible for this synthetic activity. We show that expression of TVAG_258220 in a yeast strain lacking endogenous glycogen synthase activity is sufficient to restore glycogen accumulation. Furthermore, when TVAG_258220 is expressed in bacteria, the resulting recombinant protein has glycogen synthase activity in vitro, transferring glucose from either UDP-glucose or ADP-glucose to glycogen and using both substrates with similar affinity. This protein is also able to transfer glucose from UDP-glucose or ADP-glucose to maltose and longer oligomers of glucose but not to glucose itself. However, with these substrates, there is no evidence of processivity and sugar transfer is limited to between one and three glucose residues. Taken together with our earlier work on glycogen phosphorylase, we are now well positioned to define both how T. vaginalis synthesizes and utilizes glycogen, and how these processes are regulated. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier B.V. and Société Française de Biochimie et Biologie Moléculaire (SFBBM). All rights reserved.

  6. Hepatic Complications of Anorexia Nervosa.

    PubMed

    Rosen, Elissa; Bakshi, Neeru; Watters, Ashlie; Rosen, Hugo R; Mehler, Philip S

    2017-11-01

    Anorexia nervosa (AN) has the highest mortality rate of all psychiatric illnesses due to the widespread organ dysfunction caused by the underlying severe malnutrition. Starvation causes hepatocyte injury and death leading to a rise in aminotransferases. Malnutrition-induced hepatitis is common among individuals with AN especially as body mass index decreases. Acute liver failure associated with coagulopathy and encephalopathy can rarely occur. Liver enzymes may also less commonly increase as part of the refeeding process due to hepatic steatosis and can be distinguished from starvation hepatitis by the finding of a fatty liver on ultrasonography. Individuals with AN and starvation-induced hepatitis are at increased risk of hypoglycemia due to depleted glycogen stores and impaired gluconeogenesis. Gastroenterology and hepatology consultations are often requested when patients with AN and signs of hepatitis are hospitalized. It should be noted that additional laboratory testing, imaging, or liver biopsy all have low diagnostic yield, are costly, and potentially invasive, therefore, not generally recommended for diagnostic purposes. While the hepatitis of AN can reach severe levels, a supervised increase in caloric intake and a return to a healthy body weight often quickly lead to normalization of elevated aminotransferases caused by starvation.

  7. Effects of aging and calorie restriction on rat skeletal muscle glycogen synthase and glycogen phosphorylase

    PubMed Central

    Montori-Grau, Marta; Minor, Robin; Lerin, Carles; Allard, Joanne; Garcia-Martinez, Celia; de Cabo, Rafael; Gómez-Foix, Anna M.

    2016-01-01

    Calorie restriction’s (CR) effects on age-associated changes in glycogen-metabolizing enzymes were studied in rat soleus (SOL) and tibialis anterior (TA) muscles. Old (24 months) compared to young (6 months) rats maintained ad libitum on a standard diet had reduced glycogen synthase (GS) activity, lower muscle GS protein levels, increased phosphorylation of GS at site 3a with less activation in SOL. Age-associated impairments in GS protein and activation-phosphorylation were also shown in TA. There was an age-associated reduction in glycogen phosphorylase (GP) activity level in SOL, while brain/muscle isoforms (B/M) of GP protein levels were higher. GP activity and protein levels were preserved, but GP was inactivated in TA with age. Glycogen content was unchanged in both muscles. CR did not alter GS or GP activity/protein levels in young rats. CR hindered age-related decreases in GS activity/protein, unrelated to GS mRNA levels, and GS inactivation-phosphorylation; not on GP. In older rats, CR enhanced glycogen accumulation in SOL. Short-term fasting did not recapitulate CR effects in old rats. Thus, the predominant age-associated impairments on skeletal muscle GS and GP activities occur in the oxidative SOL muscle of rats, and CR can attenuate the loss of GS activity/activation and stimulate glycogen accumulation. PMID:19341787

  8. [Effect of nutritional status of the donor on the quality of hepatic graft. Value of restoration of glycogenic reserves of the donor].

    PubMed

    Pattou, F; Boudjema, K; Kerr-Conte, J; Wolf, P; Jaeck, D; Cinqualbre, J

    1992-01-01

    Initial function of the graft is an essential factor for successful liver transplantation. The aim of this study was to evaluate the influence of the nutritional status of the donor on hepatic graft quality at reperfusion. Livers (n = 41) were taken from pigs normally fed or fasted for 24 h or fasted for 24 h and conditioned for 2 hours with a solution containing glucose, fructose and glutamine. The quality of liver grafts was evaluated using an original, blood-free isolated perfusion model, after 8 h cold storage, or after 15 min warm ischemia performed prior to harvesting. The hepatic concentration of glycogen and ATP, measured from in vivo biopsies, was decreased in fasted animals (P less than 0.05 vs fed) and restored by nutritional conditioning (P less than 0.05 vs fasted). At the time of reperfusion following 8 h cold ischemia, the liberation of aminotransferases and lactate dehydrogenase was elevated in livers coming from fasted animals (P less than 0.05 vs fed) and restored to fed levels after nutritional conditioning (P less than 0.01 vs fasted). After 15 min of warm ischemia, the bile secretion during the reperfusion period was decreased in the 24 h fasted livers (P less than 0.01 vs fed) and reestablished after nutritional conditioning (P less than 0.01 vs fasted). Perfusion of the donor liver, in the 2 h preceding harvest, with a solution of glucose plus neoglucogenic precursors enhances the quality of the liver graft at the time of reperfusion.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)

  9. Schwann Cell Glycogen Selectively Supports Myelinated Axon Function

    PubMed Central

    Brown, Angus M; Evans, Richard D; Black, Joel; Ransom, Bruce R

    2012-01-01

    Objectives Interruption of energy supply to peripheral axons is a cause of axon loss. We determined if glycogen was present in mammalian peripheral nerve, and if it supported axon conduction during aglycemia. Methods We used biochemical assay and electron microscopy to determine the presence of glycogen, and electrophysiology to monitor axon function. Results Glycogen was present in sciatic nerve, its concentration varying directly with ambient [glucose]. Electron microscopy detected glycogen granules primarily in myelinating Schwann cell cytoplasm and these diminished after exposure to aglycemia. During aglycemia, conduction failure in large myelinated axons (A fibers) mirrored the time-course of glycogen loss. Latency to CAP failure was directly related to nerve glycogen content at aglycemia onset. Glycogen did not benefit the function of slow-conducting, small diameter unmyelinated axons (C fibers) during aglycemia. Blocking glycogen breakdown pharmacologically accelerated CAP failure during aglycemia in A fibers, but not in C fibers. Lactate was as effective as glucose in supporting sciatic nerve function, and was continuously released into the extracellular space in the presence of glucose and fell rapidly during aglycemia. Interpretation Our findings indicated that glycogen is present in peripheral nerve, primarily in myelinating Schwann cells, and exclusively supports large diameter, myelinated axon conduction during aglycemia. Available evidence suggests that peripheral nerve glycogen breaks down during aglycemia and is passed, probably as lactate, to myelinated axons to support function. Unmyelinated axons are not protected by glycogen and are more vulnerable to dysfunction during periods of hypoglycemia. PMID:23034913

  10. The laforin-malin complex negatively regulates glycogen synthesis by modulating cellular glucose uptake via glucose transporters.

    PubMed

    Singh, Pankaj Kumar; Singh, Sweta; Ganesh, Subramaniam

    2012-02-01

    Lafora disease (LD), an inherited and fatal neurodegenerative disorder, is characterized by increased cellular glycogen content and the formation of abnormally branched glycogen inclusions, called Lafora bodies, in the affected tissues, including neurons. Therefore, laforin phosphatase and malin ubiquitin E3 ligase, the two proteins that are defective in LD, are thought to regulate glycogen synthesis through an unknown mechanism, the defects in which are likely to underlie some of the symptoms of LD. We show here that laforin's subcellular localization is dependent on the cellular glycogen content and that the stability of laforin is determined by the cellular ATP level, the activity of 5'-AMP-activated protein kinase, and the affinity of malin toward laforin. By using cell and animal models, we further show that the laforin-malin complex regulates cellular glucose uptake by modulating the subcellular localization of glucose transporters; loss of malin or laforin resulted in an increased abundance of glucose transporters in the plasma membrane and therefore excessive glucose uptake. Loss of laforin or malin, however, did not affect glycogen catabolism. Thus, the excessive cellular glucose level appears to be the primary trigger for the abnormally higher levels of cellular glycogen seen in LD.

  11. Astrocytic glycogen metabolism in the healthy and diseased brain.

    PubMed

    Bak, Lasse K; Walls, Anne B; Schousboe, Arne; Waagepetersen, Helle S

    2018-05-11

    The brain contains a fairly low amount of glycogen, mostly located in astrocytes, a fact that has prompted the suggestion that glycogen does not have a significant physiological role in the brain. However, glycogen metabolism in astrocytes is essential for several key physiological processes and is adversely affected in disease. For instance, diminished ability to break down glycogen impinges on learning, and epilepsy, Alzheimer's disease, and type 2 diabetes are all associated with abnormal astrocyte glycogen metabolism. Glycogen metabolism supports astrocytic K + and neurotransmitter glutamate uptake and subsequent glutamine synthesis-three fundamental steps in excitatory signaling at most brain synapses. Thus, there is abundant evidence for a key role of glycogen in brain function. Here, we summarize the physiological brain functions that depend on glycogen, discuss glycogen metabolism in disease, and investigate how glycogen breakdown is regulated at the cellular and molecular levels. © 2018 by The American Society for Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Inc.

  12. Novel method for detection of glycogen in cells

    PubMed Central

    Segvich, Dyann M; DePaoli-Roach, Anna A; Roach, Peter J

    2017-01-01

    Abstract Glycogen, a branched polymer of glucose, functions as an energy reserve in many living organisms. Abnormalities in glycogen metabolism, usually excessive accumulation, can be caused genetically, most often through mutation of the enzymes directly involved in synthesis and degradation of the polymer leading to a variety of glycogen storage diseases (GSDs). Microscopic visualization of glycogen deposits in cells and tissues is important for the study of normal glycogen metabolism as well as diagnosis of GSDs. Here, we describe a method for the detection of glycogen using a renewable, recombinant protein which contains the carbohydrate-binding module (CBM) from starch-binding domain containing protein 1 (Stbd1). We generated a fusion protein containing glutathione S-transferase, a cMyc eptitope and the Stbd1CBM (GYSC) for use as a glycogen-binding probe, which can be detected with secondary antibodies against glutathione S-transferase or cMyc. By enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay, we demonstrate that GYSC binds glycogen and two other polymers of glucose, amylopectin and amylose. Immunofluorescence staining of cultured cells indicate a GYSC-specific signal that is co-localized with signals obtained with anti-glycogen or anti-glycogen synthase antibodies. GYSC-positive staining inside of lysosomes is observed in individual muscle fibers isolated from mice deficient in lysosomal enzyme acid alpha-glucosidase, a well-characterized model of GSD II (Pompe disease). Co-localized GYSC and glycogen signals are also found in muscle fibers isolated from mice deficient in malin, a model for Lafora disease. These data indicate that GYSC is a novel probe that can be used to study glycogen metabolism under normal and pathological conditions. PMID:28077463

  13. Percutaneous radiofrequency ablation of hepatic tumours: factors affecting technical failure of artificial ascites formation using an angiosheath.

    PubMed

    Kang, T W; Lee, M W; Hye, M J; Song, K D; Lim, S; Rhim, H; Lim, H K; Cha, D I

    2014-12-01

    To evaluate the technical feasibility of artificial ascites formation using an angiosheath before percutaneous radiofrequency ablation (RFA) for hepatic tumours and to determine predictive factors affecting the technical failure of artificial ascites formation. This retrospective study was approved by the institutional review board. One hundred and thirteen patients underwent percutaneous RFA of hepatic tumours after trying to make artificial ascites using an angiosheath to avoid collateral thermal damage. The technical success rate of making artificial ascites using an angiosheath and conversion rate to other techniques after initial failure of making artificial ascites were evaluated. The technical success rate for RFA was assessed. In addition, potential factors associated with technical failure including previous history of transcatheter arterial chemoembolization (TACE) or RFA, type of abdominal surgery, and adjacent perihepatic structures were reviewed. Predictive factors for the technical failure of artificial ascites formation were analysed using multivariate analysis. The technical success rates of artificial ascites formation by angiosheath and that of RFA were 84.1% (95/113) and 97.3% (110/113), respectively. The conversion rate to other techniques after the failure of artificial ascites formation using an angiosheath was 15.9% (18/113). Previous hepatic resection was the sole independent predictive factor affecting the technical failure of artificial ascites formation (p<0.001, odds ratio = 29.03, 95% confidence interval: 4.56-184.69). Making artificial ascites for RFA of hepatic tumours using an angiosheath was technically feasible in most cases. However, history of hepatic resection was a significant predictive factor affecting the technical failure of artificial ascites formation. Copyright © 2014 The Royal College of Radiologists. Published by Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

  14. Sirtuin signaling controls mitochondrial function in glycogen storage disease type Ia.

    PubMed

    Cho, Jun-Ho; Kim, Goo-Young; Mansfield, Brian C; Chou, Janice Y

    2018-05-08

    Glycogen storage disease type Ia (GSD-Ia) deficient in glucose-6-phosphatase-α (G6Pase-α) is a metabolic disorder characterized by impaired glucose homeostasis and a long-term complication of hepatocellular adenoma/carcinoma (HCA/HCC). Mitochondrial dysfunction has been implicated in GSD-Ia but the underlying mechanism and its contribution to HCA/HCC development remain unclear. We have shown that hepatic G6Pase-α deficiency leads to downregulation of sirtuin 1 (SIRT1) signaling that underlies defective hepatic autophagy in GSD-Ia. SIRT1 is a NAD + -dependent deacetylase that can deacetylate and activate peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor-γ coactivator 1α (PGC-1α), a master regulator of mitochondrial integrity, biogenesis, and function. We hypothesized that downregulation of hepatic SIRT1 signaling in G6Pase-α-deficient livers impairs PGC-1α activity, leading to mitochondrial dysfunction. Here we show that the G6Pase-α-deficient livers display defective PGC-1α signaling, reduced numbers of functional mitochondria, and impaired oxidative phosphorylation. Overexpression of hepatic SIRT1 restores PGC-1α activity, normalizes the expression of electron transport chain components, and increases mitochondrial complex IV activity. We have previously shown that restoration of hepatic G6Pase-α expression normalized SIRT1 signaling. We now show that restoration of hepatic G6Pase-α expression also restores PGC-1α activity and mitochondrial function. Finally, we show that HCA/HCC lesions found in G6Pase-α-deficient livers contain marked mitochondrial and oxidative DNA damage. Taken together, our study shows that downregulation of hepatic SIRT1/PGC-1α signaling underlies mitochondrial dysfunction and that oxidative DNA damage incurred by damaged mitochondria may contribute to HCA/HCC development in GSD-Ia.

  15. A putative neuroendocrine factor that stimulates glycogen mobilization in isolated glycogen cells from the marine mussel Mytilus edulis.

    PubMed

    Robbins, I; Lenoir, F; Mathieu, M

    1990-07-01

    Glycogen synthesized by purified glycogen cells, from the labial palps of Mytilus edulis, was labeled by preincubation in culture medium containing D-[U-14C]glucose. It was stable for at least 4 hr of postincubation in the absence of 14C. Glycogen mobilization was provoked by an acid extract of the cerebral ganglia. The active factor was also found in the hemolymph. The glycogen cells exhibited a dose-dependent response to the cerebral extract. The active cerebral factor is methanol soluble and possesses hydrophobic properties. It is postulated that this factor is a neurohormone.

  16. Schwann cell glycogen selectively supports myelinated axon function.

    PubMed

    Brown, Angus M; Evans, Richard D; Black, Joel; Ransom, Bruce R

    2012-09-01

    Interruption of energy supply to peripheral axons is a cause of axon loss. We determined whether glycogen was present in mammalian peripheral nerve, and whether it supported axon conduction during aglycemia. We used biochemical assay and electron microscopy to determine the presence of glycogen, and electrophysiology to monitor axon function. Glycogen was present in sciatic nerve, its concentration varying directly with ambient glucose. Electron microscopy detected glycogen granules primarily in myelinating Schwann cell cytoplasm, and these diminished after exposure to aglycemia. During aglycemia, conduction failure in large myelinated axons (A fibers) mirrored the time course of glycogen loss. Latency to compound action potential (CAP) failure was directly related to nerve glycogen content at aglycemia onset. Glycogen did not benefit the function of slow-conducting, small-diameter unmyelinated axons (C fibers) during aglycemia. Blocking glycogen breakdown pharmacologically accelerated CAP failure during aglycemia in A fibers, but not in C fibers. Lactate was as effective as glucose in supporting sciatic nerve function, and was continuously released into the extracellular space in the presence of glucose and fell rapidly during aglycemia. Our findings indicated that glycogen is present in peripheral nerve, primarily in myelinating Schwann cells, and exclusively supports large-diameter, myelinated axon conduction during aglycemia. Available evidence suggests that peripheral nerve glycogen breaks down during aglycemia and is passed, probably as lactate, to myelinated axons to support function. Unmyelinated axons are not protected by glycogen and are more vulnerable to dysfunction during periods of hypoglycemia. . Copyright © 2012 American Neurological Association.

  17. Estradiol stimulates glycogen synthesis whereas progesterone promotes glycogen catabolism in the uterus of the American mink (Neovison vison).

    PubMed

    Bowman, Kole; Rose, Jack

    2017-01-01

    Glycogen synthesis by mink uterine glandular and luminal epithelia (GE and LE) is stimulated by estradiol (E 2 ) during estrus. Subsequently, the glycogen deposits are mobilized to near completion to meet the energy requirements of pre-embryonic development and implantation by as yet undetermined mechanisms. We hypothesized that progesterone (P 4 ) was responsible for catabolism of uterine glycogen reserves as one of its actions to ensure reproductive success. Mink were treated with E 2 , P 4 or vehicle (controls) for 3 days and uteri collected 24 h (E 2 , P 4 and vehicle) and 96 h (E 2 ) later. To evaluate E 2 priming, mink were treated with E 2 for 3 days, then P 4 for an additional 3 days (E 2 →P 4 ) and uteri collected 24 h later. Percent glycogen content of uterine epithelia was greater at E 2 + 96 h (GE = 5.71 ± 0.55; LE = 11.54 ± 2.32) than E 2 +24 h (GE = 3.63 ± 0.71; LE = 2.82 ± 1.03), and both were higher than controls (GE = 0.27 ± 0.15; LE = 0.54 ± 0.30; P < 0.05). Treatment as E 2 →P 4 reduced glycogen content (GE = 0.61 ± 0.16; LE = 0.51 ± 0.13), to levels not different from controls, while concomitantly increasing catabolic enzyme (glycogen phosphorylase m and glucose-6-phosphatase) gene expression and amount of phospho-glycogen synthase protein (inactive) in uterine homogenates. Interestingly, E 2 →P 4 increased glycogen synthase 1 messenger RNA (mRNA) and hexokinase 1mRNA and protein. Our findings suggest to us that while E 2 promotes glycogen accumulation by the mink uterus during estrus and pregnancy, it is P 4 that induces uterine glycogen catabolism, releasing the glucose that is essential to support pre-embryonic survival and implantation. © 2016 Japanese Society of Animal Science.

  18. Novel method for detection of glycogen in cells.

    PubMed

    Skurat, Alexander V; Segvich, Dyann M; DePaoli-Roach, Anna A; Roach, Peter J

    2017-05-01

    Glycogen, a branched polymer of glucose, functions as an energy reserve in many living organisms. Abnormalities in glycogen metabolism, usually excessive accumulation, can be caused genetically, most often through mutation of the enzymes directly involved in synthesis and degradation of the polymer leading to a variety of glycogen storage diseases (GSDs). Microscopic visualization of glycogen deposits in cells and tissues is important for the study of normal glycogen metabolism as well as diagnosis of GSDs. Here, we describe a method for the detection of glycogen using a renewable, recombinant protein which contains the carbohydrate-binding module (CBM) from starch-binding domain containing protein 1 (Stbd1). We generated a fusion protein containing g lutathione S-transferase, a cM c eptitope and the tbd1 BM (GYSC) for use as a glycogen-binding probe, which can be detected with secondary antibodies against glutathione S-transferase or cMyc. By enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay, we demonstrate that GYSC binds glycogen and two other polymers of glucose, amylopectin and amylose. Immunofluorescence staining of cultured cells indicate a GYSC-specific signal that is co-localized with signals obtained with anti-glycogen or anti-glycogen synthase antibodies. GYSC-positive staining inside of lysosomes is observed in individual muscle fibers isolated from mice deficient in lysosomal enzyme acid alpha-glucosidase, a well-characterized model of GSD II (Pompe disease). Co-localized GYSC and glycogen signals are also found in muscle fibers isolated from mice deficient in malin, a model for Lafora disease. These data indicate that GYSC is a novel probe that can be used to study glycogen metabolism under normal and pathological conditions. © The Author 2017. Published by Oxford University Press. All rights reserved. For permissions, please e-mail: journals.permissions@oup.com

  19. Drug induced exocytosis of glycogen in Pompe disease.

    PubMed

    Turner, Christopher T; Fuller, Maria; Hopwood, John J; Meikle, Peter J; Brooks, Doug A

    2016-10-28

    Pompe disease is caused by a deficiency in the lysosomal enzyme α-glucosidase, and this leads to glycogen accumulation in the autolysosomes of patient cells. Glycogen storage material is exocytosed at a basal rate in cultured Pompe cells, with one study showing up to 80% is released under specific culture conditions. Critically, exocytosis induction may reduce glycogen storage in Pompe patients, providing the basis for a therapeutic strategy whereby stored glycogen is redirected to an extracellular location and subsequently degraded by circulating amylases. The focus of the current study was to identify compounds capable of inducing rapid glycogen exocytosis in cultured Pompe cells. Here, calcimycin, lysophosphatidylcholine and α-l-iduronidase each significantly increased glycogen exocytosis compared to vehicle-treated controls. The most effective compound, calcimycin, induced exocytosis through a Ca 2+ -dependent mechanism, although was unable to release a pool of vesicular glycogen larger than the calcimycin-induced exocytic pore. There was reduced glycogen release from Pompe compared to unaffected cells, primarily due to increased granule size in Pompe cells. Drug induced exocytosis therefore shows promise as a therapeutic approach for Pompe patients but strategies are required to enhance the release of large molecular weight glycogen granules. Copyright © 2016. Published by Elsevier Inc.

  20. Lafora disease offers a unique window into neuronal glycogen metabolism.

    PubMed

    Gentry, Matthew S; Guinovart, Joan J; Minassian, Berge A; Roach, Peter J; Serratosa, Jose M

    2018-05-11

    Lafora disease (LD) is a fatal, autosomal recessive, glycogen-storage disorder that manifests as severe epilepsy. LD results from mutations in the gene encoding either the glycogen phosphatase laforin or the E3 ubiquitin ligase malin. Individuals with LD develop cytoplasmic, aberrant glycogen inclusions in nearly all tissues that more closely resemble plant starch than human glycogen. This Minireview discusses the unique window into glycogen metabolism that LD research offers. It also highlights recent discoveries, including that glycogen contains covalently bound phosphate and that neurons synthesize glycogen and express both glycogen synthase and glycogen phosphorylase. © 2018 by The American Society for Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Inc.

  1. Nuclear Glycogen Inclusions in Canine Parietal Cells.

    PubMed

    Silvestri, S; Lepri, E; Dall'Aglio, C; Marchesi, M C; Vitellozzi, G

    2017-05-01

    Nuclear glycogen inclusions occur infrequently in pathologic conditions but also in normal human and animal tissues. Their function or significance is unclear. To the best of the authors' knowledge, no reports of nuclear glycogen inclusions in canine parietal cells exist. After initial observations of nuclear inclusions/pseudoinclusions during routine histopathology, the authors retrospectively examined samples of gastric mucosa from dogs presenting with gastrointestinal signs for the presence of intranuclear inclusions/pseudoinclusions and determined their composition using histologic and electron-microscopic methods. In 24 of 108 cases (22%), the authors observed various numbers of intranuclear inclusions/pseudoinclusions within scattered parietal cells. Nuclei were characterized by marked karyomegaly and chromatin margination around a central optically empty or slightly eosinophilic area. The intranuclear inclusions/pseudoinclusions stained positive with periodic acid-Schiff (PAS) and were diastase sensitive, consistent with glycogen. Several PAS-positive/diastase-sensitive sections were further examined by transmission electron microscopy, also using periodic acid-thiocarbohydrazide-silver proteinate (PA-TCH-SP) staining to identify polysaccharides. Ultrastructurally, the nuclear inclusions were composed of electron-dense particles that were not membrane bound, without evidence of nuclear membrane invaginations or cytoplasmic organelles in the nuclei, and positive staining with PA-TCH-SP, confirming a glycogen composition. No cytoplasmic glycogen deposits were observed, suggesting that the intranuclear glycogen inclusions were probably synthesized in loco. Nuclear glycogen inclusions were not associated with gastritis or colonization by Helicobacter-like organisms ( P > .05). Our findings suggest that nuclear glycogen inclusions in canine parietal cells could be an incidental finding. Nevertheless, since nuclear glycogen is present in several pathologic

  2. Muscle glycogen and cell function--Location, location, location.

    PubMed

    Ørtenblad, N; Nielsen, J

    2015-12-01

    The importance of glycogen, as a fuel during exercise, is a fundamental concept in exercise physiology. The use of electron microscopy has revealed that glycogen is not evenly distributed in skeletal muscle fibers, but rather localized in distinct pools. In this review, we present the available evidence regarding the subcellular localization of glycogen in skeletal muscle and discuss this from the perspective of skeletal muscle fiber function. The distribution of glycogen in the defined pools within the skeletal muscle varies depending on exercise intensity, fiber phenotype, training status, and immobilization. Furthermore, these defined pools may serve specific functions in the cell. Specifically, reduced levels of these pools of glycogen are associated with reduced SR Ca(2+) release, muscle relaxation rate, and membrane excitability. Collectively, the available literature strongly demonstrates that the subcellular localization of glycogen has to be considered to fully understand the role of glycogen metabolism and signaling in skeletal muscle function. Here, we propose that the effect of low muscle glycogen on excitation-contraction coupling may serve as a built-in mechanism, which links the energetic state of the muscle fiber to energy utilization. © 2015 John Wiley & Sons A/S. Published by John Wiley & Sons Ltd.

  3. Glycogen function in adult central and peripheral nerves.

    PubMed

    Evans, Richard D; Brown, Angus M; Ransom, Bruce R

    2013-08-01

    We studied the roles of glycogen in axonal pathways of the central nervous system (CNS) and peripheral nervous system (PNS). By using electrophysiological recordings, in combination with biochemical glycogen assay, it was possible to determine whether glycogen was crucial to axon function under different conditions. Glycogen was present both in mouse optic nerve (MON) and in mouse sciatic nerve (MSN). Aglycemia caused loss of the compound action potential (CAP) in both pathways after a latency of 15 min (MON) and 120 min for myelinated axons (A fibers) in the MSN. With the exception of unmyelinated axons (C fibers) in the MSN, CAP decline began when usable glycogen was exhausted. Glycogen was located in astrocytes in the MON and in myelinating Schwann cells in the MSN; it was absent from the Schwann cells surrounding unmyelinated C fibers. In MON, astrocytic glycogen is metabolized to lactate and "shuttled" to axons to support metabolism. The ability of lactate to support A fiber conduction in the absence of glucose suggests a common pathway in both the CNS and the PNS. Lactate is released from MON and MSN in substantial quantities. That lactate levels fall in MSN in the presence of diaminobenzidine, which inhibits glycogen phosphorylase, strongly suggests that glycogen metabolism contributes to lactate release under resting conditions. Glycogen is a "backup" energy substrate in both the CNS and the PNS and, beyond sustaining excitability during glucose deprivation, has the capacity to subsidize the axonal energy demands during times of intense activity in the presence of glucose. Copyright © 2013 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

  4. Genetics Home Reference: glycogen storage disease type V

    MedlinePlus

    ... Health Conditions Glycogen storage disease type V Glycogen storage disease type V Printable PDF Open All Close ... to view the expand/collapse boxes. Description Glycogen storage disease type V (also known as GSDV or ...

  5. Genetics Home Reference: glycogen storage disease type IX

    MedlinePlus

    ... Health Conditions Glycogen storage disease type IX Glycogen storage disease type IX Printable PDF Open All Close ... to view the expand/collapse boxes. Description Glycogen storage disease type IX (also known as GSD IX) ...

  6. Functional significance of brain glycogen in sustaining glutamatergic neurotransmission.

    PubMed

    Sickmann, Helle M; Walls, Anne B; Schousboe, Arne; Bouman, Stephan D; Waagepetersen, Helle S

    2009-05-01

    The involvement of brain glycogen in sustaining neuronal activity has previously been demonstrated. However, to what extent energy derived from glycogen is consumed by astrocytes themselves or is transferred to the neurons in the form of lactate for oxidative metabolism to proceed is at present unclear. The significance of glycogen in fueling glutamate uptake into astrocytes was specifically addressed in cultured astrocytes. Moreover, the objective was to elucidate whether glycogen derived energy is important for maintaining glutamatergic neurotransmission, induced by repetitive exposure to NMDA in co-cultures of cerebellar neurons and astrocytes. In the astrocytes it was shown that uptake of the glutamate analogue D-[3H]aspartate was impaired when glycogen degradation was inhibited irrespective of the presence of glucose, signifying that energy derived from glycogen degradation is important for the astrocytic compartment. By inhibiting glycogen degradation in co-cultures it was evident that glycogen provides energy to sustain glutamatergic neurotransmission, i.e. release and uptake of glutamate. The relocation of glycogen derived lactate to the neuronal compartment was investigated by employing d-lactate, a competitive substrate for the monocarboxylate transporters. Neurotransmitter release was affected by the presence of d-lactate indicating that glycogen derived energy is important not only in the astrocytic but also in the neuronal compartment.

  7. Genetics Home Reference: glycogen storage disease type VI

    MedlinePlus

    ... glucose, a simple sugar that is the main energy source for most cells in the body. PYGL gene mutations prevent liver glycogen phosphorylase from breaking down glycogen ... energy, resulting in ketosis. Glycogen accumulates within liver cells, ...

  8. Genetics Home Reference: glycogen storage disease type VII

    MedlinePlus

    ... PFKM subunits. In skeletal muscle, the cells' main source of energy is stored as glycogen. Glycogen can be broken ... do not have access to glycogen as an energy source become weakened and cramped following moderate strain, such ...

  9. Ultrastructural hepatocellular features associated with severe hepatic lipidosis in cats.

    PubMed

    Center, S A; Guida, L; Zanelli, M J; Dougherty, E; Cummings, J; King, J

    1993-05-01

    In this study, we compared hepatic ultrastructure in healthy cats, in cats with severe hepatic lipidosis, and in cats with experimentally induced, chronic, extrahepatic bile duct occlusion. Ultrastructural features unique to the lipidosis syndrome included an apparent reduction in number of peroxisomes and alteration in their morphologic features. The quantity of endoplasmic reticulum, Golgi complexes, and lysosomes was subjectively reduced, and paucity of cytosolic glycogen was observed. Bile canaliculi appeared collapsed because of cytosolic distention with lipid. Mitochondria were reduced in number and were markedly pleomorphic. Cristae assumed a variety of shapes, lengths, and orientations. Ultrastructural features of bile duct occlusion were similar to those described in other species and differed from those in cats with hepatic lipidosis.

  10. Inhibition of glycogen-synthase kinase 3 stimulates glycogen synthase and glucose transport by distinct mechanisms in 3T3-L1 adipocytes.

    PubMed

    Oreña, S J; Torchia, A J; Garofalo, R S

    2000-05-26

    The role of glycogen-synthase kinase 3 (GSK3) in insulin-stimulated glucose transport and glycogen synthase activation was investigated in 3T3-L1 adipocytes. GSK3 protein was clearly present in adipocytes and was found to be more abundant than in muscle and liver cell lines. The selective GSK3 inhibitor, LiCl, stimulated glucose transport and glycogen synthase activity (20 and 65%, respectively, of the maximal (1 microm) insulin response) and potentiated the responses to a submaximal concentration (1 nm) of insulin. LiCl- and insulin-stimulated glucose transport were abolished by the phosphatidylinositol 3-kinase (PI3-kinase) inhibitor, wortmannin; however, LiCl stimulation of glycogen synthase was not. In contrast to the rapid stimulation of glucose transport by insulin, transport stimulated by LiCl increased gradually over 3-5 h reaching 40% of the maximal insulin-stimulated level. Both LiCl- and insulin-stimulated glycogen synthase activity were maximal at 25 min. However, insulin-stimulated glycogen synthase activity returned to basal after 2 h, coincident with reactivation of GSK3. After a 2-h exposure to insulin, glycogen synthase was refractory to restimulation with insulin, indicating selective desensitization of this pathway. However, LiCl could partially stimulate glycogen synthase in desensitized cells. Furthermore, coincubation with LiCl during the 2 h exposure to insulin completely blocked desensitization of glycogen synthase activity. In summary, inhibition of GSK3 by LiCl: 1) stimulated glycogen synthase activity directly and independently of PI3-kinase, 2) stimulated glucose transport at a point upstream of PI3-kinase, 3) stimulated glycogen synthase activity in desensitized cells, and 4) prevented desensitization of glycogen synthase due to chronic insulin treatment. These data are consistent with GSK3 playing a central role in the regulation of glycogen synthase activity and a contributing factor in the regulation of glucose transport in 3T3-L1

  11. The role of implementation intention formation in promoting hepatitis B vaccination uptake among men who have sex with men.

    PubMed

    Vet, Raymond; de Wit, John B F; Das, Enny

    2014-02-01

    This study assessed the separate and joint effects of having a goal intention and the completeness of implementation intention formation on the likelihood of attending an appointment to obtain vaccination against the hepatitis B virus among men who have sex with men (MSM) in the Netherlands. Extending previous research, it was hypothesized that to be effective in promoting vaccination, implementation intention formation not only requires a strong goal intention, but also complete details specifying when, where and how to make an appointment to obtain hepatitis B virus vaccination among MSM. MSM at risk for hepatitis B virus (N = 616), with strong or weak intentions to obtain hepatitis B virus vaccination, were randomly assigned to form an implementation intention or not. Completeness of implementation intentions was rated and hepatitis B virus uptake was assessed through data linkage with the joint vaccination registry of the collaborating Public Health Services. Having a strong goal intention to obtain hepatitis B virus vaccination and forming an implementation intention, each significantly and independently increased the likelihood of MSM obtaining hepatitis B virus vaccination. In addition, MSM who formed complete implementation intentions were more successful in obtaining vaccination (p < 0.01). The formation of complete implementation intentions was promoted by strong goal intentions (p < 0.01).

  12. Abnormal Glycogen Storage by Retinal Neurons in Diabetes.

    PubMed

    Gardiner, Tom A; Canning, Paul; Tipping, Nuala; Archer, Desmond B; Stitt, Alan W

    2015-12-01

    It is widely held that neurons of the central nervous system do not store glycogen and that accumulation of the polysaccharide may cause neurodegeneration. Since primary neural injury occurs in diabetic retinopathy, we examined neuronal glycogen status in the retina of streptozotocin-induced diabetic and control rats. Glycogen was localized in eyes of streptozotocin-induced diabetic and control rats using light microscopic histochemistry and electron microscopy, and correlated with immunohistochemical staining for glycogen phosphorylase and phosphorylated glycogen synthase (pGS). Electron microscopy of 2-month-old diabetic rats (n = 6) showed massive accumulations of glycogen in the perinuclear cytoplasm of many amacrine neurons. In 4-month-old diabetic rats (n = 11), quantification of glycogen-engorged amacrine cells showed a mean of 26 cells/mm of central retina (SD ± 5), compared to 0.5 (SD ± 0.2) in controls (n = 8). Immunohistochemical staining for glycogen phosphorylase revealed strong expression in amacrine and ganglion cells of control retina, and increased staining in cell processes of the inner plexiform layer in diabetic retina. In control retina, the inactive pGS was consistently sequestered within the cell nuclei of all retinal neurons and the retinal pigment epithelium (RPE), but in diabetics nuclear pGS was reduced or lost in all classes of retinal cell except the ganglion cells and cone photoreceptors. The present study identifies a large population of retinal neurons that normally utilize glycogen metabolism but show pathologic storage of the polysaccharide during uncontrolled diabetes.

  13. Glycogen and its metabolism: some new developments and old themes

    PubMed Central

    Roach, Peter J.; Depaoli-Roach, Anna A.; Hurley, Thomas D.; Tagliabracci, Vincent S.

    2016-01-01

    Glycogen is a branched polymer of glucose that acts as a store of energy in times of nutritional sufficiency for utilization in times of need. Its metabolism has been the subject of extensive investigation and much is known about its regulation by hormones such as insulin, glucagon and adrenaline (epinephrine). There has been debate over the relative importance of allosteric compared with covalent control of the key biosynthetic enzyme, glycogen synthase, as well as the relative importance of glucose entry into cells compared with glycogen synthase regulation in determining glycogen accumulation. Significant new developments in eukaryotic glycogen metabolism over the last decade or so include: (i) three-dimensional structures of the biosynthetic enzymes glycogenin and glycogen synthase, with associated implications for mechanism and control; (ii) analyses of several genetically engineered mice with altered glycogen metabolism that shed light on the mechanism of control; (iii) greater appreciation of the spatial aspects of glycogen metabolism, including more focus on the lysosomal degradation of glycogen; and (iv) glycogen phosphorylation and advances in the study of Lafora disease, which is emerging as a glycogen storage disease. PMID:22248338

  14. Contributions of glycogen to astrocytic energetics during brain activation.

    PubMed

    Dienel, Gerald A; Cruz, Nancy F

    2015-02-01

    Glycogen is the major store of glucose in brain and is mainly in astrocytes. Brain glycogen levels in unstimulated, carefully-handled rats are 10-12 μmol/g, and assuming that astrocytes account for half the brain mass, astrocytic glycogen content is twice as high. Glycogen turnover is slow under basal conditions, but it is mobilized during activation. There is no net increase in incorporation of label from glucose during activation, whereas label release from pre-labeled glycogen exceeds net glycogen consumption, which increases during stronger stimuli. Because glycogen level is restored by non-oxidative metabolism, astrocytes can influence the global ratio of oxygen to glucose utilization. Compensatory increases in utilization of blood glucose during inhibition of glycogen phosphorylase are large and approximate glycogenolysis rates during sensory stimulation. In contrast, glycogenolysis rates during hypoglycemia are low due to continued glucose delivery and oxidation of endogenous substrates; rates that preserve neuronal function in the absence of glucose are also low, probably due to metabolite oxidation. Modeling studies predict that glycogenolysis maintains a high level of glucose-6-phosphate in astrocytes to maintain feedback inhibition of hexokinase, thereby diverting glucose for use by neurons. The fate of glycogen carbon in vivo is not known, but lactate efflux from brain best accounts for the major metabolic characteristics during activation of living brain. Substantial shuttling coupled with oxidation of glycogen-derived lactate is inconsistent with available evidence. Glycogen has important roles in astrocytic energetics, including glucose sparing, control of extracellular K(+) level, oxidative stress management, and memory consolidation; it is a multi-functional compound.

  15. Contributions of Glycogen to Astrocytic Energetics during Brain Activation

    PubMed Central

    Dienel, Gerald A.; Cruz, Nancy F.

    2014-01-01

    Glycogen is the major store of glucose in brain and is mainly in astrocytes. Brain glycogen levels in unstimulated, carefully-handled rats are 10-12 mol/g, and assuming that astrocytes account for half the brain mass, astrocytic glycogen content is twice as high. Glycogen turnover is slow under basal conditions, but it is mobilized during activation. There is no net increase in incorporation of label from glucose during activation, whereas label release from pre-labeled glycogen exceeds net glycogen consumption, which increases during stronger stimuli. Because glycogen level is restored by non-oxidative metabolism, astrocytes can influence the global ratio of oxygen to glucose utilization. Compensatory increases in utilization of blood glucose during inhibition of glycogen phosphorylase are large and approximate glycogenolysis rates during sensory stimulation. In contrast, glycogenolysis rates during hypoglycemia are low due to continued glucose delivery and oxidation of endogenous substrates; rates that preserve neuronal function in the absence of glucose are also low, probably due to metabolite oxidation. Modeling studies predict that glycogenolysis maintains a high level of glucose-6-phosphate in astrocytes to maintain feedback inhibition of hexokinase, thereby diverting glucose for use by neurons. The fate of glycogen carbon in vivo is not known, but lactate efflux from brain best accounts for the major metabolic characteristics during activation of living brain. Substantial shuttling coupled with oxidation of glycogen-derived lactate is inconsistent with available evidence. Glycogen has important roles in astrocytic energetics, including glucose sparing, control of extracellular K+ level, oxidative stress management, and memory consolidation; it is a multi-functional compound. PMID:24515302

  16. Glycogen synthase activation by sugars in isolated hepatocytes.

    PubMed

    Ciudad, C J; Carabaza, A; Bosch, F; Gòmez I Foix, A M; Guinovart, J J

    1988-07-01

    We have investigated the activation by sugars of glycogen synthase in relation to (i) phosphorylase a activity and (ii) changes in the intracellular concentration of glucose 6-phosphate and adenine nucleotides. All the sugars tested in this work present the common denominator of activating glycogen synthase. On the other hand, phosphorylase a activity is decreased by mannose and glucose, unchanged by galactose and xylitol, and increased by tagatose, glyceraldehyde, and fructose. Dihydroxyacetone exerts a biphasic effect on phosphorylase. These findings provide additional evidence proving that glycogen synthase can be activated regardless of the levels of phosphorylase a, clearly establishing that a nonsequential mechanism for the activation of glycogen synthase occurs in liver cells. The glycogen synthase activation state is related to the concentrations of glucose 6-phosphate and adenine nucleotides. In this respect, tagatose, glyceraldehyde, and fructose deplete ATP and increase AMP contents, whereas glucose, mannose, galactose, xylitol, and dihydroxyacetone do not alter the concentration of these nucleotides. In addition, all these sugars, except glyceraldehyde, increase the intracellular content of glucose 6-phosphate. The activation of glycogen synthase by sugars is reflected in decreases on both kinetic constants of the enzyme, M0.5 (for glucose 6-phosphate) and S0.5 (for UDP-glucose). We propose that hepatocyte glycogen synthase is activated by monosaccharides by a mechanism triggered by changes in glucose 6-phosphate and adenine nucleotide concentrations which have been described to modify glycogen synthase phosphatase activity. This mechanism represents a metabolite control of the sugar-induced activation of hepatocyte glycogen synthase.

  17. Homogenization versus homogenization-free method to measure muscle glycogen fractions.

    PubMed

    Mojibi, N; Rasouli, M

    2016-12-01

    The glycogen is extracted from animal tissues with or without homogenization using cold perchloric acid. Three methods were compared for determination of glycogen in rat muscle at different physiological states. Two groups of five rats were kept at rest or 45 minutes muscular activity. The glycogen fractions were extracted and measured by using three methods. The data of homogenization method shows that total glycogen decreased following 45 min physical activity and the change occurred entirely in acid soluble glycogen (ASG), while AIG did not change significantly. Similar results were obtained by using "total-glycogen-fractionation methods". The findings of "homogenization-free method" indicate that the acid insoluble fraction (AIG) was the main portion of muscle glycogen and the majority of changes occurred in AIG fraction. The results of "homogenization method" are identical with "total glycogen fractionation", but differ with "homogenization-free" protocol. The ASG fraction is the major portion of muscle glycogen and is more metabolically active form.

  18. Accumulation of glycogen in axotomized adult rat facial motoneurons.

    PubMed

    Takezawa, Yosuke; Baba, Otto; Kohsaka, Shinichi; Nakajima, Kazuyuki

    2015-06-01

    This study biochemically determined glycogen content in the axotomized facial nucleus of adult rats up to 35 days postinsult. The amounts of glycogen in the transected facial nucleus were significantly increased at 5 days postinsult, peaked at 7 days postinsult, and declined to the control levels at 21-35 days postinsult. Immunohistochemical analysis with antiglycogen antibody revealed that the quantity of glycogen granules in the axotomized facial nucleus was greater than that in the control nucleus at 7 days postinjury. Dual staining methods with antiglycogen antibody and a motoneuron marker clarified that the glycogen was localized mainly in motoneurons. Immunoblotting and quantification analysis revealed that the ratio of inactive glycogen synthase (GS) to total GS was significantly decreased in the injured nucleus at about 1-3 days postinsult and significantly increased from 7 to 14 days postinsult, suggesting that glycogen is actively synthesized in the early period postinjury but suppressed after 7 days postinsult. The enhanced glycogen at about 5-7 days postinsult is suggested to be responsible for the decrease in inactive GS levels, and the decrease of glycogen after 7 days postinsult is considered to be caused by increased inactive GS levels and possibly the increase in active glycogen phosphorylase. © 2015 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

  19. Extraction of glycogen on mild condition lacks AIG fraction.

    PubMed

    Ghafouri, Z; Rasouli, M

    2016-12-01

    Extraction of animal tissues with cold water or perchloric acid yields less glycogen than is obtained with hot-alkaline. Extraction with acid and alkaline gives two fractions, acid soluble (ASG) and insoluble glycogen (AIG). The aim of this work is to examine the hypothesis that not all liver glycogen is extractable by Tris-buffer using current techniques. Rat liver was homogenized with Tris-buffer pH 8.3 and extracted for the glycogen fractions, ASG and AIG. The degree of homogenization was changed to remove all glycogen. The content of glycogen was 47.7 ± 1.2 and 11.6 ± 0.8 mg/g wet liver in the supernatant and pellet of the first extraction respectively. About 24% of total glycogen is lost through the first pellet. Increasing the extent of homogenization from 30 to 180 sec and from 15000 to 20000 rpm followed with 30 sec ultrasonication did not improve the extraction. ASG and AIG constitute about 77% and 23% of the pellet glycogen respectively. Extraction with cold Tris-buffer failed to extract glycogen completely.  Increasing the extent of homogenization followed with ultrasonication also did not improve the extraction. Thus it is necessary to re-examine the previous findings obtained by extraction with cold Tris-buffer.

  20. Defective glycogenesis contributes toward the inability to suppress hepatic glucose production in response to hyperglycemia and hyperinsulinemia in zucker diabetic fatty rats.

    PubMed

    Torres, Tracy P; Fujimoto, Yuka; Donahue, E P; Printz, Richard L; Houseknecht, Karen L; Treadway, Judith L; Shiota, Masakazu

    2011-09-01

    Examine whether normalizing net hepatic glycogenesis restores endogenous glucose production and hepatic glucose phosphorylation in response to diabetic levels of plasma glucose and insulin in Zucker diabetic fatty rats (ZDF). Hepatic glucose and intermediate fluxes (µmol · kg(-1) · min(-1)) were measured with and without a glycogen phosphorylase inhibitor (GPI) using [2-(3)H]glucose, [3-(3)H]glucose, and [U-(14)C]alanine in 20 h-fasted conscious ZDF and their lean littermates (ZCL) under clamp conditions designed to maintain diabetic levels of plasma glucose and insulin. With infusion of GPI into ZDF (ZDF-GPI+G), compared with vehicle infused ZDF (ZDF-V), high glycogen phosphorylase a activity was decreased and low synthase I activity was increased to that of ZCL. Low net glycogenesis from plasma glucose rose to 75% of ZCL levels (4 ± 1 in ZDF-V, 18 ± 1 in ZDF-GPI+G, and 24 ± 2 in ZCL) and phosphoenolpyruvate 260% (4 ± 2 in ZDF-V, 16 ± 1 in ZDF+GPI-G, and 6 ± 2 in ZCL). High endogenous glucose production was suppressed with GPI infusion but not to that of ZCL (46 ± 4 in ZDF-V, 18 ± 4 in ZDF-GPI+G, and -8 ± 3 in ZCL). This was accompanied by reduction of the higher glucose-6-phosphatase flux (75 ± 4 in ZDF-V, 41 ± 4 in ZDF-GPI+G, and 86 ± 12 in ZCL) and no change in low glucose phosphorylation or total gluconeogenesis. In the presence of hyperglycemic-hyperinsulinemia in ZDF, reduced glycogenic flux partially contributes to a lack of suppression of hepatic glucose production by failing to redirect glucose-6-phosphate flux from production of glucose to glycogen but is not responsible for a lower rate of glucose phosphorylation.

  1. Molecular Basis of Impaired Glycogen Metabolism during Ischemic Stroke and Hypoxia

    PubMed Central

    Hossain, Mohammed Iqbal; Roulston, Carli Lorraine; Stapleton, David Ian

    2014-01-01

    Background Ischemic stroke is the combinatorial effect of many pathological processes including the loss of energy supplies, excessive intracellular calcium accumulation, oxidative stress, and inflammatory responses. The brain's ability to maintain energy demand through this process involves metabolism of glycogen, which is critical for release of stored glucose. However, regulation of glycogen metabolism in ischemic stroke remains unknown. In the present study, we investigate the role and regulation of glycogen metabolizing enzymes and their effects on the fate of glycogen during ischemic stroke. Results Ischemic stroke was induced in rats by peri-vascular application of the vasoconstrictor endothelin-1 and forebrains were collected at 1, 3, 6 and 24 hours post-stroke. Glycogen levels and the expression and activity of enzymes involved in glycogen metabolism were analyzed. We found elevated glycogen levels in the ipsilateral hemispheres compared with contralateral hemispheres at 6 and 24 hours (25% and 39% increase respectively; P<0.05). Glycogen synthase activity and glycogen branching enzyme expression were found to be similar between the ipsilateral, contralateral, and sham control hemispheres. In contrast, the rate-limiting enzyme for glycogen breakdown, glycogen phosphorylase, had 58% lower activity (P<0.01) in the ipsilateral hemisphere (24 hours post-stroke), which corresponded with a 48% reduction in cAMP-dependent protein kinase A (PKA) activity (P<0.01). In addition, glycogen debranching enzyme expression 24 hours post-stroke was 77% (P<0.01) and 72% lower (P<0.01) at the protein and mRNA level, respectively. In cultured rat primary cerebellar astrocytes, hypoxia and inhibition of PKA activity significantly reduced glycogen phosphorylase activity and increased glycogen accumulation but did not alter glycogen synthase activity. Furthermore, elevated glycogen levels provided metabolic support to astrocytes during hypoxia. Conclusion Our study has

  2. Introduction to the Thematic Minireview Series: Brain glycogen metabolism.

    PubMed

    Carlson, Gerald M; Dienel, Gerald A; Colbran, Roger J

    2018-05-11

    The synthesis of glycogen allows for efficient intracellular storage of glucose molecules in a soluble form that can be rapidly released to enter glycolysis in response to energy demand. Intensive studies of glucose and glycogen metabolism, predominantly in skeletal muscle and liver, have produced innumerable insights into the mechanisms of hormone action, resulting in the award of several Nobel Prizes over the last one hundred years. Glycogen is actually present in all cells and tissues, albeit at much lower levels than found in muscle or liver. However, metabolic and physiological roles of glycogen in other tissues are poorly understood. This series of Minireviews summarizes what is known about the enzymes involved in brain glycogen metabolism and studies that have linked glycogen metabolism to multiple brain functions involving metabolic communication between astrocytes and neurons. Recent studies unexpectedly linking some forms of epilepsy to mutations in two poorly understood proteins involved in glycogen metabolism are also reviewed. © 2018 Carlson et al.

  3. Ursolic acid and luteolin-7-glucoside improve lipid profiles and increase liver glycogen content through glycogen synthase kinase-3.

    PubMed

    Azevedo, Marisa F; Camsari, Cagri; Sá, Carla M; Lima, Cristovao F; Fernandes-Ferreira, Manuel; Pereira-Wilson, Cristina

    2010-06-01

    In the present study, two phytochemicals - ursolic acid (UA) and luteolin-7-glucoside (L7G) - were assessed in vivo in healthy rats regarding effects on plasma glucose and lipid profile (total cholesterol, HDL and LDL), as well as liver glycogen content, in view of their importance in the aetiology of diabetes and associated complications. Both UA and L7G significantly decreased plasma glucose concentration. UA also significantly increased liver glycogen levels accompanied by phosphorylation of glycogen synthase kinase-3 (GSK3). The increase in glycogen deposition induced by UA (mediated by GSK3) could have contributed to the lower plasma glucose levels observed. Both compounds significantly lowered total plasma cholesterol and low-density lipoprotein levels, and, in addition, UA increased plasma high-density lipoprotein levels. Our results show that UA particularly may be useful in preventable strategies for people at risk of developing diabetes and associated cardiovascular complications by improving plasma glucose levels and lipid profile, as well as by promoting liver glycogen deposition.

  4. Oligosaccharide Binding in Escherichia coli Glycogen Synthase

    DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

    Sheng, Fang; Yep, Alejandra; Feng, Lei

    2010-11-17

    Glycogen/starch synthase elongates glucan chains and is the key enzyme in the synthesis of glycogen in bacteria and starch in plants. Cocrystallization of Escherichia coli wild-type glycogen synthase (GS) with substrate ADPGlc and the glucan acceptor mimic HEPPSO produced a closed form of GS and suggests that domain-domain closure accompanies glycogen synthesis. Cocrystallization of the inactive GS mutant E377A with substrate ADPGlc and oligosaccharide results in the first oligosaccharide-bound glycogen synthase structure. Four bound oligosaccharides are observed, one in the interdomain cleft (G6a) and three on the N-terminal domain surface (G6b, G6c, and G6d). Extending from the center of themore » enzyme to the interdomain cleft opening, G6a mostly interacts with the highly conserved N-terminal domain residues lining the cleft of GS. The surface-bound oligosaccharides G6c and G6d have less interaction with enzyme and exhibit a more curled, helixlike structural arrangement. The observation that oligosaccharides bind only to the N-terminal domain of GS suggests that glycogen in vivo probably binds to only one side of the enzyme to ensure unencumbered interdomain movement, which is required for efficient, continuous glucan-chain synthesis.« less

  5. Ultrastructure and cytochemistry of cardiac intramitochondrial glycogen.

    PubMed

    Sótonyi, P; Somogyi, E; Nemes, A; Juhász-Nagy, S

    1976-01-01

    Authors have observed abnormalities of glycogen localization in cardiac muscle, after normothermic cardiac arrest. The identification of these intramitrochondrial particles as glycogen was confirmed by selective staining with periodic acid-lead citrat, periodic acid-thiosemicarbazide protein methods and by their selective removal from tissue sections by alfa-amylase. The intramitochondrial glycogen particles were of beta-type. Some intramitochondrial particles were surrounded by paired membranes which resulted from protrusion of parts of mitochondrial membrane.

  6. Deleterious effects of neuronal accumulation of glycogen in flies and mice

    PubMed Central

    Duran, Jordi; Tevy, María Florencia; Garcia-Rocha, Mar; Calbó, Joaquim; Milán, Marco; Guinovart, Joan J

    2012-01-01

    Under physiological conditions, most neurons keep glycogen synthase (GS) in an inactive form and do not show detectable levels of glycogen. Nevertheless, aberrant glycogen accumulation in neurons is a hallmark of patients suffering from Lafora disease or other polyglucosan disorders. Although these diseases are associated with mutations in genes involved in glycogen metabolism, the role of glycogen accumulation remains elusive. Here, we generated mouse and fly models expressing an active form of GS to force neuronal accumulation of glycogen. We present evidence that the progressive accumulation of glycogen in mouse and Drosophila neurons leads to neuronal loss, locomotion defects and reduced lifespan. Our results highlight glycogen accumulation in neurons as a direct cause of neurodegeneration. PMID:22549942

  7. Glycogen dynamics of crucian carp (Carassius carassius) in prolonged anoxia.

    PubMed

    Vornanen, Matti; Haverinen, Jaakko

    2016-12-01

    Mobilization of glycogen stores was examined in the anoxic crucian carp (Carassius carassius Linnaeus). Winter-acclimatized fish were exposed to anoxia for 1, 3, or 6 weeks at 2 °C, and changes in the size of glycogen deposits were followed. After 1 week of anoxia, a major part of the glycogen stores was mobilized in liver (79.5 %) and heart (75.6 %), and large decreases occurred in gill (46.7 %) and muscle (45.1 %). Brain was an exception in that its glycogen content remained unchanged. The amount of glycogen degraded during the first anoxic week was sufficient for the anaerobic ethanol production for more than 6 weeks of anoxia. After 3 and 6 weeks of anoxia, there was little further degradation of glycogen in other tissues except the brain where the stores were reduced by 30.1 and 49.9 % after 3 and 6 weeks of anoxia, respectively. One week of normoxic recovery following the 6-week anoxia was associated with a complete replenishment of the brain glycogen and partial recovery of liver, heart, and gill glycogen stores. Notably, the resynthesis of glycogen occurred at the expense of the existing energy reserves of the body in fasting fish. These findings indicate that in crucian carp, glycogen stores are quickly mobilized after the onset of anoxia, with the exception of the brain whose glycogen stores may be saved for putative emergency situations.

  8. Deleterious effects of neuronal accumulation of glycogen in flies and mice.

    PubMed

    Duran, Jordi; Tevy, María Florencia; Garcia-Rocha, Mar; Calbó, Joaquim; Milán, Marco; Guinovart, Joan J

    2012-08-01

    Under physiological conditions, most neurons keep glycogen synthase (GS) in an inactive form and do not show detectable levels of glycogen. Nevertheless, aberrant glycogen accumulation in neurons is a hallmark of patients suffering from Lafora disease or other polyglucosan disorders. Although these diseases are associated with mutations in genes involved in glycogen metabolism, the role of glycogen accumulation remains elusive. Here, we generated mouse and fly models expressing an active form of GS to force neuronal accumulation of glycogen. We present evidence that the progressive accumulation of glycogen in mouse and Drosophila neurons leads to neuronal loss, locomotion defects and reduced lifespan. Our results highlight glycogen accumulation in neurons as a direct cause of neurodegeneration. Copyright © 2012 EMBO Molecular Medicine.

  9. Production of 1,2-propanediol in photoautotrophic Synechocystis is linked to glycogen turn-over.

    PubMed

    David, Christian; Schmid, Andreas; Adrian, Lorenz; Wilde, Annegret; Bühler, Katja

    2018-02-01

    We utilized a photoautotrophic organism to synthesize 1,2-propanediol from carbon dioxide and water fueled by light. A synthetic pathway comprising mgsA (methylglyoxal synthase), yqhD (aldehyde reductase), and adh (alcohol dehydrogenase) was inserted into Synechocystis sp. PCC6803 to convert dihydroxyacetone phosphate to methylglyoxal, which is subsequently reduced to acetol and then to 1,2-propanediol. 1,2-propanediol could be successfully produced by Synechocystis, at an approximate rate of 55 μmol h -1  g CDW -1 . Surprisingly, maximal productivity was observed in the stationary phase. The production of 1,2-propanediol was clearly coupled to the turn-over of intracellular glycogen. Upon depletion of the glycogen pool, product formation stopped. Reducing the carbon flux to glycogen significantly decreased final product titers. Optimization of cultivation conditions allowed final product titers of almost 1 g L -1 (12 mM), which belongs to the highest values published so far for photoautotrophic production of this compound. © 2017 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

  10. Exercise in muscle glycogen storage diseases.

    PubMed

    Preisler, Nicolai; Haller, Ronald G; Vissing, John

    2015-05-01

    Glycogen storage diseases (GSD) are inborn errors of glycogen or glucose metabolism. In the GSDs that affect muscle, the consequence of a block in skeletal muscle glycogen breakdown or glucose use, is an impairment of muscular performance and exercise intolerance, owing to 1) an increase in glycogen storage that disrupts contractile function and/or 2) a reduced substrate turnover below the block, which inhibits skeletal muscle ATP production. Immobility is associated with metabolic alterations in muscle leading to an increased dependence on glycogen use and a reduced capacity for fatty acid oxidation. Such changes may be detrimental for persons with GSD from a metabolic perspective. However, exercise may alter skeletal muscle substrate metabolism in ways that are beneficial for patients with GSD, such as improving exercise tolerance and increasing fatty acid oxidation. In addition, a regular exercise program has the potential to improve general health and fitness and improve quality of life, if executed properly. In this review, we describe skeletal muscle substrate use during exercise in GSDs, and how blocks in metabolic pathways affect exercise tolerance in GSDs. We review the studies that have examined the effect of regular exercise training in different types of GSD. Finally, we consider how oral substrate supplementation can improve exercise tolerance and we discuss the precautions that apply to persons with GSD that engage in exercise.

  11. Variation in glycogen concentrations within mantle and foot tissue in Amblema plicata plicata: Implications for tissue biopsy sampling

    USGS Publications Warehouse

    Naimo, T.J.; Monroe, E.M.

    1999-01-01

    With the development of techniques to non-lethally biopsy tissue from unionids, a new method is available to measure changes in biochemical, contaminant, and genetic constituents in this imperiled faunal group. However, before its widespread application, information on the variability of biochemical components within and among tissues needs to be evaluated. We measured glycogen concentrations in foot and mantle tissue in Amblema plicata plicata (Say, 1817) to determine if glycogen was evenly distributed within and between tissues and to determine which tissue might be more responsive to the stress associated with relocating mussels. Glycogen was measured in two groups of mussels: those sampled from their native environment (undisturbed mussels) and quickly frozen for analysis and those relocated into an artificial pond (relocated mussels) for 24 months before analysis. In both undisturbed and relocated mussels, glycogen concentrations were evenly distributed within foot, but not within mantle tissue. In mantle tissue, concentrations of glycogen varied about 2-fold among sections. In addition, glycogen varied significantly between tissues in undisturbed mussels, but not in relocated mussels. Twenty-four months after relocation, glycogen concentrations had declined by 80% in mantle tissue and by 56% in foot tissue relative to the undisturbed mussels. These data indicate that representative biopsy samples can be obtained from foot tissue, but not mantle tissue. We hypothesize that mantle tissue could be more responsive to the stress of relocation due to its high metabolic activity associated with shell formation.

  12. Dysfunctional Muscle and Liver Glycogen Metabolism in mdx Dystrophic Mice

    PubMed Central

    Stapleton, David I.; Lau, Xianzhong; Flores, Marcelo; Trieu, Jennifer; Gehrig, Stefan M.; Chee, Annabel; Naim, Timur; Lynch, Gordon S.; Koopman, René

    2014-01-01

    Background Duchenne muscular dystrophy (DMD) is a severe, genetic muscle wasting disorder characterised by progressive muscle weakness. DMD is caused by mutations in the dystrophin (dmd) gene resulting in very low levels or a complete absence of the dystrophin protein, a key structural element of muscle fibres which is responsible for the proper transmission of force. In the absence of dystrophin, muscle fibres become damaged easily during contraction resulting in their degeneration. DMD patients and mdx mice (an animal model of DMD) exhibit altered metabolic disturbances that cannot be attributed to the loss of dystrophin directly. We tested the hypothesis that glycogen metabolism is defective in mdx dystrophic mice. Results Dystrophic mdx mice had increased skeletal muscle glycogen (79%, (P<0.01)). Skeletal muscle glycogen synthesis is initiated by glycogenin, the expression of which was increased by 50% in mdx mice (P<0.0001). Glycogen synthase activity was 12% higher (P<0.05) but glycogen branching enzyme activity was 70% lower (P<0.01) in mdx compared with wild-type mice. The rate-limiting enzyme for glycogen breakdown, glycogen phosphorylase, had 62% lower activity (P<0.01) in mdx mice resulting from a 24% reduction in PKA activity (P<0.01). In mdx mice glycogen debranching enzyme expression was 50% higher (P<0.001) together with starch-binding domain protein 1 (219% higher; P<0.01). In addition, mdx mice were glucose intolerant (P<0.01) and had 30% less liver glycogen (P<0.05) compared with control mice. Subsequent analysis of the enzymes dysregulated in skeletal muscle glycogen metabolism in mdx mice identified reduced glycogenin protein expression (46% less; P<0.05) as a possible cause of this phenotype. Conclusion We identified that mdx mice were glucose intolerant, and had increased skeletal muscle glycogen but reduced amounts of liver glycogen. PMID:24626262

  13. Qualitative and Quantitative Analyses of Glycogen in Human Milk.

    PubMed

    Matsui-Yatsuhashi, Hiroko; Furuyashiki, Takashi; Takata, Hiroki; Ishida, Miyuki; Takumi, Hiroko; Kakutani, Ryo; Kamasaka, Hiroshi; Nagao, Saeko; Hirose, Junko; Kuriki, Takashi

    2017-02-22

    Identification as well as a detailed analysis of glycogen in human milk has not been shown yet. The present study confirmed that glycogen is contained in human milk by qualitative and quantitative analyses. High-performance anion exchange chromatography (HPAEC) and high-performance size exclusion chromatography with a multiangle laser light scattering detector (HPSEC-MALLS) were used for qualitative analysis of glycogen in human milk. Quantitative analysis was carried out by using samples obtained from the individual milks. The result revealed that the concentration of human milk glycogen varied depending on the mother's condition-such as the period postpartum and inflammation. The amounts of glycogen in human milk collected at 0 and 1-2 months postpartum were higher than in milk collected at 3-14 months postpartum. In the milk from mothers with severe mastitis, the concentration of glycogen was about 40 times higher than that in normal milk.

  14. Glycogen supercompensation in rat soleus muscle during recovery from nonweight bearing

    NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

    Henriksen, Erik J.; Kirby, Christopher R.; Tischler, Marc E.

    1989-01-01

    Events leading to the normalization of the glycogen metabolism in the soleus muscle of rat, altered by 72-h three days of hind-limb suspension, were investigated during the 72-h recovery period when the animals were allowed to bear weight on all four limbs. Relative importance of the factors affecting glycogen metabolism in skeletal muscle during the recovery period was also examined. Glycogen concentration was found to decrease within 15 min and up to 2 h of recovery, while muscle glucose 6-phosphate, and the fractional activities of glycogen phosphorylase and glycogen synthase increased. From 2 to 4 h, when the glycogen synthase activity remained elevated and the phosphorylase activity declined, glycogen concentration increased, until it reached maximum values at about 24 h, after which it started to decrease, reaching control values by 72 h. At 12 and 24 h, the inverse relationship between glycogen concentration and the synthase activity ratio was lost, indicating that the reloading transiently uncoupled glycogen control of this enzyme.

  15. Glycogen with short average chain length enhances bacterial durability

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Wang, Liang; Wise, Michael J.

    2011-09-01

    Glycogen is conventionally viewed as an energy reserve that can be rapidly mobilized for ATP production in higher organisms. However, several studies have noted that glycogen with short average chain length in some bacteria is degraded very slowly. In addition, slow utilization of glycogen is correlated with bacterial viability, that is, the slower the glycogen breakdown rate, the longer the bacterial survival time in the external environment under starvation conditions. We call that a durable energy storage mechanism (DESM). In this review, evidence from microbiology, biochemistry, and molecular biology will be assembled to support the hypothesis of glycogen as a durable energy storage compound. One method for testing the DESM hypothesis is proposed.

  16. NMR studies of muscle glycogen synthesis in insulin-resistant offspring of parents with non-insulin-dependent diabetes mellitus immediately after glycogen-depleting exercise.

    PubMed Central

    Price, T B; Perseghin, G; Duleba, A; Chen, W; Chase, J; Rothman, D L; Shulman, R G; Shulman, G I

    1996-01-01

    To examine the impact of insulin resistance on the insulin-dependent and insulin-independent portions of muscle glycogen synthesis during recovery from exercise, we studied eight young, lean, normoglycemic insulin-resistant (IR) offspring of individuals with non-insulin-dependent diabetes mellitus and eight age-weight matched control (CON) subjects after plantar flexion exercise that lowered muscle glycogen to approximately 25% of resting concentration. After approximately 20 min of exercise, intramuscular glucose 6-phosphate and glycogen were simultaneously monitored with 31P and 13C NMR spectroscopies. The postexercise rate of glycogen resynthesis was nonlinear. Glycogen synthesis rates during the initial insulin independent portion (0-1 hr of recovery) were similar in the two groups (IR, 15.5 +/- 1.3 mM/hr and CON, 15.8 +/- 1.7 mM/hr); however, over the next 4 hr, insulin-dependent glycogen synthesis was significantly reduced in the IR group [IR, 0.1 +/- 0.5 mM/hr and CON, 2.9 +/- 0.2 mM/hr; (P < or = 0.001)]. After exercise there was an initial rise in glucose 6-phosphate concentrations that returned to baseline after the first hour of recovery in both groups. In summary, we found that following muscle glycogen-depleting exercise, IR offspring of parents with non-insulin-dependent diabetes mellitus had (i) normal rates of muscle glycogen synthesis during the insulin-independent phase of recovery from exercise and (ii) severely diminished rates of muscle glycogen synthesis during the subsequent recovery period (2-5 hr), which has previously been shown to be insulin-dependent in normal CON subjects. These data provide evidence that exercise and insulin stimulate muscle glycogen synthesis in humans by different mechanisms and that in the IR subjects the early response to stimulation by exercise is normal. PMID:8643574

  17. Glycogen metabolism and the homeostatic regulation of sleep.

    PubMed

    Petit, Jean-Marie; Burlet-Godinot, Sophie; Magistretti, Pierre J; Allaman, Igor

    2015-02-01

    In 1995 Benington and Heller formulated an energy hypothesis of sleep centered on a key role of glycogen. It was postulated that a major function of sleep is to replenish glycogen stores in the brain that have been depleted during wakefulness which is associated to an increased energy demand. Astrocytic glycogen depletion participates to an increase of extracellular adenosine release which influences sleep homeostasis. Here, we will review some evidence obtained by studies addressing the question of a key role played by glycogen metabolism in sleep regulation as proposed by this hypothesis or by an alternative hypothesis named "glycogenetic" hypothesis as well as the importance of the confounding effect of glucocorticoïds. Even though actual collected data argue in favor of a role of sleep in brain energy balance-homeostasis, they do not support a critical and direct involvement of glycogen metabolism on sleep regulation. For instance, glycogen levels during the sleep-wake cycle are driven by different physiological signals and therefore appear more as a marker-integrator of brain energy status than a direct regulator of sleep homeostasis. In support of this we provide evidence that blockade of glycogen mobilization does not induce more sleep episodes during the active period while locomotor activity is reduced. These observations do not invalidate the energy hypothesis of sleep but indicate that underlying cellular mechanisms are more complex than postulated by Benington and Heller.

  18. Analysis of genes involved in glycogen degradation in Escherichia coli.

    PubMed

    Strydom, Lindi; Jewell, Jonathan; Meier, Michael A; George, Gavin M; Pfister, Barbara; Zeeman, Samuel; Kossmann, Jens; Lloyd, James R

    2017-02-01

    Escherichia coli accumulate or degrade glycogen depending on environmental carbon supply. Glycogen phosphorylase (GlgP) and glycogen debranching enzyme (GlgX) are known to act on the glycogen polymer, while maltodextrin phosphorylase (MalP) is thought to remove maltodextrins released by GlgX. To examine the roles of these enzymes in more detail, single, double and triple mutants lacking all their activities were produced. GlgX and GlgP were shown to act directly on the glycogen polymer, while MalP most likely catabolised soluble malto-oligosaccharides. Interestingly, analysis of a triple mutant lacking all three enzymes indicates the presence of another enzyme that can release maltodextrins from glycogen. © FEMS 2017. All rights reserved. For permissions, please e-mail: journals.permissions@oup.com.

  19. Lack of Glycogenin Causes Glycogen Accumulation and Muscle Function Impairment.

    PubMed

    Testoni, Giorgia; Duran, Jordi; García-Rocha, Mar; Vilaplana, Francisco; Serrano, Antonio L; Sebastián, David; López-Soldado, Iliana; Sullivan, Mitchell A; Slebe, Felipe; Vilaseca, Marta; Muñoz-Cánoves, Pura; Guinovart, Joan J

    2017-07-05

    Glycogenin is considered essential for glycogen synthesis, as it acts as a primer for the initiation of the polysaccharide chain. Against expectations, glycogenin-deficient mice (Gyg KO) accumulate high amounts of glycogen in striated muscle. Furthermore, this glycogen contains no covalently bound protein, thereby demonstrating that a protein primer is not strictly necessary for the synthesis of the polysaccharide in vivo. Strikingly, in spite of the higher glycogen content, Gyg KO mice showed lower resting energy expenditure and less resistance than control animals when subjected to endurance exercise. These observations can be attributed to a switch of oxidative myofibers toward glycolytic metabolism. Mice overexpressing glycogen synthase in the muscle showed similar alterations, thus indicating that this switch is caused by the excess of glycogen. These results may explain the muscular defects of GSD XV patients, who lack glycogenin-1 and show high glycogen accumulation in muscle. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

  20. Neurons have an active glycogen metabolism that contributes to tolerance to hypoxia.

    PubMed

    Saez, Isabel; Duran, Jordi; Sinadinos, Christopher; Beltran, Antoni; Yanes, Oscar; Tevy, María F; Martínez-Pons, Carlos; Milán, Marco; Guinovart, Joan J

    2014-06-01

    Glycogen is present in the brain, where it has been found mainly in glial cells but not in neurons. Therefore, all physiologic roles of brain glycogen have been attributed exclusively to astrocytic glycogen. Working with primary cultured neurons, as well as with genetically modified mice and flies, here we report that-against general belief-neurons contain a low but measurable amount of glycogen. Moreover, we also show that these cells express the brain isoform of glycogen phosphorylase, allowing glycogen to be fully metabolized. Most importantly, we show an active neuronal glycogen metabolism that protects cultured neurons from hypoxia-induced death and flies from hypoxia-induced stupor. Our findings change the current view of the role of glycogen in the brain and reveal that endogenous neuronal glycogen metabolism participates in the neuronal tolerance to hypoxic stress.

  1. Glycogen metabolism in the glucose-sensing and supply-driven β-cell.

    PubMed

    Andersson, Lotta E; Nicholas, Lisa M; Filipsson, Karin; Sun, Jiangming; Medina, Anya; Al-Majdoub, Mahmoud; Fex, Malin; Mulder, Hindrik; Spégel, Peter

    2016-12-01

    Glycogen metabolism in β-cells may affect downstream metabolic pathways controlling insulin release. We examined glycogen metabolism in human islets and in the rodent-derived INS-1 832/13 β-cells and found them to express the same isoforms of key enzymes required for glycogen metabolism. Our findings indicate that glycogenesis is insulin-independent but influenced by extracellular glucose concentrations. Levels of glycogen synthase decrease with increasing glucose concentrations, paralleling accumulation of glycogen. We did not find cAMP-elicited glycogenolysis and insulin secretion to be causally related. In conclusion, our results reveal regulated glycogen metabolism in human islets and insulin-secreting cells. Whether glycogen metabolism affects insulin secretion under physiological conditions remains to be determined. © 2016 Federation of European Biochemical Societies.

  2. Neurons have an active glycogen metabolism that contributes to tolerance to hypoxia

    PubMed Central

    Saez, Isabel; Duran, Jordi; Sinadinos, Christopher; Beltran, Antoni; Yanes, Oscar; Tevy, María F; Martínez-Pons, Carlos; Milán, Marco; Guinovart, Joan J

    2014-01-01

    Glycogen is present in the brain, where it has been found mainly in glial cells but not in neurons. Therefore, all physiologic roles of brain glycogen have been attributed exclusively to astrocytic glycogen. Working with primary cultured neurons, as well as with genetically modified mice and flies, here we report that—against general belief—neurons contain a low but measurable amount of glycogen. Moreover, we also show that these cells express the brain isoform of glycogen phosphorylase, allowing glycogen to be fully metabolized. Most importantly, we show an active neuronal glycogen metabolism that protects cultured neurons from hypoxia-induced death and flies from hypoxia-induced stupor. Our findings change the current view of the role of glycogen in the brain and reveal that endogenous neuronal glycogen metabolism participates in the neuronal tolerance to hypoxic stress. PMID:24569689

  3. Structural mechanism of laforin function in glycogen dephosphorylation and lafora disease.

    PubMed

    Raththagala, Madushi; Brewer, M Kathryn; Parker, Matthew W; Sherwood, Amanda R; Wong, Brian K; Hsu, Simon; Bridges, Travis M; Paasch, Bradley C; Hellman, Lance M; Husodo, Satrio; Meekins, David A; Taylor, Adam O; Turner, Benjamin D; Auger, Kyle D; Dukhande, Vikas V; Chakravarthy, Srinivas; Sanz, Pascual; Woods, Virgil L; Li, Sheng; Vander Kooi, Craig W; Gentry, Matthew S

    2015-01-22

    Glycogen is the major mammalian glucose storage cache and is critical for energy homeostasis. Glycogen synthesis in neurons must be tightly controlled due to neuronal sensitivity to perturbations in glycogen metabolism. Lafora disease (LD) is a fatal, congenital, neurodegenerative epilepsy. Mutations in the gene encoding the glycogen phosphatase laforin result in hyperphosphorylated glycogen that forms water-insoluble inclusions called Lafora bodies (LBs). LBs induce neuronal apoptosis and are the causative agent of LD. The mechanism of glycogen dephosphorylation by laforin and dysfunction in LD is unknown. We report the crystal structure of laforin bound to phosphoglucan product, revealing its unique integrated tertiary and quaternary structure. Structure-guided mutagenesis combined with biophysical and biochemical analyses reveal the basis for normal function of laforin in glycogen metabolism. Analyses of LD patient mutations define the mechanism by which subsets of mutations disrupt laforin function. These data provide fundamental insights connecting glycogen metabolism to neurodegenerative disease. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

  4. α₂-Adrenoceptors activate noradrenaline-mediated glycogen turnover in chick astrocytes.

    PubMed

    Hutchinson, Dana S; Catus, Stephanie L; Merlin, Jon; Summers, Roger J; Gibbs, Marie E

    2011-06-01

    In the brain, glycogen is primarily stored in astrocytes where it is regulated by several hormones/neurotransmitters, including noradrenaline that controls glycogen breakdown (in the short term) and synthesis. Here, we have examined the adrenoceptor (AR) subtype that mediates the glycogenic effect of noradrenaline in chick primary astrocytes by the measurement of glycogen turnover (total (14) C incorporation of glucose into glycogen) following noradrenergic activation. Noradrenaline and insulin increased glycogen turnover in a concentration-dependent manner. The effect of noradrenaline was mimicked by stimulation of α(2) -ARs (and to a lesser degree by β(3) -ARs), but not by stimulation of α(1) -, β(1) -, or β(2) -ARs, and occurred only in astrocytes and not neurons. In chick astrocytes, studies using RT-PCR and radioligand binding showed that α(2A) - and α(2C) -AR mRNA and protein were present. α(2) -AR- or insulin-mediated glycogen turnover was inhibited by phosphatidylinositol-3 kinase inhibitors, and both insulin and clonidine caused phosphorylation of Akt and glycogen synthase kinase-3 in chick astrocytes. α(2) -AR but not insulin-mediated glycogen turnover was inhibited by pertussis toxin pre-treatment indicating involvement of Gi/o proteins. These results show that the increase in glycogen turnover caused by noradrenaline is because of activation of α(2) -ARs that increase glycogen turnover in astrocytes utilizing a Gi/o-PI3K pathway. © 2011 The Authors. Journal of Neurochemistry © 2011 International Society for Neurochemistry.

  5. Exercise Training-Induced Adaptations Associated with Increases in Skeletal Muscle Glycogen Content

    PubMed Central

    Manabe, Yasuko; Gollisch, Katja S.C.; Holton, Laura; Kim, Young–Bum; Brandauer, Josef; Fujii, Nobuharu L.; Hirshman, Michael F.; Goodyear, Laurie J.

    2012-01-01

    Chronic exercise training results in numerous skeletal muscle adaptations, including increases in insulin sensitivity and glycogen content. To understand the mechanism for increased muscle glycogen, we studied the effects of exercise training on glycogen regulatory proteins in rat skeletal muscle. Female Sprague Dawley rats performed voluntary wheel running for 1, 4, or 7 weeks. After 7 weeks of training, insulin-stimulated glucose uptake was increased in epitrochlearis muscle. Compared to sedentary control rats, muscle glycogen did not change after 1 week of training, but increased significantly after 4 and 7 weeks. The increases in muscle glycogen were accompanied by elevated glycogen synthase activity and protein expression. To assess the regulation of glycogen synthase, we examined its major activator, protein phosphatase 1 (PP1), and its major deactivator, glycogen synthase kinase 3 (GSK3). Consistent with glycogen synthase activity, PP1 activity was unchanged after 1 week of training but significantly increased after 4 and 7 weeks of training. Protein expression of RGL(GM), another regulatory PP1 subunit, significantly decreased after 4 and 7 weeks of training. Unlike PP1, GSK3 phosphorylation did not follow the pattern of glycogen synthase activity. The ~40% decrease in GSK-3α phosphorylation after 1 week of exercise training persisted until 7 weeks and may function as a negative feedback to elevated glycogen. Our findings suggest that exercise training-induced increases in muscle glycogen content could be regulated by multiple mechanisms including enhanced insulin sensitivity, glycogen synthase expression, allosteric activation of glycogen synthase and PP1activity. PMID:23206309

  6. Glycogen distribution in the microwave-fixed mouse brain reveals heterogeneous astrocytic patterns.

    PubMed

    Oe, Yuki; Baba, Otto; Ashida, Hitoshi; Nakamura, Kouichi C; Hirase, Hajime

    2016-09-01

    In the brain, glycogen metabolism has been implied in synaptic plasticity and learning, yet the distribution of this molecule has not been fully described. We investigated cerebral glycogen of the mouse by immunohistochemistry (IHC) using two monoclonal antibodies that have different affinities depending on the glycogen size. The use of focused microwave irradiation yielded well-defined glycogen immunoreactive signals compared with the conventional periodic acid-Schiff method. The IHC signals displayed a punctate distribution localized predominantly in astrocytic processes. Glycogen immunoreactivity (IR) was high in the hippocampus, striatum, cortex, and cerebellar molecular layer, whereas it was low in the white matter and most of the subcortical structures. Additionally, glycogen distribution in the hippocampal CA3-CA1 and striatum had a 'patchy' appearance with glycogen-rich and glycogen-poor astrocytes appearing in alternation. The glycogen patches were more evident with large-molecule glycogen in young adult mice but they were hardly observable in aged mice (1-2 years old). Our results reveal brain region-dependent glycogen accumulation and possibly metabolic heterogeneity of astrocytes. GLIA 2016;64:1532-1545. © 2016 The Authors. Glia Published by Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

  7. Regulators of Autophagosome Formation in Drosophila Muscles

    PubMed Central

    Zirin, Jonathan; Nieuwenhuis, Joppe; Samsonova, Anastasia; Tao, Rong; Perrimon, Norbert

    2015-01-01

    Given the diversity of autophagy targets and regulation, it is important to characterize autophagy in various cell types and conditions. We used a primary myocyte cell culture system to assay the role of putative autophagy regulators in the specific context of skeletal muscle. By treating the cultures with rapamycin (Rap) and chloroquine (CQ) we induced an autophagic response, fully suppressible by knockdown of core ATG genes. We screened D. melanogaster orthologs of a previously reported mammalian autophagy protein-protein interaction network, identifying several proteins required for autophagosome formation in muscle cells, including orthologs of the Rab regulators RabGap1 and Rab3Gap1. The screen also highlighted the critical roles of the proteasome and glycogen metabolism in regulating autophagy. Specifically, sustained proteasome inhibition inhibited autophagosome formation both in primary culture and larval skeletal muscle, even though autophagy normally acts to suppress ubiquitin aggregate formation in these tissues. In addition, analyses of glycogen metabolic genes in both primary cultured and larval muscles indicated that glycogen storage enhances the autophagic response to starvation, an important insight given the link between glycogen storage disorders, autophagy, and muscle function. PMID:25692684

  8. Patients with glycogen storage diseases undergoing anesthesia: a case series.

    PubMed

    Gurrieri, Carmelina; Sprung, Juraj; Weingarten, Toby N; Warner, Mary E

    2017-10-06

    Glycogen storage diseases are rare genetic disorders of glycogen synthesis, degradation, or metabolism regulation. When these patients are subjected to anesthesia, perioperative complications can develop, including hypoglycemia, rhabdomyolysis, myoglobinuria, acute renal failure, and postoperative fatigue. The objective of this study was to describe the perioperative course of a cohort of patients with glycogen storage diseases. This is a retrospective review of patients with glycogen storage diseases undergoing anesthetic care at our institution from January 1, 1990, through June 30, 2015 to assess perioperative management and outcomes. We identified 30 patients with a glycogen storage disease who underwent 41 procedures under anesthesia management. Intraoperative lactic acidosis developed during 4 major surgeries (3 liver transplants, 1 myectomy), and in all cases resolved within 24 postoperative hours. Lactated Ringer solution was used frequently. Preoperative and intraoperative hypoglycemia was noted in some patients with glycogen storage disease type I, all of which responded to administration of dextrose-containing solutions. No serious postoperative complications occurred. Patients with glycogen storage disease, despite substantial comorbid conditions, tolerates the anesthetic management without major complications. Several patients who experienced self-limited metabolic acidosis were undergoing major surgical procedures, during which acidosis could be anticipated. Close monitoring and management of blood glucose levels of patients with glycogen storage disease type I is prudent.

  9. [13C] GC-C-IRMS analysis of methylboronic acid derivatives of glucose from liver glycogen after the ingestion of [13C] labeled tracers in rats.

    PubMed

    Luengo, Catherine; Azzout-Marniche, Dalila; Fromentin, Claire; Piedcoq, Julien; Lemosquet, Sophie; Tomé, Daniel; Gaudichon, Claire

    2009-11-01

    We developed a complete method to measure low [(13)C] enrichments in glycogen. Fourteen rats were fed a control diet. Six of them also ingested either [U-(13)C] glucose (n=2) or a mixture of 20 [U-(13)C] amino acids (n=4). Hepatic glycogen was extracted, digested to glucose and purified on anion-cation exchange resins. After the optimization of methylboronic acid derivatization using GC-MS, [(13)C] enrichment of extracted glucose was measured by GC-C-IRMS. The accuracy was addressed by measuring the enrichment excess of a calibration curve, which observed values were in good agreement with the expected values (R=0.9979). Corrected delta values were -15.6+/-1.6 delta(13)C (per thousand) for control rats (n=8) and increased to -5 to 8 delta(13)C (per thousand) per thousand and 12-14 delta(13)C (per thousand) per thousand after the ingestion of [U-(13)C] amino acids or [U-(13)C] glucose as oral tracers, respectively. The method enabled the determination of dietary substrate transfer into glycogen. The sequestration of dietary glucose in liver glycogen 4 h after the meal was 35% of the ingested dose whereas the transfer of carbon skeletons from amino acids was only 0.25 to 1%.

  10. Why does the brain (not) have glycogen?

    PubMed

    DiNuzzo, Mauro; Maraviglia, Bruno; Giove, Federico

    2011-05-01

    In the present paper we formulate the hypothesis that brain glycogen is a critical determinant in the modulation of carbohydrate supply at the cellular level. Specifically, we propose that mobilization of astrocytic glycogen after an increase in AMP levels during enhanced neuronal activity controls the concentration of glucose phosphates in astrocytes. This would result in modulation of glucose phosphorylation by hexokinase and upstream cell glucose uptake. This mechanism would favor glucose channeling to activated neurons, supplementing the already rich neuron-astrocyte metabolic and functional partnership with important implications for the energy compounds used to sustain neuronal activity. The hypothesis is based on recent modeling evidence suggesting that rapid glycogen breakdown can profoundly alter the short-term kinetics of glucose delivery to neurons and astrocytes. It is also based on review of the literature relevant to glycogen metabolism during physiological brain activity, with an emphasis on the metabolic pathways identifying both the origin and the fate of this glucose reserve. Copyright © 2011 WILEY Periodicals, Inc.

  11. A new non-degradative method to purify glycogen.

    PubMed

    Tan, Xinle; Sullivan, Mitchell A; Gao, Fei; Li, Shihan; Schulz, Benjamin L; Gilbert, Robert G

    2016-08-20

    Liver glycogen, a complex branched glucose polymer containing a small amount of protein, is important for maintaining glucose homeostasis (blood-sugar control) in humans. It has recently been found that glycogen molecular structure is impaired in diabetes. Isolating the carbohydrate polymer and any intrinsically-attached protein(s) is an essential prerequisite for studying this structural impairment. This requires an effective, non-degradative and efficient purification method to exclude the many other proteins present in liver. Proteins and glycogen have different ranges of molecular sizes. Despite the plethora of proteins that might still be present in significant abundance after other isolation techniques, SEC (size exclusion chromatography, also known as GPC), which separates by molecular size, should separate those extraneous to glycogen from glycogen with any intrinsically associated protein(s). A novel purification method is developed for this, based on preparative SEC following sucrose gradient centrifugation. Proteomics is used to show that the new method compares favourably with current methods in the literature. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

  12. Technical and experimental features of Magnetic Resonance Spectroscopy of brain glycogen metabolism.

    PubMed

    Soares, Ana Francisca; Gruetter, Rolf; Lei, Hongxia

    2017-07-15

    In the brain, glycogen is a source of glucose not only in emergency situations but also during normal brain activity. Altered brain glycogen metabolism is associated with energetic dysregulation in pathological conditions, such as diabetes or epilepsy. Both in humans and animals, brain glycogen levels have been assessed non-invasively by Carbon-13 Magnetic Resonance Spectroscopy ( 13 C-MRS) in vivo. With this approach, glycogen synthesis and degradation may be followed in real time, thereby providing valuable insights into brain glycogen dynamics. However, compared to the liver and muscle, where glycogen is abundant, the sensitivity for detection of brain glycogen by 13 C-MRS is inherently low. In this review we focus on strategies used to optimize the sensitivity for 13 C-MRS detection of glycogen. Namely, we explore several technical perspectives, such as magnetic field strength, field homogeneity, coil design, decoupling, and localization methods. Furthermore, we also address basic principles underlying the use of 13 C-labeled precursors to enhance the detectable glycogen signal, emphasizing specific experimental aspects relevant for obtaining kinetic information on brain glycogen. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

  13. Expression and characterization of thermostable glycogen branching enzyme from Geobacillus mahadia Geo-05.

    PubMed

    Mohtar, Nur Syazwani; Abdul Rahman, Mohd Basyaruddin; Raja Abd Rahman, Raja Noor Zaliha; Leow, Thean Chor; Salleh, Abu Bakar; Mat Isa, Mohd Noor

    2016-01-01

    The glycogen branching enzyme (EC 2.4.1.18), which catalyses the formation of α -1,6-glycosidic branch points in glycogen structure, is often used to enhance the nutritional value and quality of food and beverages. In order to be applicable in industries, enzymes that are stable and active at high temperature are much desired. Using genome mining, the nucleotide sequence of the branching enzyme gene ( glgB ) was extracted from the Geobacillus mahadia Geo-05 genome sequence provided by the Malaysia Genome Institute. The size of the gene is 2013 bp, and the theoretical molecular weight of the protein is 78.43 kDa. The gene sequence was then used to predict the thermostability, function and the three dimensional structure of the enzyme. The gene was cloned and overexpressed in E. coli to verify the predicted result experimentally. The purified enzyme was used to study the effect of temperature and pH on enzyme activity and stability, and the inhibitory effect by metal ion on enzyme activity. This thermostable glycogen branching enzyme was found to be most active at 55 °C, and the half-life at 60 °C and 70 °C was 24 h and 5 h, respectively. From this research, a thermostable glycogen branching enzyme was successfully isolated from Geobacillus mahadia Geo-05 by genome mining together with molecular biology technique.

  14. HISTOCHEMICAL INVESTIGATIONS OF GLYCOGEN IN EYEBALL TISSUE IN RADIATION SICKNESS

    DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

    Abdullaev, V.M.

    1964-03-01

    Dogs and rabbits were irradiated with x-ray doses of 692 and 792 r, respectively. The animals were sacrificed at different periods following irradiation and the enucleated eyeballs embedded in celloidin and paraffin for histochemical study. Glycogen was nonuniformaly distributed as granules, lumps, powder, or a homogeneous mass in the normal coats of the eye. A high glycogen content was found in the eye muscles, conjunctival epithelium, sustentacular fibers of Muller, and vessels, especially those of the iris. There was a medium amount of glycogen in the corneal epithelium, rod and cone layer, ciliary muscles, and muscle bundles of the iris.more » Little glycogen was found in the outer plexiform and inner nuclear layers of the retina and in the substantia propria. Glycogen was lacking in the endothelium of Descemet's membrane and of the iris, the epithelium of the crystalline lens, and the glial cells of the optic nerve. The content and distribution of glycogen changed, depending on the severity and stage of radiation sickness. Increased glycogen content was noted in the eye muscles, outer layers of the retina, and vitreous body. A decrease was noted in the inner layers of the retina, the conjunctival epithelium, and in the nuclei of the crystalline lens. Glycogen disappeared in the crystalline lens in the areas of homogenation and fibrogenesis. (auth)« less

  15. Local depletion of glycogen with supramaximal exercise in human skeletal muscle fibres.

    PubMed

    Gejl, Kasper D; Ørtenblad, Niels; Andersson, Erik; Plomgaard, Peter; Holmberg, Hans-Christer; Nielsen, Joachim

    2017-05-01

    Glycogen is stored in local spatially distinct compartments within skeletal muscle fibres and is the main energy source during supramaximal exercise. Using quantitative electron microscopy, we show that supramaximal exercise induces a differential depletion of glycogen from these compartments and also demonstrate how this varies with fibre types. Repeated exercise alters this compartmentalized glycogen depletion. The results obtained in the present study help us understand the muscle metabolic dynamics of whole body repeated supramaximal exercise, and suggest that the muscle has a compartmentalized local adaptation to repeated exercise, which affects glycogen depletion. Skeletal muscle glycogen is heterogeneously distributed in three separated compartments (intramyofibrillar, intermyofibrillar and subsarcolemmal). Although only constituting 3-13% of the total glycogen volume, the availability of intramyofibrillar glycogen is of particular importance to muscle function. The present study aimed to investigate the depletion of these three subcellular glycogen compartments during repeated supramaximal exercise in elite athletes. Ten elite cross-country skiers (aged 25 ± 4 years, V̇O2 max : 65 ± 4 ml kg -1  min -1 ; mean ± SD) performed four ∼4 min supramaximal sprint time trials (STT 1-4) with 45 min of recovery. The subcellular glycogen volumes in musculus triceps brachii were quantified from electron microscopy images before and after both STT 1 and 4. During STT 1, the depletion of intramyofibrillar glycogen was higher in type 1 fibres [-52%; (-89:-15%)] than type 2 fibres [-15% (-52:22%)] (P = 0.02), whereas the depletion of intermyofibrillar glycogen [main effect: -19% (-33:0%), P = 0.006] and subsarcolemmal glycogen [main effect: -35% (-66:0%), P = 0.03] was similar between fibre types. By contrast, only intermyofibrillar glycogen volume was significantly reduced during STT 4, in both fibre types [main effect: -31% (-50:-11%), P = 0

  16. Experiment K-6-14. Hepatic function in rats after spaceflight

    NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

    Merrill, A., Jr.; Hoel, M.; Wang, E.; Jones, D.; Hargrove, J.; Mullins, R.; Popova, I.

    1990-01-01

    To determine the possible biochemical consequences of prolonged weightlessness on liver function, tissue samples from rats that had flown aboard Cosmos 1887 were analyzed for hepatic protein, glycogen and lipids as well as the activities of a number of key enzymes involved in metabolism of these compounds and xenobiotics. Among the parameters measured, the major differences were elevations in the hepatic glycogen content and HMG-CoA reductase activities of the rats flown on Cosmos 1887, and a decrease in the amount of microsomal cytochrome P sub 450 and the activity of aniline hydroxylase, a cytochrome P sub 450-dependent enzyme. Decreases in these two indices of the microsomal mixed-function oxidase system indicated that spaceflight may compromise the ability of liver to metabolize drugs and toxins. The higher HMG-CoA reductase correlated with elevated levels of serum cholestrol. Other changes included somewhat higher blood glucose, creatinine, SGOT, and much greater alkaline phosphatase and BUN. These results generally support the earlier observation of changes in these parameters (Merrill et al., Am. J. Physiol. 252:R22-R226, 1987). The importance of these alterations in liver function is not known; however, they have the potential to complicate long-term spaceflight.

  17. Carbohydrate feeding and glycogen synthesis during exercise in man.

    PubMed

    Kuipers, H; Keizer, H A; Brouns, F; Saris, W H

    1987-12-01

    In 7 male cyclists glycogen synthesis during exercise and rest was studied. Each subject did two exercise trials (A and B), in random order. In both trials, after determining the maximal workload (Wmax), intermittent exercise was given to exhaustion. After the exhaustive exercise and taking a muscle biopsy the subjects either exercised at 40% Wmax for 3 h (trial A) or rested for 3 h (trial B), during which they consumed approximately 2 l of a 25% malto-dextrine drink in both trials. After 3 h rest (trial A) or 3 h of mild exercise (trial B) a second muscle biopsy was taken for total glycogen and histochemistry (ATPase and PAS). Blood glucose and insulin levels were elevated during the first 2 h of exercise (p less than 0.05). Glycogen depletion was most pronounced in type I and to a less extent in type IIA fibers. In trial A muscle glycogen increased from 136 +/- 66 to 199 +/- 71 mmol/kg DW, and in trial B from 145 +/- 56 to 257 +/- 79 mmol/kg DW. During exercise glycogen repletion was restricted to type IIA and IIB fibers, whereas during rest glycogen synthesis occurred both in type I and type II fibers. The present study demonstrates that oral carbohydrate administered during exercise may not only provide substrate for energy metabolism, but can also be utilized for glycogen synthesis in the non-active muscle fibers.

  18. Glycogen branching enzyme (GBE1) mutation causing equine glycogen storage disease IV.

    PubMed

    Ward, Tara L; Valberg, Stephanie J; Adelson, David L; Abbey, Colette A; Binns, Matthew M; Mickelson, James R

    2004-07-01

    Comparative biochemical and histopathological evidence suggests that a deficiency in the glycogen branching enzyme, encoded by the GBE1 gene, is responsible for a recently identified recessive fatal fetal and neonatal glycogen storage disease (GSD) in American Quarter Horses termed GSD IV. We have now derived the complete GBE1 cDNA sequences for control horses and affected foals, and identified a C to A substitution at base 102 that results in a tyrosine (Y) to stop (X) mutation in codon 34 of exon 1. All 11 affected foals were homozygous for the X34 allele, their 11 available dams and sires were heterozygous, and all 16 control horses were homozygous for the Y34 allele. The previous findings of poorly branched glycogen, abnormal polysaccharide accumulation, lack of measurable GBE1 enzyme activity and immunodetectable GBE1 protein, coupled with the present observation of abundant GBE1 mRNA in affected foals, are all consistent with the nonsense mutation in the 699 amino acid GBE1 protein. The affected foal pedigrees have a common ancestor and contain prolific stallions that are likely carriers of the recessive X34 allele. Defining the molecular basis of equine GSD IV will allow for accurate DNA testing and the ability to prevent occurrence of this devastating disease affecting American Quarter Horses and related breeds.

  19. Modulatory effects of naringin on hepatic key enzymes of carbohydrate metabolism in high-fat diet/low-dose streptozotocin-induced diabetes in rats.

    PubMed

    Pari, Leelavinothan; Chandramohan, Ramasamy

    2017-07-01

    We evaluated the modulatory effects of naringin on altered hepatic key enzymes of carbohydrate metabolism in high-fat diet/low-dose streptozotocin-induced diabetic rats. Oral treatment of naringin at a doses of 20, 40 and 80 mg/kg body weight to diabetic rats for 30 days resulted in a significant reduction in the levels of plasma glucose, blood glycosylated hemoglobin and increase in the levels of plasma insulin and blood hemoglobin. The altered activities of the hepatic key enzymes of carbohydrate metabolism such as hexokinase, glucose-6-phosphatase, fructose-1,6-bisphosphatase, glucose-6-phosphate dehydrogenase, glycogen synthase, glycogen phosphorylase and glycogen content of diabetic rats were significantly reverted to near normal levels by the treatment of naringin in a dose-dependent manner. Naringin at a dose of 80 mg/kg body weight showed the highest significant effect than the other two doses (20 and 40 mg/kg). Further, immunohistochemical observation of pancreas revealed that naringin-treated diabetic rats showed the increased number of insulin immunoreactive β-cells, which confirmed the biochemical findings. These findings revealed that naringin has potential antihyperglycemic activity in high-fat diet/low-dose streptozotocin-induced diabetic rats.

  20. Glycogen in the Nervous System. I; Methods for Light and Electron Microscopy

    NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

    Estable, Rosita F. De; Estable-Puig, J. F.; Miquel, J.

    1964-01-01

    'l'he relative value of different methods for combined light and electron microscopical studies of glycogen in the nervous tissue was investigated. Picroalcoholic fixatives preserve glycogen in a considerable amount but give an inadequate morphological image of glycogen distribution and are unsuitable for ultrastructural studies. Fixation by perfusion, with Dalton's chromeosmic fluid seems adequate for ultrastructural cytochemistry of glycogen. Furthermore it permits routine paraffin embedding of brain slices adjacent to those used for electron microscopy. Dimedone blocking is a necessary step for a selective staining of glycogen with PAS after osmic fixation. Enzymatic removal of glycogen in osmic fixed nervous tissue can be done In paraffin-embedded tissue. It can also be performed in glycolmethacrylate-embedded tissue without removal of the embedding medium. Paraphenylenediamine stains glycogen following periodic acid oxidation.

  1. The effect of glycogen phosphorolysis on basal glutaminergic transmission.

    PubMed

    Mozrzymas, Jerzy; Szczęsny, Tomasz; Rakus, Darek

    2011-01-14

    Astrocytic glycogen metabolism sustains neuronal activity but its impact on basal glutamatergic synaptic transmission is not clear. To address this issue, we have compared the effect of glycogen breakdown inhibition on miniature excitatory postsynaptic currents (mEPSCs) in rat hippocampal pure neuronal culture (PNC) and in astrocyte-neuronal co-cultures (ANCC). Amplitudes of mEPSC in ANCC were nearly twice as large as in PNC with no difference in current kinetics. Inhibition of glycogen phosphorylase reduced mEPSC amplitude by roughly 40% in ANCC being ineffective in PNC. Altogether, these data indicate that astrocyte-neuronal interaction enhances basal mEPSCs in ANCC mainly due to astrocytic glycogen metabolism. Copyright © 2010 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

  2. Genetics Home Reference: glycogen storage disease type 0

    MedlinePlus

    ... complex sugar called glycogen , which is a major source of stored energy in the body. GSD 0 has two types: ... these cells do not have glycogen as a source of stored energy to draw upon following physical activity or fasting. ...

  3. Reduced neonatal mortality in Meishan piglets: a role for hepatic fatty acids?

    PubMed

    Fainberg, Hernan P; Bodley, Katherine; Bacardit, Jaume; Li, Dongfang; Wessely, Frank; Mongan, Nigel P; Symonds, Michael E; Clarke, Lynne; Mostyn, Alison

    2012-01-01

    The Meishan pig breed exhibits increased prolificacy and reduced neonatal mortality compared to commercial breeds, such as the Large White, prompting breeders to introduce the Meishan genotype into commercial herds. Commercial piglets are highly susceptible to hypoglycemia, hypothermia, and death, potentially due to limited lipid stores and/or delayed hepatic metabolic ability. We therefore hypothesized that variation in hepatic development and lipid metabolism could contribute to the differences in neonatal mortality between breeds. Liver samples were obtained from piglets of each breed on days 0, 7, and 21 of postnatal age and subjected to molecular and biochemical analysis. At birth, both breeds exhibited similar hepatic glycogen contents, despite Meishan piglets having significantly lower body weight. The livers from newborn Meishan piglets exhibited increased C18∶1n9C and C20∶1n9 but lower C18∶0, C20∶4n6, and C22∶6n3 fatty acid content. Furthermore, by using an unsupervised machine learning approach, we detected an interaction between C18∶1n9C and glycogen content in newborn Meishan piglets. Bioinformatic analysis could identify unique age-based clusters from the lipid profiles in Meishan piglets that were not apparent in the commercial offspring. Examination of the fatty acid signature during the neonatal period provides novel insights into the body composition of Meishan piglets that may facilitate liver responses that prevent hypoglycaemia and reduce offspring mortality.

  4. Glycogen distribution in the microwave‐fixed mouse brain reveals heterogeneous astrocytic patterns

    PubMed Central

    Baba, Otto; Ashida, Hitoshi; Nakamura, Kouichi C.

    2016-01-01

    In the brain, glycogen metabolism has been implied in synaptic plasticity and learning, yet the distribution of this molecule has not been fully described. We investigated cerebral glycogen of the mouse by immunohistochemistry (IHC) using two monoclonal antibodies that have different affinities depending on the glycogen size. The use of focused microwave irradiation yielded well‐defined glycogen immunoreactive signals compared with the conventional periodic acid‐Schiff method. The IHC signals displayed a punctate distribution localized predominantly in astrocytic processes. Glycogen immunoreactivity (IR) was high in the hippocampus, striatum, cortex, and cerebellar molecular layer, whereas it was low in the white matter and most of the subcortical structures. Additionally, glycogen distribution in the hippocampal CA3‐CA1 and striatum had a ‘patchy’ appearance with glycogen‐rich and glycogen‐poor astrocytes appearing in alternation. The glycogen patches were more evident with large‐molecule glycogen in young adult mice but they were hardly observable in aged mice (1–2 years old). Our results reveal brain region‐dependent glycogen accumulation and possibly metabolic heterogeneity of astrocytes. GLIA 2016;64:1532–1545 PMID:27353480

  5. Local depletion of glycogen with supramaximal exercise in human skeletal muscle fibres

    PubMed Central

    Ørtenblad, Niels; Andersson, Erik; Plomgaard, Peter; Holmberg, Hans‐Christer; Nielsen, Joachim

    2016-01-01

    Key points Glycogen is stored in local spatially distinct compartments within skeletal muscle fibres and is the main energy source during supramaximal exercise.Using quantitative electron microscopy, we show that supramaximal exercise induces a differential depletion of glycogen from these compartments and also demonstrate how this varies with fibre types.Repeated exercise alters this compartmentalized glycogen depletion.The results obtained in the present study help us understand the muscle metabolic dynamics of whole body repeated supramaximal exercise, and suggest that the muscle has a compartmentalized local adaptation to repeated exercise, which affects glycogen depletion. Abstract Skeletal muscle glycogen is heterogeneously distributed in three separated compartments (intramyofibrillar, intermyofibrillar and subsarcolemmal). Although only constituting 3–13% of the total glycogen volume, the availability of intramyofibrillar glycogen is of particular importance to muscle function. The present study aimed to investigate the depletion of these three subcellular glycogen compartments during repeated supramaximal exercise in elite athletes. Ten elite cross‐country skiers (aged 25 ± 4 years, V˙O2 max : 65 ± 4 ml kg−1 min−1; mean ± SD) performed four ∼4 min supramaximal sprint time trials (STT 1–4) with 45 min of recovery. The subcellular glycogen volumes in musculus triceps brachii were quantified from electron microscopy images before and after both STT 1 and 4. During STT 1, the depletion of intramyofibrillar glycogen was higher in type 1 fibres [−52%; (−89:−15%)] than type 2 fibres [−15% (−52:22%)] (P = 0.02), whereas the depletion of intermyofibrillar glycogen [main effect: −19% (−33:0%), P = 0.006] and subsarcolemmal glycogen [main effect: −35% (−66:0%), P = 0.03] was similar between fibre types. By contrast, only intermyofibrillar glycogen volume was significantly reduced during STT 4, in both fibre types

  6. Glycogen phosphorylase in Acanthamoeba spp.: determining the role of the enzyme during the encystment process using RNA interference.

    PubMed

    Lorenzo-Morales, Jacob; Kliescikova, Jarmila; Martinez-Carretero, Enrique; De Pablos, Luis Miguel; Profotova, Bronislava; Nohynkova, Eva; Osuna, Antonio; Valladares, Basilio

    2008-03-01

    Acanthamoeba infections are difficult to treat due to often late diagnosis and the lack of effective and specific therapeutic agents. The most important reason for unsuccessful therapy seems to be the existence of a double-wall cyst stage that is highly resistant to the available treatments, causing reinfections. The major components of the Acanthamoeba cyst wall are acid-resistant proteins and cellulose. The latter has been reported to be the major component of the inner cyst wall. It has been demonstrated previously that glycogen is the main source of free glucose for the synthesis of cellulose in Acanthamoeba, partly as glycogen levels fall during the encystment process. In other lower eukaryotes (e.g., Dictyostelium discoideum), glycogen phosphorylase has been reported to be the main tool used for glycogen breakdown in order to maintain the free glucose levels during the encystment process. Therefore, it was hypothesized that the regulation of the key processes involved in the Acanthamoeba encystment may be similar to the previously reported regulation mechanisms in other lower eukaryotes. The catalytic domain of the glycogen phosphorylase was silenced using RNA interference methods, and the effect of this phenomenon was assessed by light and electron microscopy analyses, calcofluor staining, expression zymogram assays, and Northern and Western blot analyses of both small interfering RNA-treated and control cells. The present report establishes the role of glycogen phosphorylase during the encystment process of Acanthamoeba. Moreover, the obtained results demonstrate that the enzyme is required for cyst wall assembly, mainly for the formation of the cell wall inner layer.

  7. Glycogen Phosphorylase in Acanthamoeba spp.: Determining the Role of the Enzyme during the Encystment Process Using RNA Interference▿

    PubMed Central

    Lorenzo-Morales, Jacob; Kliescikova, Jarmila; Martinez-Carretero, Enrique; De Pablos, Luis Miguel; Profotova, Bronislava; Nohynkova, Eva; Osuna, Antonio; Valladares, Basilio

    2008-01-01

    Acanthamoeba infections are difficult to treat due to often late diagnosis and the lack of effective and specific therapeutic agents. The most important reason for unsuccessful therapy seems to be the existence of a double-wall cyst stage that is highly resistant to the available treatments, causing reinfections. The major components of the Acanthamoeba cyst wall are acid-resistant proteins and cellulose. The latter has been reported to be the major component of the inner cyst wall. It has been demonstrated previously that glycogen is the main source of free glucose for the synthesis of cellulose in Acanthamoeba, partly as glycogen levels fall during the encystment process. In other lower eukaryotes (e.g., Dictyostelium discoideum), glycogen phosphorylase has been reported to be the main tool used for glycogen breakdown in order to maintain the free glucose levels during the encystment process. Therefore, it was hypothesized that the regulation of the key processes involved in the Acanthamoeba encystment may be similar to the previously reported regulation mechanisms in other lower eukaryotes. The catalytic domain of the glycogen phosphorylase was silenced using RNA interference methods, and the effect of this phenomenon was assessed by light and electron microscopy analyses, calcofluor staining, expression zymogram assays, and Northern and Western blot analyses of both small interfering RNA-treated and control cells. The present report establishes the role of glycogen phosphorylase during the encystment process of Acanthamoeba. Moreover, the obtained results demonstrate that the enzyme is required for cyst wall assembly, mainly for the formation of the cell wall inner layer. PMID:18223117

  8. Glycogen Synthase Kinase-3 is involved in glycogen metabolism control and embryogenesis of Rhodnius prolixus.

    PubMed

    Mury, Flávia B; Lugon, Magda D; DA Fonseca, Rodrigo Nunes; Silva, Jose R; Berni, Mateus; Araujo, Helena M; Fontenele, Marcio Ribeiro; Abreu, Leonardo Araujo DE; Dansa, Marílvia; Braz, Glória; Masuda, Hatisaburo; Logullo, Carlos

    2016-10-01

    Rhodnius prolixus is a blood-feeding insect that transmits Trypanosoma cruzi and Trypanosoma rangeli to vertebrate hosts. Rhodnius prolixus is also a classical model in insect physiology, and the recent availability of R. prolixus genome has opened new avenues on triatomine research. Glycogen synthase kinase 3 (GSK-3) is classically described as a key enzyme involved in glycogen metabolism, also acting as a downstream component of the Wnt pathway during embryogenesis. GSK-3 has been shown to be highly conserved among several organisms, mainly in the catalytic domain region. Meanwhile, the role of GSK-3 during R. prolixus embryogenesis or glycogen metabolism has not been investigated. Here we show that chemical inhibition of GSK-3 by alsterpaullone, an ATP-competitive inhibitor of GSK3, does not affect adult survival rate, though it alters oviposition and egg hatching. Specific GSK-3 gene silencing by dsRNA injection in adult females showed a similar phenotype. Furthermore, bright field and 4'-6-diamidino-2-phenylindole (DAPI) staining analysis revealed that ovaries and eggs from dsGSK-3 injected females exhibited specific morphological defects. We also demonstrate that glycogen content was inversely related to activity and transcription levels of GSK-3 during embryogenesis. Lastly, after GSK-3 knockdown, we observed changes in the expression of the Wingless (Wnt) downstream target β-catenin as well as in members of other pathways such as the receptor Notch. Taken together, our results show that GSK-3 regulation is essential for R. prolixus oogenesis and embryogenesis.

  9. Genetics Home Reference: glycogen storage disease type III

    MedlinePlus

    ... thought to lead to the production of an enzyme with reduced function. All AGL gene mutations lead to storage of ... Saltiel AR. Distinct mutations in the glycogen debranching enzyme found in glycogen ... in diverse cellular functions. Hum Mol Genet. 2009 Jun 1;18(11): ...

  10. The Action of Antidiabetic Plants of the Canadian James Bay Cree Traditional Pharmacopeia on Key Enzymes of Hepatic Glucose Homeostasis

    PubMed Central

    Nachar, Abir; Vallerand, Diane; Musallam, Lina; Lavoie, Louis; Arnason, John; Haddad, Pierre S.

    2013-01-01

    We determined the capacity of putative antidiabetic plants used by the Eastern James Bay Cree (Canada) to modulate key enzymes of gluconeogenesis and glycogen synthesis and key regulating kinases. Glucose-6-phosphatase (G6Pase) and glycogen synthase (GS) activities were assessed in cultured hepatocytes treated with crude extracts of seventeen plant species. Phosphorylation of AMP-dependent protein kinase (AMPK), Akt, and Glycogen synthase kinase-3 (GSK-3) were probed by Western blot. Seven of the seventeen plant extracts significantly decreased G6Pase activity, Abies balsamea and Picea glauca, exerting an effect similar to insulin. This action involved both Akt and AMPK phosphorylation. On the other hand, several plant extracts activated GS, Larix laricina and A. balsamea, far exceeding the action of insulin. We also found a significant correlation between GS stimulation and GSK-3 phosphorylation induced by plant extract treatments. In summary, three Cree plants stand out for marked effects on hepatic glucose homeostasis. P. glauca affects glucose production whereas L. laricina rather acts on glucose storage. However, A. balsamea has the most promising profile, simultaneously and powerfully reducing G6Pase and stimulating GS. Our studies thus confirm that the reduction of hepatic glucose production likely contributes to the therapeutic potential of several antidiabetic Cree traditional medicines. PMID:23864882

  11. Effect of long-term intraperitoneal zinc administration on liver glycogen levels in diabetic rats subjected to acute forced swimming.

    PubMed

    Bicer, Mursel; Gunay, Mehmet; Akil, Mustafa; Avunduk, Mustafa Cihat; Mogulkoc, Rasim; Baltaci, Abdulkerim Kasim

    2011-03-01

    This study aims to examine the effect of zinc administration on liver glycogen levels of rats in which diabetes was induced with streptozotocin and which were subjected to acute swimming exercise. The study was conducted on 80 adult Sprague-Dawley male rats, which were equally allocated to eight groups: group 1, general control; group 2, zinc-administrated control; group 3, zinc-administrated diabetic control; group 4, swimming control; group 5, zinc-administrated swimming; group 6, zinc-administrated diabetic swimming; group 7, diabetic swimming; group 8, diabetic control group. In order to induce diabetes, animals were injected with 40 mg/kg intraperitoneal (ip) streptozotocin. The injections were repeated in the same dose after 24 h. Animals which had blood glucose at or above 300 mg/dl 6 days after the last injections were accepted as diabetic. Zinc was administrated ip for 4 weeks as 6 mg/kg/day per rat. Hepatic tissue samples taken from the animals at the end of the study were fixed in 95% ethyl alcohol. Cross sections of 5 µm thickness, taken by the help of a microtome from the tissue samples buried in paraffin, were placed on a microscope slide and stained with periodic acid-Schiff and evaluated by light microscope. All microscopic images were transferred to a PC and assessed with the help of Clemex PE3.5 image analysis software. The lowest liver glycogen levels in the study were obtained in groups 3, 4, 6, 7, and 8. Liver glycogen levels in group 5 were higher than groups 3, 4, 6, 7, and 8, but lower than groups 1 and 2 (p < 0.05). Groups 1 and 2 had the highest liver glycogen levels. The results obtained from the study indicate that liver glycogen levels which dropped in acute swimming exercise were restored by zinc administration and that diabetes induced in rats prevented the protective effect of zinc.

  12. Four cases of type 1 diabetes mellitus showing sharp serum transaminase increases and hepatomegaly due to glycogenic hepatopathy.

    PubMed

    Ikarashi, Yuichi; Kogiso, Tomomi; Hashimoto, Etsuko; Yamamoto, Kuniko; Kodama, Kazuhisa; Taniai, Makiko; Torii, Nobuyuki; Takaike, Hiroko; Uchigata, Yasuko; Tokushige, Katsutoshi

    2017-03-01

    Poorly controlled diabetes mellitus (DM) patients sometimes show serum transaminase elevations due to steatohepatitis. However, we experienced four cases with type 1 DM with sharp elevations in serum transaminases that could not be explained by steatohepatitis alone and showed bright liver. They were diagnosed with glycogenic hepatopathy (GH) clinicopathologically. The four patients had a median age of 22.5 years (range, 19-29 years) and 12.5 (4-15)-year histories of type 1 DM and showed marked increases in serum transaminases (aspartate aminotransferase, 698 U/L [469-2763 U/L]; alanine transaminase, 255 U/L [216-956 U/L]). Diabetes mellitus control was poor and hemoglobin A1c was 12.7% (11-16.5%). Three cases had a past history of diabetic ketoacidosis. Hepatomegaly and hyperdense liver were seen on computed tomography scans. Magnetic resonance imaging showed low intensity in T2-weighted images. The pathological findings revealed pale and swollen hepatocytes and glycogenated nuclei. The architecture of the liver was preserved, and steatosis and fibrosis were mild. The cytoplasm of hepatocytes stained densely positive with periodic acid-Schiff, and the positive staining disappeared after diastase digestion, suggesting glycogen deposition. No other cause of hepatitis was evident, and the diagnosis was GH. Elevated transaminases improved within 1 month with good glycemic control. Transaminase elevations were observed several times in three cases with poor glycemic control. Glycogenic hepatopathy is rare, but extremely high serum elevations of transaminases are important to identify clinically. Despite showing a good clinical course in general, GH sometimes recurs and requires strict glycemic control. Clinicians should be aware of and recognize GH when dealing with uncontrolled DM patients. © 2016 The Japan Society of Hepatology.

  13. Prevention by zinc of cadmium-induced alterations in pancreatic and hepatic functions.

    PubMed Central

    Merali, Z; Singhal, R L

    1976-01-01

    Subacute cadmium treatment (CdCl2, 1 mg/kg twice daily for 7 days) in rats disturbs glucose homeostasis as shown by hyperglycemia and decreased glucose tolerance associated with suppression of insulin release, enhancement of hepatic gluconeogenic enzymes and decrease in hepatic glycogen content. 2 Exposure to cadmium increases hepatic cyclic adenosine 3',5'-monophosphate (cyclic AMP) and this is accompanied by stimulation of basal, adrenaline- as well as glucagon-stimulated form(s) of adenylate cyclase. 3 In contrast to cadmium, subacute administration of zinc (ZnCl2, 2 mg/kg twice daily for 7 days) fails to alter the activities of hepatic gluconeogenic enzymes, cyclic AMP synthesis, as well as glucose clearance and insulin release in response to a glucose load. 4 Zinc, when administered at the same time as cadmium, prevents the cadmium-induced lesions in both hepatic and pancreatic functions. 5 The results are discussed in relation to the possible mechanisms of cadmium toxicity and to the role of sulphydryl groups in the protection exercised by zinc. PMID:183849

  14. The role of skeletal muscle glycogen breakdown for regulation of insulin sensitivity by exercise.

    PubMed

    Jensen, Jørgen; Rustad, Per Inge; Kolnes, Anders Jensen; Lai, Yu-Chiang

    2011-01-01

    Glycogen is the storage form of carbohydrates in mammals. In humans the majority of glycogen is stored in skeletal muscles (∼500 g) and the liver (∼100 g). Food is supplied in larger meals, but the blood glucose concentration has to be kept within narrow limits to survive and stay healthy. Therefore, the body has to cope with periods of excess carbohydrates and periods without supplementation. Healthy persons remove blood glucose rapidly when glucose is in excess, but insulin-stimulated glucose disposal is reduced in insulin resistant and type 2 diabetic subjects. During a hyperinsulinemic euglycemic clamp, 70-90% of glucose disposal will be stored as muscle glycogen in healthy subjects. The glycogen stores in skeletal muscles are limited because an efficient feedback-mediated inhibition of glycogen synthase prevents accumulation. De novo lipid synthesis can contribute to glucose disposal when glycogen stores are filled. Exercise physiologists normally consider glycogen's main function as energy substrate. Glycogen is the main energy substrate during exercise intensity above 70% of maximal oxygen uptake ([Formula: see text]) and fatigue develops when the glycogen stores are depleted in the active muscles. After exercise, the rate of glycogen synthesis is increased to replete glycogen stores, and blood glucose is the substrate. Indeed insulin-stimulated glucose uptake and glycogen synthesis is elevated after exercise, which, from an evolutional point of view, will favor glycogen repletion and preparation for new "fight or flight" events. In the modern society, the reduced glycogen stores in skeletal muscles after exercise allows carbohydrates to be stored as muscle glycogen and prevents that glucose is channeled to de novo lipid synthesis, which over time will causes ectopic fat accumulation and insulin resistance. The reduction of skeletal muscle glycogen after exercise allows a healthy storage of carbohydrates after meals and prevents development of type 2

  15. Role of Autophagy in Glycogen Breakdown and Its Relevance to Chloroquine Myopathy

    PubMed Central

    Zirin, Jonathan; Nieuwenhuis, Joppe; Perrimon, Norbert

    2013-01-01

    Several myopathies are associated with defects in autophagic and lysosomal degradation of glycogen, but it remains unclear how glycogen is targeted to the lysosome and what significance this process has for muscle cells. We have established a Drosophila melanogaster model to study glycogen autophagy in skeletal muscles, using chloroquine (CQ) to simulate a vacuolar myopathy that is completely dependent on the core autophagy genes. We show that autophagy is required for the most efficient degradation of glycogen in response to starvation. Furthermore, we show that CQ-induced myopathy can be improved by reduction of either autophagy or glycogen synthesis, the latter possibly due to a direct role of Glycogen Synthase in regulating autophagy through its interaction with Atg8. PMID:24265594

  16. Effect of Entodinium caudatum on starch intake and glycogen formation by Eudiplodinium maggii in the rumen and reticulum.

    PubMed

    Bełżecki, Grzegorz; McEwan, Neil R; Kowalik, Barbara; Michałowski, Tadeusz; Miltko, Renata

    2017-02-01

    This study aimed to quantify the engulfed starch and reserve α-glucans (glycogen) in the cells of the ciliates Eudiplodinium maggii, as well the α-glucans in defaunated and selectively faunated sheep. The content of starch inside the cell of ciliates varied from 21 to 183mg/g protozoal DM relative to the rumen fauna composition whereas, the glycogen fluctuated between 17 and 126mg/g dry matter (DM) of this ciliate species. Establishment of the population Entodinium caudatum in the rumen of sheep already faunated with E. maggii caused a drop in both types of quantified carbohydrates. The content of α-glucans in the rumen of defaunated sheep varied from 4.4 to 19.9mg/g DM and increased to 7.4-29.9 or 11.8-33.9mg/g DM of rumen contents in the presence of only E. maggii or E. maggii and E. caudatum, respectively. The lowest content of the carbohydrates was always found just before feeding and the highest at 4h thereafter. The α-glucans in the reticulum varied 7.5-40.1, 14.3-76.8 or 21.9-106.1mg/g DM of reticulum content for defaunated, monofaunated or bifaunated sheep, respectively. The results indicated that both ciliate species engulf starch granules and convert the digestion products to the glycogen, diminishing the pool of starch available for amylolytic bacteria. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier GmbH. All rights reserved.

  17. Glycogen Phosphomonoester Distribution in Mouse Models of the Progressive Myoclonic Epilepsy, Lafora Disease*

    PubMed Central

    DePaoli-Roach, Anna A.; Contreras, Christopher J.; Segvich, Dyann M.; Heiss, Christian; Ishihara, Mayumi; Azadi, Parastoo; Roach, Peter J.

    2015-01-01

    Glycogen is a branched polymer of glucose that acts as an energy reserve in many cell types. Glycogen contains trace amounts of covalent phosphate, in the range of 1 phosphate per 500–2000 glucose residues depending on the source. The function, if any, is unknown, but in at least one genetic disease, the progressive myoclonic epilepsy Lafora disease, excessive phosphorylation of glycogen has been implicated in the pathology by disturbing glycogen structure. Some 90% of Lafora cases are attributed to mutations of the EPM2A or EPM2B genes, and mice with either gene disrupted accumulate hyperphosphorylated glycogen. It is, therefore, of importance to understand the chemistry of glycogen phosphorylation. Rabbit skeletal muscle glycogen contained covalent phosphate as monoesters of C2, C3, and C6 carbons of glucose residues based on analyses of phospho-oligosaccharides by NMR. Furthermore, using a sensitive assay for glucose 6-P in hydrolysates of glycogen coupled with measurement of total phosphate, we determined the proportion of C6 phosphorylation in rabbit muscle glycogen to be ∼20%. C6 phosphorylation also accounted for ∼20% of the covalent phosphate in wild type mouse muscle glycogen. Glycogen phosphorylation in Epm2a−/− and Epm2b−/− mice was increased 8- and 4-fold compared with wild type mice, but the proportion of C6 phosphorylation remained unchanged at ∼20%. Therefore, our results suggest that C2, C3, and/or C6 phosphate could all contribute to abnormal glycogen structure or to Lafora disease. PMID:25416783

  18. Variations in Glycogen Synthesis in Human Pluripotent Stem Cells with Altered Pluripotent States

    PubMed Central

    Chen, Richard J.; Zhang, Guofeng; Garfield, Susan H.; Shi, Yi-Jun; Chen, Kevin G.; Robey, Pamela G.; Leapman, Richard D.

    2015-01-01

    Human pluripotent stem cells (hPSCs) represent very promising resources for cell-based regenerative medicine. It is essential to determine the biological implications of some fundamental physiological processes (such as glycogen metabolism) in these stem cells. In this report, we employ electron, immunofluorescence microscopy, and biochemical methods to study glycogen synthesis in hPSCs. Our results indicate that there is a high level of glycogen synthesis (0.28 to 0.62 μg/μg proteins) in undifferentiated human embryonic stem cells (hESCs) compared with the glycogen levels (0 to 0.25 μg/μg proteins) reported in human cancer cell lines. Moreover, we found that glycogen synthesis was regulated by bone morphogenetic protein 4 (BMP-4) and the glycogen synthase kinase 3 (GSK-3) pathway. Our observation of glycogen bodies and sustained expression of the pluripotent factor Oct-4 mediated by the potent GSK-3 inhibitor CHIR-99021 reveals an altered pluripotent state in hPSC culture. We further confirmed glycogen variations under different naïve pluripotent cell growth conditions based on the addition of the GSK-3 inhibitor BIO. Our data suggest that primed hPSCs treated with naïve growth conditions acquire altered pluripotent states, similar to those naïve-like hPSCs, with increased glycogen synthesis. Furthermore, we found that suppression of phosphorylated glycogen synthase was an underlying mechanism responsible for altered glycogen synthesis. Thus, our novel findings regarding the dynamic changes in glycogen metabolism provide new markers to assess the energetic and various pluripotent states in hPSCs. The components of glycogen metabolic pathways offer new assays to delineate previously unrecognized properties of hPSCs under different growth conditions. PMID:26565809

  19. Ambient pH Controls Glycogen Levels by Regulating Glycogen Synthase Gene Expression in Neurospora crassa. New Insights into the pH Signaling Pathway

    PubMed Central

    Cupertino, Fernanda Barbosa; Freitas, Fernanda Zanolli; de Paula, Renato Magalhães; Bertolini, Maria Célia

    2012-01-01

    Glycogen is a polysaccharide widely distributed in microorganisms and animal cells and its metabolism is under intricate regulation. Its accumulation in a specific situation results from the balance between glycogen synthase and glycogen phosphorylase activities that control synthesis and degradation, respectively. These enzymes are highly regulated at transcriptional and post-translational levels. The existence of a DNA motif for the Aspergillus nidulans pH responsive transcription factor PacC in the promoter of the gene encoding glycogen synthase (gsn) in Neurospora crassa prompted us to investigate whether this transcription factor regulates glycogen accumulation. Transcription factors such as PacC in A. nidulans and Rim101p in Saccharomyces cerevisiae play a role in the signaling pathway that mediates adaptation to ambient pH by inducing the expression of alkaline genes and repressing acidic genes. We showed here that at pH 7.8 pacC was over-expressed and gsn was down-regulated in wild-type N. crassa coinciding with low glycogen accumulation. In the pacCKO strain the glycogen levels and gsn expression at alkaline pH were, respectively, similar to and higher than the wild-type strain at normal pH (5.8). These results characterize gsn as an acidic gene and suggest a regulatory role for PACC in gsn expression. The truncated recombinant protein, containing the DNA-binding domain specifically bound to a gsn DNA fragment containing the PacC motif. DNA-protein complexes were observed with extracts from cells grown at normal and alkaline pH and confirmed by ChIP-PCR analysis. The PACC present in these extracts showed equal molecular mass, indicating that the protein is already processed at normal pH, in contrast to A. nidulans. Together, these results show that the pH signaling pathway controls glycogen accumulation by regulating gsn expression and suggest the existence of a different mechanism for PACC activation in N. crassa. PMID:22952943

  20. Changing shapes of glycogen-autophagy nexus in neurons: perspective from a rare epilepsy.

    PubMed

    Singh, Pankaj Kumar; Singh, Sweta

    2015-01-01

    In brain, glycogen metabolism is predominantly restricted to astrocytes but it also indirectly supports neuronal functions. Increased accumulation of glycogen in neurons is mysteriously pathogenic triggering neurodegeneration as seen in "Lafora disease" (LD) and in other transgenic animal models of neuronal glycogen accumulation. LD is a fatal neurodegenerative disorder with excessive glycogen inclusions in neurons. Autophagy, a pathway for bulk degradation of obsolete cellular constituents also degrades metabolites like lipid and glycogen. Recently, defects in this pathway emerged as a plausible reason for glycogen accumulation in neurons in LD, although some contradictions prevail. Albeit surprising, a reciprocal regulation of autophagy by glycogen in neurons has also just been proposed. Notably, increasing evidences of interaction between proteins of autophagy and glycogen metabolism from diverse model systems indicate a conserved, dynamic, and regulatory cross-talk between these two pathways. Concerning these findings, we herein provide certain models for the molecular basis of this cross-talk and discuss its potential implication in the pathophysiology of LD.

  1. Comparison of Methods to Assay Liver Glycogen Fractions: The Effects of Starvation

    PubMed Central

    Mojibi, Nastaran

    2017-01-01

    Introduction There are several methods to extract and measure glycogen in animal tissues. Glycogen is extracted with or without homogenization by using cold Perchloric Acid (PCA). Aim Three procedures were compared to determine glycogen fractions in rat liver at different physiological states. Materials and Methods The present study was conducted on two groups of rats, one group of five rats were fed standard rodent laboratory food and were marked as controls, and another five rats were starved overnight (15 hour) as cases. The glycogen fractions were extracted and measured by using three methods: classical homogenization, total-glycogen-fractionation and homogenization-free protocols. Results The data of homogenization methods showed that following 15 hour starvation, total glycogen decreased (36.4±1.9 vs. 27.7±2.5, p=0.01) and the change occurred entirely in Acid Soluble Glycogen (ASG) (32.0±1.1 vs. 22.7±2.5, p=0.01), while Acid Insoluble Glycogen (AIG) did not change significantly (4.9±0.9 vs. 4.6±0.3, p=0.7). Similar results were achieved by using the method of total-glycogen-fractionation. Homogenization-free procedure indicated that ASG and AIG fractions compromise about 2/3 and 1/3 of total glycogen and the changes occurred in both ASG (24.4±2.6 vs. 16.7±0.4, p<0.05) and AIG fraction (8.7±0.8 vs. 7.1±0.3, p=0.05). Conclusion The findings of ‘homogenization assay method’ indicate that ASG is the major portion of liver glycogen and is more metabolically active form. The same results were obtained by using ‘total-glycogen-fractionation method’. ‘Homogenization-free method’ gave different results, because AIG has been contaminated with ASG fraction. In both ‘homogenization’ and ‘homogenization-free’ methods ASG must be extracted at least twice to prevent contamination of AIG with ASG. PMID:28511372

  2. The Role of Skeletal Muscle Glycogen Breakdown for Regulation of Insulin Sensitivity by Exercise

    PubMed Central

    Jensen, Jørgen; Rustad, Per Inge; Kolnes, Anders Jensen; Lai, Yu-Chiang

    2011-01-01

    Glycogen is the storage form of carbohydrates in mammals. In humans the majority of glycogen is stored in skeletal muscles (∼500 g) and the liver (∼100 g). Food is supplied in larger meals, but the blood glucose concentration has to be kept within narrow limits to survive and stay healthy. Therefore, the body has to cope with periods of excess carbohydrates and periods without supplementation. Healthy persons remove blood glucose rapidly when glucose is in excess, but insulin-stimulated glucose disposal is reduced in insulin resistant and type 2 diabetic subjects. During a hyperinsulinemic euglycemic clamp, 70–90% of glucose disposal will be stored as muscle glycogen in healthy subjects. The glycogen stores in skeletal muscles are limited because an efficient feedback-mediated inhibition of glycogen synthase prevents accumulation. De novo lipid synthesis can contribute to glucose disposal when glycogen stores are filled. Exercise physiologists normally consider glycogen’s main function as energy substrate. Glycogen is the main energy substrate during exercise intensity above 70% of maximal oxygen uptake (Vo2max⁡) and fatigue develops when the glycogen stores are depleted in the active muscles. After exercise, the rate of glycogen synthesis is increased to replete glycogen stores, and blood glucose is the substrate. Indeed insulin-stimulated glucose uptake and glycogen synthesis is elevated after exercise, which, from an evolutional point of view, will favor glycogen repletion and preparation for new “fight or flight” events. In the modern society, the reduced glycogen stores in skeletal muscles after exercise allows carbohydrates to be stored as muscle glycogen and prevents that glucose is channeled to de novo lipid synthesis, which over time will causes ectopic fat accumulation and insulin resistance. The reduction of skeletal muscle glycogen after exercise allows a healthy storage of carbohydrates after meals and prevents development of type 2

  3. Guava leaf inhibits hepatic gluconeogenesis and increases glycogen synthesis via AMPK/ACC signaling pathways in streptozotocin-induced diabetic rats.

    PubMed

    Vinayagam, Ramachandran; Jayachandran, Muthukumaran; Chung, Stephen Sum Man; Xu, Baojun

    2018-07-01

    Psidium guajava (PG) is a short shrub or tree cultivated in tropical and subtropical regions around the world. The leaf extract of PG (guava leaf) has been used historically to cure many ailments. However, mechanisms of action of guava leaf in treating diabetes are not fully understood. Effects and underlying mechanisms of guava leaf on gluconeogenesis and glycogenesis in hepatocytes, insulin signaling proteins, liver function markers, and lipid profile in streptozotocin (STZ) injected diabetic Wistar rats were investigated within the current study. PG was given orally at the dose of 100, 200, and 400 mg/kg b.w to diabetic rats for the period of 45 days. The results reveal that oral administration of PG (200 mg/kg b.w) has considerably raised the levels of insulin, glycogen, hexokinase, glucose-6-phosphatase dehydrogenase and significant (p < 0.05) belittled hepatic markers, gluconeogenic enzymes, and OGTT fasting blood glucose levels. OGTT has shown least statistical significance between the group 5 (200 mg/kg b.w) and group 6 and vital difference between group 5 and group 4 (400 mg/kg). PG has attenuated the triglycerides, total cholesterol, phospholipids, free fatty acid, and LDL levels and raised HDL levels. PG considerably (p < 0.05) activated IRS-1, IRS-2, Akt, p-Akt, PI3K, GLUT2, AMPK, p-AMPK, and p-ACC, which are the key effector molecules of the PI3K/Akt pathway in STZ rats. The results of our study specify that treatment with PG ameliorated glucose-metabolism and lipid profile in STZ evoked diabetic rats; the rationale ought to be the activation of PI3K/Akt, phosphorylation of AMPK pathway in liver and therefore has beneficial anti-diabetic activity. Copyright © 2018 Elsevier Masson SAS. All rights reserved.

  4. The effect of dimethyl sulfoxide on hepatic differentiation of mesenchymal stem cells.

    PubMed

    Alizadeh, Effat; Zarghami, Nosratollah; Eslaminejad, Mohamadreza Baghaban; Akbarzadeh, Abolfazl; Barzegar, Abolfazl; Mohammadi, Seyed Abolghasem

    2016-01-01

    Adipose tissue-derived mesenchymal stem cells (AT-MSCs) are suitable choices in autologous stem cell treatment of liver-associated diseases due to their hepatic differentiation potential. Dimethyl sulfoxide (DMSO) is an amphipathic molecule with potential of delivering both lipophilic and hydrophilic agents into cells, also a common cryoprotectant for freezing of the cells. DMSO was used in some protocols for induction of AT-MSCs towards hepatocyte like cells. However, the effect of DMSO on hepatogenic differentiation of AT-MSCs were not surveyed, previously. In the present study, we aimed at evaluation of the effect of DMSO on differentiation of AT-MSCs into hepatic lineage. We isolated mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs) from adipose tissue, and then verifies multi-potency and surface markers of AT-MSCs . Isolated AT-MSCs randomly dispensed in four groups including Group 1: HGF treated, 2: HGF+ DMSO treated, 3: HGF+ DMSO+ OSM treated, and group control for a period of 3 weeks in the expansion medium without serum; EGF and bFGF were also included in the first days of inductions. The morphologic changes during induction period was observed with microscopy. The secretion of albumin (ALB) of the differentiating MSCs was investigated using ELISA, and urea production was evaluated using colorimetric assay. The qRT-PCR was performed for quantitation of hepatocyte marker genes including AFP, ALB, CK18, HNF4a, and HNF6. The glycogen storage of differentiated cells was visualized by periodic-acid Schiff‘s staining. The results demonstrate that DMSO speeds up hepatic differentiation of AT-MSCs characterized by rapid changes in morphology; higher expression of hepatic marker gene (ALB) in both mRNA and protein level (P < 0.05); also increased transcriptional levels of other liver genes including CK18, HNF4a, and HNF6 (P < 0.01); and moreover, greater percentage of glycogen storage(p < 0.05) in DMSO-treated groups. DMSO catalyzes hepatic

  5. Enzymatic regulation of seasonal glycogen cycling in the freeze-tolerant wood frog, Rana sylvatica.

    PubMed

    do Amaral, M Clara F; Lee, Richard E; Costanzo, Jon P

    2016-12-01

    Liver glycogen is an important energy store in vertebrates, and in the freeze-tolerant wood frog, Rana sylvatica, this carbohydrate also serves as a major source of the cryoprotectant glucose. We investigated how variation in the levels of the catalytic subunit of protein kinase A (PKAc), glycogen phosphorylase (GP), and glycogen synthase (GS) relates to seasonal glycogen cycling in a temperate (Ohioan) and subarctic (Alaskan) populations of this species. In spring, Ohioan frogs had reduced potential for glycogen synthesis, as evidenced by low GS activity and high PKAc protein levels. In addition, glycogen levels in spring were the lowest of four seasonal samples, as energy input was likely directed towards metabolism and somatic growth during this period. Near-maximal glycogen levels were reached by mid-summer, and remained unchanged in fall and winter, suggesting that glycogenesis was curtailed during this period. Ohioan frogs had a high potential for glycogenolysis and glycogenesis in winter, as evidenced by large glycogen reserves, high levels of GP and GS proteins, and high GS activity, which likely allows for rapid mobilization of cryoprotectant during freezing and replenishing of glycogen reserves during thawing. Alaskan frogs also achieved a near-maximal liver glycogen concentration by summer and displayed high glycogenic and glycogenolytic potential in winter, but, unlike Ohioan frogs, started replenishing their energy reserves early in spring. We conclude that variation in levels of both glycogenolytic and glycogenic enzymes likely happens in response to seasonal changes in energetic strategies and demands, with winter survival being a key component to understanding the regulation of glycogen cycling in this species.

  6. Characterization of Function of the GlgA2 Glycogen/Starch Synthase in Cyanobacterium sp. Clg1 Highlights Convergent Evolution of Glycogen Metabolism into Starch Granule Aggregation.

    PubMed

    Kadouche, Derifa; Ducatez, Mathieu; Cenci, Ugo; Tirtiaux, Catherine; Suzuki, Eiji; Nakamura, Yasunori; Putaux, Jean-Luc; Terrasson, Amandine Durand; Diaz-Troya, Sandra; Florencio, Francisco Javier; Arias, Maria Cecilia; Striebeck, Alexander; Palcic, Monica; Ball, Steven G; Colleoni, Christophe

    2016-07-01

    At variance with the starch-accumulating plants and most of the glycogen-accumulating cyanobacteria, Cyanobacterium sp. CLg1 synthesizes both glycogen and starch. We now report the selection of a starchless mutant of this cyanobacterium that retains wild-type amounts of glycogen. Unlike other mutants of this type found in plants and cyanobacteria, this mutant proved to be selectively defective for one of the two types of glycogen/starch synthase: GlgA2. This enzyme is phylogenetically related to the previously reported SSIII/SSIV starch synthase that is thought to be involved in starch granule seeding in plants. This suggests that, in addition to the selective polysaccharide debranching demonstrated to be responsible for starch rather than glycogen synthesis, the nature and properties of the elongation enzyme define a novel determinant of starch versus glycogen accumulation. We show that the phylogenies of GlgA2 and of 16S ribosomal RNA display significant congruence. This suggests that this enzyme evolved together with cyanobacteria when they diversified over 2 billion years ago. However, cyanobacteria can be ruled out as direct progenitors of the SSIII/SSIV ancestral gene found in Archaeplastida. Hence, both cyanobacteria and plants recruited similar enzymes independently to perform analogous tasks, further emphasizing the importance of convergent evolution in the appearance of starch from a preexisting glycogen metabolism network. © 2016 American Society of Plant Biologists. All Rights Reserved.

  7. A micromethod for the enzymatic estimation of the degree of glycogen ramification.

    PubMed

    Serafini, M T; Alemany, M

    1987-10-01

    A comparison of methods for the evaluation of glycogen content in liver tissue of rats has been carried out by determining the recoveries in the differential ethanol precipitation of glycogen from alkaline tissue digests as well as the actual quantitative equivalence between glycogen content and actual glucose measured. Hydrolytic/enzymatic methods gave lower results than non-specific chemical methods such as anthrone. These lower values, combined with the losses in the purification process resulted in much lower glycogen estimations than the actual estimated tissue content. A method has been devised for the measurement of glycogen ramification in small liver tissue samples, using neutral periodate oxidation of the molecule, followed by determination of the formic acid evolved from the branch ends with formic acid dehydrogenase. The method gave results very similar to the classical methods in which the acid formed is measured titrimetrically. Rat liver tissue contained a mean 323 +/- 69 mmol of glucose equivalents of glycogen per gram of tissue; this glycogen had a mean chain length of 11.4 +/- 0.8 units.

  8. Pluralistic roles for glycogen in the central and peripheral nervous systems.

    PubMed

    Fryer, Kirsty L; Brown, Angus M

    2015-02-01

    Glycogen is present in the mammalian nervous system, but at concentrations of up to one hundred times lower than those found in liver and skeletal muscle. This relatively low concentration has resulted in neglect of assigning a role(s) for brain glycogen, but in the last 15 years enormous progress has been made in revealing the multifaceted roles that glycogen plays in the mammalian nervous system. Initial studies highlighted a role for glycogen in supporting neural elements (neurons and axons) during aglycemia, where glycogen supplied supplementary energy substrate in the form of lactate to fuel neural oxidative metabolism. The appropriate enzymes and membrane bound transporters have been localized to cellular locations consistent with astrocyte to neuron energy substrate shuttling. A role for glycogen in supporting the induction of long term potential (LTP) in the hippocampus has recently been described, where glycogen is metabolized to lactate and shuttled to neurons via the extracellular space by monocarboxylate transporters, where it plays an integral role in the induction process of LTP. This is the first time that glycogen has been assigned a role in a distinct, complex physiological brain function, where the lack of glycogen, in the presence of normoglycemia, results in disturbance of the function. The signalling pathway that alerts astrocytes to increased neuronal activity has been recently described, highlighting a pivotal role for increased extracellular potassium ([K(+)]o) that routinely accompanies increased neural activity. An astrocyte membrane bound bicarbonate transporter is activated by the [K(+)]o, the resulting increase in intracellular bicarbonate alkalizing the cell's interior and activating soluble adenyl cyclase (sAC). The sAC promotes glycogenolysis via increases in cyclic AMP, ultimately producing lactate, which is shuttled out of the astrocyte and presumably taken up by neurons from the extracellular space.

  9. Exploring glycogen biosynthesis through Monte Carlo simulation.

    PubMed

    Zhang, Peng; Nada, Sharif S; Tan, Xinle; Deng, Bin; Sullivan, Mitchell A; Gilbert, Robert G

    2018-05-08

    Glycogen, a complex branched polymer of glucose (average chain length ~10 monomer units), is the blood-sugar reservoir in humans and other animals. Certain aspects of its molecular structure relevant to its biological functions are currently unamenable to experimental exploration. Knowledge of these is needed to develop future models for quantitative data-fitting to obtain mechanistic understanding of the biosynthetic processes that give rise to glycogen structure. Monte Carlo simulations of the biosynthesis of this structure with realistic macromolecular parameters reveal how chain growth and stoppage (the latter assumed to be through both the action of glycogen branching enzyme and other degradative enzymes, and by hindrance) control structural features. The simulated chain-length, pair-distance and radial density distributions agree semi-quantitatively with the limited available data. The simulations indicate that a steady state in molecular structure and size is rapidly obtained, that molecular density reaches a maximum near the center of the particle (not at the periphery, as is the case with dendrimers), and that particle size is controlled by both enzyme activity and hindrance. This knowledge will aid in the understanding of diabetes (loss of blood-sugar control), which has been found to involve subtle differences in glycogen molecular structure. Copyright © 2018 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

  10. Glycogen and Glucose Metabolism Are Essential for Early Embryonic Development of the Red Flour Beetle Tribolium castaneum

    PubMed Central

    Fraga, Amanda; Ribeiro, Lupis; Lobato, Mariana; Santos, Vitória; Silva, José Roberto; Gomes, Helga; da Cunha Moraes, Jorge Luiz; de Souza Menezes, Jackson

    2013-01-01

    Control of energy metabolism is an essential process for life. In insects, egg formation (oogenesis) and embryogenesis is dependent on stored molecules deposited by the mother or transcribed later by the zygote. In oviparous insects the egg becomes an isolated system after egg laying with all energy conversion taking place during embryogenesis. Previous studies in a few vector species showed a strong correlation of key morphogenetic events and changes in glucose metabolism. Here, we investigate glycogen and glucose metabolism in the red flour beetle Tribolium castaneum, an insect amenable to functional genomic studies. To examine the role of the key enzymes on glycogen and glucose regulation we cloned and analyzed the function of glycogen synthase kinase 3 (GSK-3) and hexokinase (HexA) genes during T. castaneum embryogenesis. Expression analysis via in situ hybridization shows that both genes are expressed only in the embryonic tissue, suggesting that embryonic and extra-embryonic cells display different metabolic activities. dsRNA adult female injection (parental RNAi) of both genes lead a reduction in egg laying and to embryonic lethality. Morphological analysis via DAPI stainings indicates that early development is impaired in Tc-GSK-3 and Tc-HexA1 RNAi embryos. Importantly, glycogen levels are upregulated after Tc-GSK-3 RNAi and glucose levels are upregulated after Tc-HexA1 RNAi, indicating that both genes control metabolism during embryogenesis and oogenesis, respectively. Altogether our results show that T. castaneum embryogenesis depends on the proper control of glucose and glycogen. PMID:23750237

  11. A functional glycogen biosynthesis pathway in Lactobacillus acidophilus: expression and analysis of the glg operon

    PubMed Central

    Goh, Yong Jun; Klaenhammer, Todd R

    2013-01-01

    Glycogen metabolism contributes to energy storage and various physiological functions in some prokaryotes, including colonization persistence. A role for glycogen metabolism is proposed on the survival and fitness of Lactobacillus acidophilus, a probiotic microbe, in the human gastrointestinal environment. L. acidophilus NCFM possesses a glycogen metabolism (glg) operon consisting of glgBCDAP-amy-pgm genes. Expression of the glg operon and glycogen accumulation were carbon source- and growth phase-dependent, and were repressed by glucose. The highest intracellular glycogen content was observed in early log-phase cells grown on trehalose, which was followed by a drastic decrease of glycogen content prior to entering stationary phase. In raffinose-grown cells, however, glycogen accumulation gradually declined following early log phase and was maintained at stable levels throughout stationary phase. Raffinose also induced an overall higher temporal glg expression throughout growth compared with trehalose. Isogenic ΔglgA (glycogen synthase) and ΔglgB (glycogen-branching enzyme) mutants are glycogen-deficient and exhibited growth defects on raffinose. The latter observation suggests a reciprocal relationship between glycogen synthesis and raffinose metabolism. Deletion of glgB or glgP (glycogen phosphorylase) resulted in defective growth and increased bile sensitivity. The data indicate that glycogen metabolism is involved in growth maintenance, bile tolerance and complex carbohydrate utilization in L. acidophilus. PMID:23879596

  12. Cardiomyopathy and exercise intolerance in muscle glycogen storage disease 0.

    PubMed

    Kollberg, Gittan; Tulinius, Már; Gilljam, Thomas; Ostman-Smith, Ingegerd; Forsander, Gun; Jotorp, Peter; Oldfors, Anders; Holme, Elisabeth

    2007-10-11

    Storage of glycogen is essential for glucose homeostasis and for energy supply during bursts of activity and sustained muscle work. We describe three siblings with profound muscle and heart glycogen deficiency caused by a homozygous stop mutation (R462-->ter) in the muscle glycogen synthase gene. The oldest brother died from sudden cardiac arrest at the age of 10.5 years. Two years later, an 11-year-old brother showed muscle fatigability, hypertrophic cardiomyopathy, and an abnormal heart rate and blood pressure while exercising; a 2-year-old sister had no symptoms. In muscle-biopsy specimens obtained from the two younger siblings, there was lack of glycogen, predominance of oxidative fibers, and mitochondrial proliferation. Glucose tolerance was normal. Copyright 2007 Massachusetts Medical Society.

  13. Adenosine diphosphate sugar pyrophosphatase prevents glycogen biosynthesis in Escherichia coli

    PubMed Central

    Moreno-Bruna, Beatriz; Baroja-Fernández, Edurne; Muñoz, Francisco José; Bastarrica-Berasategui, Ainara; Zandueta-Criado, Aitor; Rodríguez-López, Milagros; Lasa, Iñigo; Akazawa, Takashi; Pozueta-Romero, Javier

    2001-01-01

    An adenosine diphosphate sugar pyrophosphatase (ASPPase, EC 3.6.1.21) has been characterized by using Escherichia coli. This enzyme, whose activities in the cell are inversely correlated with the intracellular glycogen content and the glucose concentration in the culture medium, hydrolyzes ADP-glucose, the precursor molecule of glycogen biosynthesis. ASPPase was purified to apparent homogeneity (over 3,000-fold), and sequence analyses revealed that it is a member of the ubiquitously distributed group of nucleotide pyrophosphatases designated as “nudix” hydrolases. Insertional mutagenesis experiments leading to the inactivation of the ASPPase encoding gene, aspP, produced cells with marginally low enzymatic activities and higher glycogen content than wild-type bacteria. aspP was cloned into an expression vector and introduced into E. coli. Transformed cells were shown to contain a dramatically reduced amount of glycogen, as compared with the untransformed bacteria. No pleiotropic changes in the bacterial growth occurred in both the aspP-overexpressing and aspP-deficient strains. The overall results pinpoint the reaction catalyzed by ASPPase as a potential step of regulating glycogen biosynthesis in E. coli. PMID:11416161

  14. In vivo Magnetic Resonance Spectroscopy of cerebral glycogen metabolism in animals and humans.

    PubMed

    Khowaja, Ameer; Choi, In-Young; Seaquist, Elizabeth R; Öz, Gülin

    2015-02-01

    Glycogen serves as an important energy reservoir in the human body. Despite the abundance of glycogen in the liver and skeletal muscles, its concentration in the brain is relatively low, hence its significance has been questioned. A major challenge in studying brain glycogen metabolism has been the lack of availability of non-invasive techniques for quantification of brain glycogen in vivo. Invasive methods for brain glycogen quantification such as post mortem extraction following high energy microwave irradiation are not applicable in the human brain. With the advent of (13)C Magnetic Resonance Spectroscopy (MRS), it has been possible to measure brain glycogen concentrations and turnover in physiological conditions, as well as under the influence of stressors such as hypoglycemia and visual stimulation. This review presents an overview of the principles of the (13)C MRS methodology and its applications in both animals and humans to further our understanding of glycogen metabolism under normal physiological and pathophysiological conditions such as hypoglycemia unawareness.

  15. In vivo Magnetic Resonance Spectroscopy of cerebral glycogen metabolism in animals and humans

    PubMed Central

    Khowaja, Ameer; Choi, In-Young; Seaquist, Elizabeth R.; Öz, Gülin

    2015-01-01

    Glycogen serves as an important energy reservoir in the human body. Despite the abundance of glycogen in the liver and skeletal muscles, its concentration in the brain is relatively low, hence its significance has been questioned. A major challenge in studying brain glycogen metabolism has been the lack of availability of non-invasive techniques for quantification of brain glycogen in vivo. Invasive methods for brain glycogen quantification such as post mortem extraction following high energy microwave irradiation are not applicable in the human brain. With the advent of 13C Magnetic Resonance Spectroscopy (MRS), it has been possible to measure brain glycogen concentrations and turnover in physiological conditions, as well as under the influence of stressors such as hypoglycemia and visual stimulation. This review presents an overview of the principles of the 13C MRS methodology and its applications in both animals and humans to further our understanding of glycogen metabolism under normal physiological and pathophysiological conditions such as hypoglycemia unawareness. PMID:24676563

  16. Characterization of Function of the GlgA2 Glycogen/Starch Synthase in Cyanobacterium sp. Clg1 Highlights Convergent Evolution of Glycogen Metabolism into Starch Granule Aggregation1

    PubMed Central

    Kadouche, Derifa; Arias, Maria Cecilia

    2016-01-01

    At variance with the starch-accumulating plants and most of the glycogen-accumulating cyanobacteria, Cyanobacterium sp. CLg1 synthesizes both glycogen and starch. We now report the selection of a starchless mutant of this cyanobacterium that retains wild-type amounts of glycogen. Unlike other mutants of this type found in plants and cyanobacteria, this mutant proved to be selectively defective for one of the two types of glycogen/starch synthase: GlgA2. This enzyme is phylogenetically related to the previously reported SSIII/SSIV starch synthase that is thought to be involved in starch granule seeding in plants. This suggests that, in addition to the selective polysaccharide debranching demonstrated to be responsible for starch rather than glycogen synthesis, the nature and properties of the elongation enzyme define a novel determinant of starch versus glycogen accumulation. We show that the phylogenies of GlgA2 and of 16S ribosomal RNA display significant congruence. This suggests that this enzyme evolved together with cyanobacteria when they diversified over 2 billion years ago. However, cyanobacteria can be ruled out as direct progenitors of the SSIII/SSIV ancestral gene found in Archaeplastida. Hence, both cyanobacteria and plants recruited similar enzymes independently to perform analogous tasks, further emphasizing the importance of convergent evolution in the appearance of starch from a preexisting glycogen metabolism network. PMID:27208262

  17. The Saccharomyces cerevisiae YPR184w gene encodes the glycogen debranching enzyme.

    PubMed

    Teste, M A; Enjalbert, B; Parrou, J L; François, J M

    2000-12-01

    The YPR184w gene encodes a 1536-amino acid protein that is 34-39% identical to the mammal, Drosophila melanogaster and Caenorhabditis elegans glycogen debranching enzyme. The N-terminal part of the protein possesses the four conserved sequences of the alpha-amylase superfamily, while the C-terminal part displays 50% similarity with the C-terminal of other eukaryotic glycogen debranching enzymes. Reliable measurement of alpha-1,4-glucanotransferase and alpha-1, 6-glucosidase activity of the yeast debranching enzyme was determined in strains overexpressing YPR184w. The alpha-1, 4-glucanotransferase activity of a partially purified preparation of debranching enzyme preferentially transferred maltosyl units than maltotriosyl. Deletion of YPR184w prevents glycogen degradation, whereas overexpression had no effect on the rate of glycogen breakdown. In response to stress and growth conditions, the transcriptional control of YPR184w gene, renamed GDB1 (for Glycogen DeBranching gene), is strictly identical to that of other genes involved in glycogen metabolism.

  18. Role of heparanase on hepatic uptake of intestinal derived lipoprotein and fatty streak formation in mice.

    PubMed

    Planer, David; Metzger, Shulamit; Zcharia, Eyal; Wexler, Isaiah D; Vlodavsky, Israel; Chajek-Shaul, Tova

    2011-04-04

    Heparanase modulates the level of heparan sulfate proteoglycans (HSPGs) which have an important role in multiple cellular processes. Recent studies indicate that HSPGs have an important function in hepatic lipoprotein handling and processes involving removal of lipoprotein particles. To determine the effects of decreased HSPGs chain length on lipoprotein metabolism and atherosclerosis, transgenic mice over-expressing the human heparanase gene were studied. Hepatic lipid uptake in hpa-Tg mice were evaluated by giving transgenic mice oral fat loads and labeled retinol. Sections of aorta from mice over-expressing heparanase (hpa-Tg) and controls (C57/BL6) fed an atherogenic diet were examined for evidence of atherosclerosis. Heparanase over-expression results in reduced hepatic clearance of postprandial lipoproteins and higher levels of fasting and postprandial serum triglycerides. Heparanase over-expression also induces formation of fatty streaks in the aorta. The mean lesion cross-sectional area in heparanase over-expressing mice was almost 6 times higher when compared to control mice (23,984 µm(2)±5,922 vs. 4,189 µm(2)±1,130, p<0.001). Over-expression of heparanase demonstrates the importance of HSPGs for the uptake of intestinal derived lipoproteins and its role in the formation of fatty streaks.

  19. Role of Heparanase on Hepatic Uptake of Intestinal Derived Lipoprotein and Fatty Streak Formation in Mice

    PubMed Central

    Planer, David; Metzger, Shulamit; Zcharia, Eyal; Wexler, Isaiah D.; Vlodavsky, Israel; Chajek-Shaul, Tova

    2011-01-01

    Background Heparanase modulates the level of heparan sulfate proteoglycans (HSPGs) which have an important role in multiple cellular processes. Recent studies indicate that HSPGs have an important function in hepatic lipoprotein handling and processes involving removal of lipoprotein particles. Principal Findings To determine the effects of decreased HSPGs chain length on lipoprotein metabolism and atherosclerosis, transgenic mice over-expressing the human heparanase gene were studied. Hepatic lipid uptake in hpa-Tg mice were evaluated by giving transgenic mice oral fat loads and labeled retinol. Sections of aorta from mice over-expressing heparanase (hpa-Tg) and controls (C57/BL6) fed an atherogenic diet were examined for evidence of atherosclerosis. Heparanase over-expression results in reduced hepatic clearance of postprandial lipoproteins and higher levels of fasting and postprandial serum triglycerides. Heparanase over-expression also induces formation of fatty streaks in the aorta. The mean lesion cross-sectional area in heparanase over-expressing mice was almost 6 times higher when compared to control mice (23,984 µm2±5,922 vs. 4,189 µm2±1,130, p<0.001). Conclusions Over-expression of heparanase demonstrates the importance of HSPGs for the uptake of intestinal derived lipoproteins and its role in the formation of fatty streaks. PMID:21483695

  20. Two new mutations in the 3' coding region of the glycogen debranching enzyme in a glycogen storage disease type IIIa Ashkenazi Jewish patient.

    PubMed

    Parvari, R; Shen, J; Hershkovitz, E; Chen, Y T; Moses, S W

    1998-04-01

    Glycogen storage disease type III (GSD III) is an autosomal recessive disease caused by the deficiency of glycogen debranching enzyme (AGL). We report the finding of two new mutations in a GSD IIIa Ashkenazi Jewish patient. Both mutations are insertion of an adenine into a stretch of 8 adenines towards the 3' end of the coding region, one at position 3904 (3904insA) in exon 30, the second at position 4214 (4214insA) in exon 32. The mutations cause frameshifts and premature terminations of the glycogen debranching enzyme, the first causing a frameshift at amino acid 1304, the second causing a frameshift at amino acid 1408 of the total of 1532. These mutations demonstrate the importance of the 125 amino acids at the carboxy-terminus of the debrancher enzyme for its activity and support the suggestion that the putative glycogen binding domain is located in the carboxy-terminus of the AGL. The mutations cause distinctive single-strand conformation polymorphism (SSCP) patterns enabling easy detection.

  1. Enhanced glycogen metabolism in adipose tissue decreases triglyceride mobilization

    PubMed Central

    Markan, Kathleen R.; Jurczak, Michael J.; Allison, Margaret B.; Ye, Honggang; Sutanto, Maria M.; Cohen, Ronald N.

    2010-01-01

    Adipose tissue is a primary site for lipid storage containing trace amounts of glycogen. However, refeeding after a prolonged partial fast produces a marked transient spike in adipose glycogen, which dissipates in coordination with the initiation of lipid resynthesis. To further study the potential interplay between glycogen and lipid metabolism in adipose tissue, the aP2-PTG transgenic mouse line was utilized since it contains a 100- to 400-fold elevation of adipocyte glycogen levels that are mobilized upon fasting. To determine the fate of the released glucose 1-phosphate, a series of metabolic measurements were made. Basal and isoproterenol-stimulated lactate production in vitro was significantly increased in adipose tissue from transgenic animals. In parallel, basal and isoproterenol-induced release of nonesterified fatty acids (NEFAs) was significantly reduced in transgenic adipose tissue vs. control. Interestingly, glycerol release was unchanged between the genotypes, suggesting that enhanced triglyceride resynthesis was occurring in the transgenic tissue. Qualitatively similar results for NEFA and glycerol levels between wild-type and transgenic animals were obtained in vivo during fasting. Additionally, the physiological upregulation of the phosphoenolpyruvate carboxykinase cytosolic isoform (PEPCK-C) expression in adipose upon fasting was significantly blunted in transgenic mice. No changes in whole body metabolism were detected through indirect calorimetry. Yet weight loss following a weight gain/loss protocol was significantly impeded in the transgenic animals, indicating a further impairment in triglyceride mobilization. Cumulatively, these results support the notion that the adipocyte possesses a set point for glycogen, which is altered in response to nutritional cues, enabling the coordination of adipose glycogen turnover with lipid metabolism. PMID:20424138

  2. Muscle Glycogen Utilisation during an Australian Rules Football Game.

    PubMed

    Routledge, Harry E; Leckey, Jill J; Lee, Matt J; Garnham, Andrew; Graham, Stuart; Burgess, Darren; Burke, Louise M; Erskine, Robert M; Close, Graeme L; Morton, James P

    2018-06-12

    To better understand the carbohydrate (CHO) requirement of Australian Football (AF) match play by quantifying muscle glycogen utilisation during an in-season AF match. After a 24 h CHO loading protocol of 8 g/kg and 2 g/kg in the pre-match meal, two elite male forward players had biopsies sampled from m. vastus lateralis before and after participation in a South Australian Football League game. Player A (87.2kg) consumed water only during match play whereas player B (87.6kg) consumed 88 g CHO via CHO gels. External load was quantified using global positioning system technology. Player A completed more minutes on the ground (115 vs. 98 min) and covered greater total distance (12.2 vs. 11.2 km) than Player B, though with similar high-speed running (837 vs. 1070 m) and sprinting (135 vs. 138 m), respectively. Muscle glycogen decreased by 66% in Player A (Pre-: 656, Post-: 223 mmol∙kg-1 dw) and 24% in Player B (Pre-: 544, Post-: 416 mmol∙kg-1 dw), respectively. Pre-match CHO loading elevated muscle glycogen concentrations (i.e. >500 mmol.kg-1 dw), the magnitude of which appears sufficient to meet the metabolic demands of elite AF match play. The glycogen cost of AF match play may be greater than soccer and rugby and CHO feeding may also spare muscle glycogen use. Further studies using larger sample sizes are now required to quantify the inter-individual variability of glycogen cost of match play (including muscle and fibre-type specific responses) as well examine potential metabolic and ergogenic effects of CHO feeding.

  3. ROLE OF THE SARCOPLASMIC RETICULUM IN GLYCOGEN METABOLISM

    PubMed Central

    Wanson, Jean-Claude; Drochmans, Pierre

    1972-01-01

    Sarcoplasmic vesicles and β-glycogen particles 30–40 mµ in diameter were isolated from perfused rabbit skeletal muscle by the differential precipitation-centrifugation method. This microsomal fraction was subjected to zonal centrifugation on buffered sucrose gradients, in a B XIV Anderson type rotor, for 15 hr at 45,000 rpm in order to separate the two cytoplasmic organelles. Zonal profiles of absorbance at 280 mµ, proteins, glycogen, and enzymatic activities (phosphorylase b kinase, phosphorylase b, and glycogen synthetase) were performed. Whereas the entire synthetase activity was found combined with the glycogen particles, 39% of phosphorylase and 53% of phosphorylase b kinase activities, present in the microsomal fraction, were recovered in the purified vesicular fraction (d = 1.175). This latter fraction consists of vesicles, derived from the sarcoplasmic reticulum, and of small particles 10–20 mµ in diameter attached to the outer surface of the membranes. These particles disappear after α-amylase treatment. Incubation of the sarcovesicular fraction with 14C-labeled glucose-1-phosphate confirms the localization of a polysaccharide synthesis at the level of the membranes. "Flash activation" of phosphorylase b, i.e. Ca "activation" of phosphorylase kinase followed by a conversion of phosphorylase b into a, was demonstrated in the purified sarcovesicular fraction. Moreover, the active enzymatic sites were detected on the membranes by electron microscopy. The presence of binding sites between the membranes of the sarcoplasmic vesicles and a glycogen-enzyme complex suggests that this association plays a role in the glycogenolysis during muscle contraction. PMID:5040859

  4. Glycogen Synthase in Sertoli Cells: More Than Glycogenesis?

    PubMed

    Maldonado, Rodrigo; Mancilla, Héctor; Villarroel-Espíndola, Franz; Slebe, Felipe; Slebe, Juan Carlos; Méndez, Raúl; Guinovart, Joan J; Concha, Ilona I

    2016-11-01

    Sertoli cell metabolism actively maintains the nutritional needs of germ cells. It has been described that after glucose incorporation in Sertoli cells, less than 1% is converted to glycogen suggesting low levels of glycogen synthase activity. Phosphorylation of muscle glycogen synthase (MGS) at serine 640 (pS640MGS) decreases its activity, and this form of the enzyme was discovered as a non-ribosomal protein that modulates the translation of a subset of transcripts in HeLa cells. The aim of our study was to functionally characterize MGS in cultured Sertoli cells, as well as to explore this new feature related to RNA molecules. We detected MGS in the cytoplasm of Sertoli cells as well as in the nuclei. The activity rates of the enzyme were extremely low indicating that MGS is expressed but almost inactive. Protein targeting to glycogen (PTG) overexpression was performed to activate MGS by dephosphorylation. PTG induced glycogen synthesis massively, confirming that this enzyme is present but inactive. This finding correlates with high levels of pS640MGS, which were assayed by phosphatase treatment. To explore a putative new function for MGS in Sertoli cells, we performed RNA immunoprecipitation coupled to microarray studies. The results revealed that MGS co-immunoprecipitated with the several mRNAs and also rRNAs. These findings indicate that MGS is expressed Sertoli cells but in an inactive form, and also support a possibly novel feature of this metabolic enzyme associated with RNA-related molecules. J. Cell. Biochem. 117: 2597-2607, 2016. © 2016 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. © 2016 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

  5. Trifluoperazine inhibits acetaminophen-induced hepatotoxicity and hepatic reactive nitrogen formation in mice and in freshly isolated hepatocytes.

    PubMed

    Banerjee, Sudip; Melnyk, Stepan B; Krager, Kimberly J; Aykin-Burns, Nukhet; McCullough, Sandra S; James, Laura P; Hinson, Jack A

    2017-01-01

    The hepatotoxicity of acetaminophen (APAP) occurs by initial metabolism to N-acetyl-p-benzoquinone imine which depletes GSH and forms APAP-protein adducts. Subsequently, the reactive nitrogen species peroxynitrite is formed from nitric oxide (NO) and superoxide leading to 3-nitrotyrosine in proteins. Toxicity occurs with inhibited mitochondrial function. We previously reported that in hepatocytes the nNOS (NOS1) inhibitor NANT inhibited APAP toxicity, reactive nitrogen and oxygen species formation, and mitochondrial dysfunction. In this work we examined the effect of trifluoperazine (TFP), a calmodulin antagonist that inhibits calcium induced nNOS activation, on APAP hepatotoxicity and reactive nitrogen formation in murine hepatocytes and in vivo . In freshly isolated hepatocytes TFP inhibited APAP induced toxicity, reactive nitrogen formation (NO, GSNO, and 3-nitrotyrosine in protein), reactive oxygen formation (superoxide), loss of mitochondrial membrane potential, decreased ATP production, decreased oxygen consumption rate, and increased NADH accumulation. TFP did not alter APAP induced GSH depletion in the hepatocytes or the formation of APAP protein adducts which indicated that reactive metabolite formation was not inhibited. Since we previously reported that TFP inhibits the hepatotoxicity of APAP in mice without altering hepatic APAP-protein adduct formation, we examined the APAP treated mouse livers for evidence of reactive nitrogen formation. 3-Nitrotyrosine in hepatic proteins and GSNO were significantly increased in APAP treated mouse livers and decreased in the livers of mice treated with APAP plus TFP. These data are consistent with a hypothesis that APAP hepatotoxicity occurs with altered calcium metabolism, activation of nNOS leading to increased reactive nitrogen formation, and mitochondrial dysfunction.

  6. Abnormal glycogen chain length pattern, not hyperphosphorylation, is critical in Lafora disease.

    PubMed

    Nitschke, Felix; Sullivan, Mitchell A; Wang, Peixiang; Zhao, Xiaochu; Chown, Erin E; Perri, Ami M; Israelian, Lori; Juana-López, Lucia; Bovolenta, Paola; Rodríguez de Córdoba, Santiago; Steup, Martin; Minassian, Berge A

    2017-07-01

    Lafora disease (LD) is a fatal progressive epilepsy essentially caused by loss-of-function mutations in the glycogen phosphatase laforin or the ubiquitin E3 ligase malin. Glycogen in LD is hyperphosphorylated and poorly hydrosoluble. It precipitates and accumulates into neurotoxic Lafora bodies (LBs). The leading LD hypothesis that hyperphosphorylation causes the insolubility was recently challenged by the observation that phosphatase-inactive laforin rescues the laforin-deficient LD mouse model, apparently through correction of a general autophagy impairment. We were for the first time able to quantify brain glycogen phosphate. We also measured glycogen content and chain lengths, LBs, and autophagy markers in several laforin- or malin-deficient mouse lines expressing phosphatase-inactive laforin. We find that: (i) in laforin-deficient mice, phosphatase-inactive laforin corrects glycogen chain lengths, and not hyperphosphorylation, which leads to correction of glycogen amounts and prevention of LBs; (ii) in malin-deficient mice, phosphatase-inactive laforin confers no correction; (iii) general impairment of autophagy is not necessary in LD We conclude that laforin's principle function is to control glycogen chain lengths, in a malin-dependent fashion, and that loss of this control underlies LD. © 2017 The Authors. Published under the terms of the CC BY 4.0 license.

  7. Mechanism linking glycogen concentration and glycogenolytic rate in perfused contracting rat skeletal muscle.

    PubMed Central

    Hespel, P; Richter, E A

    1992-01-01

    The influence of differences in glycogen concentration on glycogen breakdown and on phosphorylase activity was investigated in perfused contracting rat skeletal muscle. The rats were preconditioned by a combination of swimming exercise and diet (carbohydrate-free or carbohydrate-rich) in order to obtain four sub-groups of rats with varying resting muscle glycogen concentrations (range 10-60 mumol/g wet wt.). Pre-contraction muscle glycogen concentration was closely positively correlated with glycogen breakdown over 15 min of intermittent short tetanic contractions (r = 0.75; P less than 0.001; n = 56) at the same tension development and oxygen uptake. Additional studies in supercompensated and glycogen-depleted hindquarters during electrical stimulation for 20 s or 2 min revealed that the difference in glycogenolytic rate was found at the beginning rather than at the end of the contraction period. Phosphorylase alpha activity was approximately twice as high (P less than 0.001) in supercompensated muscles as in glycogen-depleted muscles after 20 s as well as after 2 min of contractions. It is concluded that glycogen concentration is an important determinant of phosphorylase activity in contracting skeletal muscle, and probably via this mechanism a regulator of glycogenolytic rate during muscle contraction. PMID:1622395

  8. Sugar versus fat: elimination of glycogen storage improves lipid accumulation in Yarrowia lipolytica.

    PubMed

    Bhutada, Govindprasad; Kavšcek, Martin; Ledesma-Amaro, Rodrigo; Thomas, Stéphane; Rechberger, Gerald N; Nicaud, Jean-Marc; Natter, Klaus

    2017-05-01

    Triacylglycerol (TAG) and glycogen are the two major metabolites for carbon storage in most eukaryotic organisms. We investigated the glycogen metabolism of the oleaginous Yarrowia lipolytica and found that this yeast accumulates up to 16% glycogen in its biomass. Assuming that elimination of glycogen synthesis would result in an improvement of lipid accumulation, we characterized and deleted the single gene coding for glycogen synthase, YlGSY1. The mutant was grown under lipogenic conditions with glucose and glycerol as substrates and we obtained up to 60% improvement in TAG accumulation compared to the wild-type strain. Additionally, YlGSY1 was deleted in a background that was already engineered for high lipid accumulation. In this obese background, TAG accumulation was also further increased. The highest lipid content of 52% was found after 3 days of cultivation in nitrogen-limited glycerol medium. Furthermore, we constructed mutants of Y. lipolytica and Saccharomyces cerevisiae that are deleted for both glycogen and TAG synthesis, demonstrating that the ability to store carbon is not essential. Overall, this work showed that glycogen synthesis is a competing pathway for TAG accumulation in oleaginous yeasts and that deletion of the glycogen synthase has beneficial effects on neutral lipid storage. © FEMS 2017.

  9. Glycogen-nucleic acid constructs for gene silencing in multicellular tumor spheroids.

    PubMed

    Wojnilowicz, Marcin; Besford, Quinn A; Wu, Yun-Long; Loh, Xian Jun; Braunger, Julia A; Glab, Agata; Cortez-Jugo, Christina; Caruso, Frank; Cavalieri, Francesca

    2018-05-20

    The poor penetration of nanocarrier-siRNA constructs into tumor tissue is a major hurdle for the in vivo efficacy of siRNA therapeutics, where the ability of the constructs to permeate the 3D multicellular matrix is determined by their physicochemical properties. Herein, we optimized the use of soft glycogen nanoparticles for the engineering of glycogen-siRNA constructs that can efficiently penetrate multicellular tumor spheroids and exert a significant gene silencing effect. Glycogen nanoparticles from different bio-sources and with different structural features were investigated. We show that larger glycogen nanoparticles ranging from 50 to 80 nm are suboptimal systems for complexation of nucleic acids if fine control of the size of constructs is required. Our studies suggest that 20 nm glycogen nanoparticles are optimal for complexation and efficient delivery of siRNA. The chemical composition, surface charge, and size of glycogen-siRNA constructs were finely controlled to minimize interactions with serum proteins and allow penetration into 3D multicellular spheroids of human kidney epithelial cells and human prostate cancer cells. We introduced pH sensitive moieties within the construct to enhance early endosome escape and efficiently improve the silencing effect in vitro. Glycogen-siRNA constructs were found to mediate gene silencing in 3D multicellular spheroids causing ∼60% specific gene silencing. The optimized construct exhibited an in vivo circulation lifetime of 8 h in mice, with preferential accumulation in the liver. No accumulation in the kidney, lung, spleen, heart or brain, or signs of toxicity in mice were observed. Our results highlight the potential for screening siRNA nanocarriers in 3D cultured prostate tumor models, thereby improving the predictive therapeutic efficacy of glycogen-based platforms in human physiological conditions. Copyright © 2018 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

  10. A Ketone Ester Drink Increases Postexercise Muscle Glycogen Synthesis in Humans.

    PubMed

    Holdsworth, David A; Cox, Peter J; Kirk, Tom; Stradling, Huw; Impey, Samuel G; Clarke, Kieran

    2017-09-01

    Physical endurance can be limited by muscle glycogen stores, in that glycogen depletion markedly reduces external work. During carbohydrate restriction, the liver synthesizes the ketone bodies, D-β-hydroxybutyrate, and acetoacetate from fatty acids. In animals and in the presence of glucose, D-β-hydroxybutyrate promotes insulin secretion and increases glycogen synthesis. Here we determined whether a dietary ketone ester, combined with plentiful glucose, can increase postexercise glycogen synthesis in human skeletal muscle. After an interval-based glycogen depletion exercise protocol, 12 well-trained male athletes completed a randomized, three-arm, blinded crossover recovery study that consisted of consumption of either a taste-matched, zero-calorie control or a ketone monoester drink, followed by a 10-mM glucose clamp or saline infusion for 2 h. The three postexercise conditions were control drink then saline infusion, control drink then hyperglycemic clamp, or ketone ester drink then hyperglycemic clamp. Skeletal muscle glycogen content was determined in muscle biopsies of vastus lateralis taken before and after the 2-h clamps. The ketone ester drink increased blood D-β-hydroxybutyrate concentrations to a maximum of 5.3 versus 0.7 mM for the control drink (P < 0.0001). During the 2-h glucose clamps, insulin levels were twofold higher (31 vs 16 mU·L, P < 0.01) and glucose uptake 32% faster (1.66 vs 1.26 g·kg, P < 0.001). The ketone drink increased by 61 g, the total glucose infused for 2 h, from 197 to 258 g, and muscle glycogen was 50% higher (246 vs 164 mmol glycosyl units per kilogram dry weight, P < 0.05) than after the control drink. In the presence of constant high glucose concentrations, a ketone ester drink increased endogenous insulin levels, glucose uptake, and muscle glycogen synthesis.

  11. Effect of pH on Cleavage of Glycogen by Vaginal Enzymes

    PubMed Central

    Spear, Greg T.; McKenna, Mary; Landay, Alan L.; Makinde, Hadijat; Hamaker, Bruce; French, Audrey L.; Lee, Byung-Hoo

    2015-01-01

    Glycogen expressed by the lower genital tract epithelium is believed to support Lactobacillus growth in vivo, although most genital isolates of Lactobacillus are not able to use glycogen as an energy source in vitro. We recently reported that α-amylase is present in the genital fluid of women and that it breaks down glycogen into small carbohydrates that support growth of lactobacilli. Since the pH of the lower genital tract can be very low, we determined how low pH affects glycogen processing by α-amylase. α-amylase in saliva degraded glycogen similarly at pH 6 and 7, but activity was reduced by 52% at pH 4. The glycogen degrading activity in nine genital samples from seven women showed a similar profile with an average reduction of more than 50% at pH 4. However, two samples collected from one woman at different times had a strikingly different pH profile with increased glycogen degradation at pH 4, 5 and 6 compared to pH 7. This second pH profile did not correlate with levels of human α-acid glucosidase or human intestinal maltase glucoamylase. High-performance anion-exchange chromatography showed that mostly maltose was produced from glycogen by samples with the second pH profile in contrast to genital α-amylase that yielded maltose, maltotriose and maltotetraose. These studies show that at low pH, α-amylase activity is reduced to low but detectable levels, which we speculate helps maintain Lactobacillus growth at a limited but sustained rate. Additionally, some women have a genital enzyme distinct from α-amylase with higher activity at low pH. Further studies are needed to determine the identity and distribution of this second enzyme, and whether its presence influences the makeup of genital microbiota. PMID:26171967

  12. Lithium Induces Glycogen Accumulation in Salivary Glands of the Rat.

    PubMed

    Souza, D N; Mendes, F M; Nogueira, F N; Simões, A; Nicolau, J

    2016-02-01

    Lithium is administered for the treatment of mood and bipolar disorder. The aim of this study was to verify whether treatment with different concentrations of lithium may affect the glycogen metabolism in the salivary glands of the rats when compared with the liver. Mobilization of glycogen in salivary glands is important for the process of secretion. Two sets of experiments were carried out, that is, in the first, the rats received drinking water supplemented with LiCl (38,25 and 12 mM of LiCl for 15 days) and the second experiment was carried out by intraperitoneal injection of LiCl solution (12 mg/kg and 45 mg LiCl/kg body weight) for 3 days. The active form of glycogen phosphorylase was not affected by treatment with LiCl considering the two experiments. The active form of glycogen synthase presented higher activity in the submandibular glands of rats treated with 25 and 38 mM LiCl and in the liver, with 25 mM LiCl. Glycogen level was higher than that of control in the submandibular glands of rats receiving 38 and 12 mM LiCl, in the parotid of rats receiving 25 and 38 mM, and in the liver of rats receiving 12 mM LiCl. The absolute value of glycogen for the submandibular treated with 25 mM LiCl, and the liver treated with 38 mM LiCl, was higher than the control value, although not statistically significant for these tissues. No statistically significant difference was found in the submandibular and parotid salivary glands for protein concentration when comparing experimental and control groups. We concluded that LiCl administered to rats influences the metabolism of glycogen in salivary glands.

  13. Pathogenesis of Lafora Disease: Transition of Soluble Glycogen to Insoluble Polyglucosan.

    PubMed

    Sullivan, Mitchell A; Nitschke, Silvia; Steup, Martin; Minassian, Berge A; Nitschke, Felix

    2017-08-11

    Lafora disease (LD, OMIM #254780) is a rare, recessively inherited neurodegenerative disease with adolescent onset, resulting in progressive myoclonus epilepsy which is fatal usually within ten years of symptom onset. The disease is caused by loss-of-function mutations in either of the two genes EPM2A (laforin) or EPM2B (malin). It characteristically involves the accumulation of insoluble glycogen-derived particles, named Lafora bodies (LBs), which are considered neurotoxic and causative of the disease. The pathogenesis of LD is therefore centred on the question of how insoluble LBs emerge from soluble glycogen. Recent data clearly show that an abnormal glycogen chain length distribution, but neither hyperphosphorylation nor impairment of general autophagy, strictly correlates with glycogen accumulation and the presence of LBs. This review summarizes results obtained with patients, mouse models, and cell lines and consolidates apparent paradoxes in the LD literature. Based on the growing body of evidence, it proposes that LD is predominantly caused by an impairment in chain-length regulation affecting only a small proportion of the cellular glycogen. A better grasp of LD pathogenesis will further develop our understanding of glycogen metabolism and structure. It will also facilitate the development of clinical interventions that appropriately target the underlying cause of LD.

  14. Pathogenesis of Lafora Disease: Transition of Soluble Glycogen to Insoluble Polyglucosan

    PubMed Central

    Sullivan, Mitchell A.; Nitschke, Silvia; Steup, Martin; Minassian, Berge A.; Nitschke, Felix

    2017-01-01

    Lafora disease (LD, OMIM #254780) is a rare, recessively inherited neurodegenerative disease with adolescent onset, resulting in progressive myoclonus epilepsy which is fatal usually within ten years of symptom onset. The disease is caused by loss-of-function mutations in either of the two genes EPM2A (laforin) or EPM2B (malin). It characteristically involves the accumulation of insoluble glycogen-derived particles, named Lafora bodies (LBs), which are considered neurotoxic and causative of the disease. The pathogenesis of LD is therefore centred on the question of how insoluble LBs emerge from soluble glycogen. Recent data clearly show that an abnormal glycogen chain length distribution, but neither hyperphosphorylation nor impairment of general autophagy, strictly correlates with glycogen accumulation and the presence of LBs. This review summarizes results obtained with patients, mouse models, and cell lines and consolidates apparent paradoxes in the LD literature. Based on the growing body of evidence, it proposes that LD is predominantly caused by an impairment in chain-length regulation affecting only a small proportion of the cellular glycogen. A better grasp of LD pathogenesis will further develop our understanding of glycogen metabolism and structure. It will also facilitate the development of clinical interventions that appropriately target the underlying cause of LD. PMID:28800070

  15. Patterns of variation in glycogen, free glucose and lactate in organs of supercooled hatchling painted turtles (Chrysemys picta).

    PubMed

    Packard, Mary J; Packard, Gary C

    2005-08-01

    Hatchling painted turtles (Chrysemys picta) typically spend their first winter of life in a shallow, subterranean hibernaculum (the natal nest), where they may be exposed for extended periods to ice and cold. The key to their survival seems to be to avoid freezing and to sustain a state of supercooling. As temperature declines below 0 degrees C, however, the heart of an unfrozen turtle beats progressively slower, the diminished perfusion of peripheral tissues with blood induces a functional hypoxia, and anaerobic glycolysis assumes ever greater importance as a source of ATP. We hypothesized that diminished circulatory function in supercooled turtles also reduces the delivery of metabolic substrates to peripheral tissues from central stores in the liver, so that the tissues depend increasingly on endogenous stores to fuel their metabolism. We discovered in the current investigation that part of the glycogen reserve in hearts and brains of hatchlings is mobilized during the first 10 days of exposure to -6 degrees C but that glucose from hepatic glycogen supports metabolism of the organs thereafter. Hatchlings that were held at -6 degrees C for 10 days and then at +3 degrees C for another 10 days were able to reconstitute some of the reserve of glycogen in heart and liver but not the glycogen reserve in brain. Patterns of accumulation of lactate in individual organs were very similar to those reported for whole animals in a companion study, and point to a high degree of reliance on anaerobic metabolism at -6 degrees C and to a lesser degree of reliance on anaerobiosis at higher subzero temperatures. Lactate had returned to baseline levels in organs of animals that were held for 10 days at -6 degrees C and for another 10 days at +3 degrees C, but free glucose remained elevated. Indeed, carbohydrate metabolism probably does not return to the pre-exposure state in any of the major organs until well after the exposure to subzero temperatures has ended, circulatory

  16. Validation of musculoskeletal ultrasound to assess and quantify muscle glycogen content. A novel approach.

    PubMed

    Hill, John C; Millán, Iñigo San

    2014-09-01

    Glycogen storage is essential for exercise performance. The ability to assess muscle glycogen levels should be an important advantage for performance. However, skeletal muscle glycogen assessment has only been available and validated through muscle biopsy. We have developed a new methodology using high-frequency ultrasound to assess skeletal muscle glycogen content in a rapid, portable, and noninvasive way using MuscleSound (MuscleSound, LCC, Denver, CO) technology. To validate the utilization of high-frequency musculoskeletal ultrasound for muscle glycogen assessment and correlate it with histochemical glycogen quantification through muscle biopsy. Twenty-two male competitive cyclists (categories: Pro, 1-4; average height, 183.7 ± 4.9 cm; average weight, 76.8 ± 7.8 kg) performed a steady-state test on a cyclergometer for 90 minutes at a moderate to high exercise intensity, eliciting a carbohydrate oxidation of 2-3 g·min⁻¹ and a blood lactate concentration of 2 to 3 mM. Pre- and post-exercise glycogen content from rectus femoris muscle was measured using histochemical analysis through muscle biopsy and through high-frequency ultrasound scans using MuscleSound technology. Correlations between muscle biopsy glycogen histochemical quantification (mmol·kg⁻¹) and high-frequency ultrasound methodology through MuscleSound technology were r = 0.93 (P < 0.0001) pre-exercise and r = 0.94 (P < 0.0001) post-exercise. The correlation between muscle biopsy glycogen quantification and high-frequency ultrasound methodology for the change in glycogen from pre- and post-exercise was r = 0.81 (P < 0.0001). These results demonstrate that skeletal muscle glycogen can be measured quickly and noninvasively through high-frequency ultrasound using MuscleSound technology.

  17. Cryo-chemical decellularization of the whole liver for mesenchymal stem cells-based functional hepatic tissue engineering.

    PubMed

    Jiang, Wei-Cheng; Cheng, Yu-Hao; Yen, Meng-Hua; Chang, Yin; Yang, Vincent W; Lee, Oscar K

    2014-04-01

    Liver transplantation is the ultimate treatment for severe hepatic failure to date. However, the limited supply of donor organs has severely hampered this treatment. So far, great potentials of using mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs) to replenish the hepatic cell population have been shown; nevertheless, there still is a lack of an optimal three-dimensional scaffold for generation of well-transplantable hepatic tissues. In this study, we utilized a cryo-chemical decellularization method which combines physical and chemical approach to generate acellular liver scaffolds (ALS) from the whole liver. The produced ALS provides a biomimetic three-dimensional environment to support hepatic differentiation of MSCs, evidenced by expression of hepatic-associated genes and marker protein, glycogen storage, albumin secretion, and urea production. It is also found that hepatic differentiation of MSCs within the ALS is much more efficient than two-dimensional culture in vitro. Importantly, the hepatic-like tissues (HLT) generated by repopulating ALS with MSCs are able to act as functional grafts and rescue lethal hepatic failure after transplantation in vivo. In summary, the cryo-chemical method used in this study is suitable for decellularization of liver and create acellular scaffolds that can support hepatic differentiation of MSCs and be used to fabricate functional tissue-engineered liver constructs. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

  18. Free Glycogen in Vaginal Fluids Is Associated with Lactobacillus Colonization and Low Vaginal pH

    PubMed Central

    Mirmonsef, Paria; Hotton, Anna L.; Gilbert, Douglas; Burgad, Derick; Landay, Alan; Weber, Kathleen M.; Cohen, Mardge; Ravel, Jacques; Spear, Gregory T.

    2014-01-01

    Objective Lactobacillus dominates the lower genital tract microbiota of many women, producing a low vaginal pH, and is important for healthy pregnancy outcomes and protection against several sexually transmitted pathogens. Yet, factors that promote Lactobacillus remain poorly understood. We hypothesized that the amount of free glycogen in the lumen of the lower genital tract is an important determinant of Lactobacillus colonization and a low vaginal pH. Methods Free glycogen in lavage samples was quantified. Pyrosequencing of the 16S rRNA gene was used to identify microbiota from 21 African American women collected over 8–11 years. Results Free glycogen levels varied greatly between women and even in the same woman. Samples with the highest free glycogen had a corresponding median genital pH that was significantly lower (pH 4.4) than those with low glycogen (pH 5.8; p<0.001). The fraction of the microbiota consisting of Lactobacillus was highest in samples with high glycogen versus those with low glycogen (median = 0.97 vs. 0.05, p<0.001). In multivariable analysis, having 1 vs. 0 male sexual partner in the past 6 months was negatively associated, while BMI ≥30 was positively associated with glycogen. High concentrations of glycogen corresponded to higher levels of L. crispatus and L. jensenii, but not L. iners. Conclusion These findings show that free glycogen in genital fluid is associated with a genital microbiota dominated by Lactobacillus, suggesting glycogen is important for maintaining genital health. Treatments aimed at increasing genital free glycogen might impact Lactobacillus colonization. PMID:25033265

  19. Human skeletal muscle glycogen utilization in exhaustive exercise: role of subcellular localization and fibre type

    PubMed Central

    Nielsen, Joachim; Holmberg, Hans-Christer; Schrøder, Henrik D; Saltin, Bengt; Ørtenblad, Niels

    2011-01-01

    Abstract Although glycogen is known to be heterogeneously distributed within skeletal muscle cells, there is presently little information available about the role of fibre types, utilization and resynthesis during and after exercise with respect to glycogen localization. Here, we tested the hypothesis that utilization of glycogen with different subcellular localizations during exhaustive arm and leg exercise differs and examined the influence of fibre type and carbohydrate availability on its subsequent resynthesis. When 10 elite endurance athletes (22 ± 1 years, = 68 ± 5 ml kg−1 min−1, mean ± SD) performed one hour of exhaustive arm and leg exercise, transmission electron microscopy revealed more pronounced depletion of intramyofibrillar than of intermyofibrillar and subsarcolemmal glycogen. This phenomenon was the same for type I and II fibres, although at rest prior to exercise, the former contained more intramyofibrillar and subsarcolemmal glycogen than the latter. In highly glycogen-depleted fibres, the remaining small intermyofibrillar and subsarcolemmal glycogen particles were often found to cluster in groupings. In the recovery period, when the athletes received either a carbohydrate-rich meal or only water the impaired resynthesis of glycogen with water alone was associated primarily with intramyofibrillar glycogen. In conclusion, after prolonged high-intensity exercise the depletion of glycogen is dependent on subcellular localization. In addition, the localization of glycogen appears to be influenced by fibre type prior to exercise, as well as carbohydrate availability during the subsequent period of recovery. These findings provide insight into the significance of fibre type-specific compartmentalization of glycogen metabolism in skeletal muscle during exercise and subsequent recovery. PMID:21486810

  20. Molecular Pathophysiology of Hepatic Glucose Production

    PubMed Central

    Sharabi, Kfir; Tavares, Clint D. J.; Rines, Amy K.; Puigserver, Pere

    2015-01-01

    Maintaining blood glucose concentration within a relatively narrow range through periods of fasting or excess nutrient availability is essential to the survival of the organism. This is achieved through an intricate balance between glucose uptake and endogenous glucose production to maintain constant glucose concentrations. The liver plays a major role in maintaining normal whole body glucose levels by regulating the processes of de novo glucose production (gluconeogenesis) and glycogen breakdown (glycogenolysis), thus controlling the levels of hepatic glucose release. Aberrant regulation of hepatic glucose production (HGP) can result in deleterious clinical outcomes, and excessive HGP is a major contributor to the hyperglycemia observed in Type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM). Indeed, adjusting glycaemia as close as possible to a non-diabetic range is the foremost objective in the medical treatment of patients with T2DM and is currently achieved in the clinic primarily through suppression of HGP. Here, we review the molecular mechanisms controlling HGP in response to nutritional and hormonal signals and discuss how these signals are altered in T2DM. PMID:26549348

  1. Body mass dependence of glycogen stores in the anoxia-tolerant crucian carp ( Carassius carassius L.)

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Vornanen, Matti; Asikainen, Juha; Haverinen, Jaakko

    2011-03-01

    Glycogen is a vital energy substrate for anaerobic organisms, and the size of glycogen stores can be a limiting factor for anoxia tolerance of animals. To this end, glycogen stores in 12 different tissues of the crucian carp ( Carassius carassius L.), an anoxia-tolerant fish species, were examined. Glycogen content of different tissues was 2-10 times higher in winter (0.68-18.20% of tissue wet weight) than in summer (0.12-4.23%). In scale, bone and brain glycogen stores were strongly dependent on body mass (range between 0.6 and 785 g), small fish having significantly more glycogen than large fish ( p < 0.05). In fin and skin, size dependence was evident in winter, but not in summer, while in other tissues (ventricle, atrium, intestine, liver, muscle, and spleen), no size dependence was found. The liver was much bigger in small than large fish ( p < 0.001), and there was a prominent enlargement of the liver in winter irrespective of fish size. As a consequence, the whole body glycogen reserves, measured as a sum of glycogen from different tissues, varied from 6.1% of the body mass in the 1-g fish to 2.0% in the 800-g fish. Since anaerobic metabolic rate scales down with body size, the whole body glycogen reserves could provide energy for approximately 79 and 88 days of anoxia in small and large fish, respectively. There was, however, a drastic difference in tissue distribution of glycogen between large and small fish: in the small fish, the liver was the major glycogen store (68% of the stores), while in the large fish, the white myotomal muscle was the principal deposit of glycogen (57%). Since muscle glycogen is considered to be unavailable for blood glucose regulation, its usefulness in anoxia tolerance of the large crucian carp might be limited, although not excluded. Therefore, mobilization of muscle glycogen under anoxia needs to be rigorously tested.

  2. Insights into glycogen metabolism in Lactobacillus acidophilus: impact on carbohydrate metabolism, stress tolerance and gut retention.

    PubMed

    Goh, Yong Jun; Klaenhammer, Todd R

    2014-11-20

    In prokaryotic species equipped with glycogen metabolism machinery, the co-regulation of glycogen biosynthesis and degradation has been associated with the synthesis of energy storage compounds and various crucial physiological functions, including global cellular processes such as carbon and nitrogen metabolism, energy sensing and production, stress response and cell-cell communication. In addition, the glycogen metabolic pathway was proposed to serve as a carbon capacitor that regulates downstream carbon fluxes, and in some microorganisms the ability to synthesize intracellular glycogen has been implicated in host persistence. Among lactobacilli, complete glycogen metabolic pathway genes are present only in select species predominantly associated with mammalian hosts or natural environments. This observation highlights the potential involvement of glycogen biosynthesis in probiotic activities and persistence of intestinal lactobacilli in the human gastrointestinal tract. In this review, we summarize recent findings on (i) the presence and potential ecological distribution of glycogen metabolic pathways among lactobacilli, (ii) influence of carbon substrates and growth phases on glycogen metabolic gene expression and glycogen accumulation in L. acidophilus, and (iii) the involvement of glycogen metabolism on growth, sugar utilization and bile tolerance. Our present in vivo studies established the significance of glycogen biosynthesis on the competitive retention of L. acidophilus in the mouse intestinal tract, demonstrating for the first time that the ability to synthesize intracellular glycogen contributes to gut fitness and retention among probiotic microorganisms.

  3. Possible mechanism for changes in glycogen metabolism in unloaded soleus muscle

    NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

    Henriksen, E. J.; Tischler, M. E.

    1985-01-01

    Carbohydrate metabolism has been shown to be affected in a number of ways by different models of hypokinesia. In vivo glycogen levels in the soleus muscle are known to be increased by short-term denervation and harness suspension. In addition, exposure to 7 days of hypogravity also caused a dramatic increase in glycogen concentration in this muscle. The biochemical alterations caused by unloading that may bring about these increases in glycogen storage in the soleus were sought.

  4. Intermittent fasting reduces body fat but exacerbates hepatic insulin resistance in young rats regardless of high protein and fat diets.

    PubMed

    Park, Sunmin; Yoo, Kyung Min; Hyun, Joo Suk; Kang, Suna

    2017-02-01

    Intermittent fasting (IMF) is a relatively new dietary approach to weight management, although the efficacy and adverse effects have not been full elucidated and the optimal diets for IMF are unknown. We tested the hypothesis that a one-meal-per-day intermittent fasting with high fat (HF) or protein (HP) diets can modify energy, lipid, and glucose metabolism in normal young male Sprague-Dawley rats with diet-induced obesity or overweight. Male rats aged 5 weeks received either HF (40% fat) or HP (26% protein) diets ad libitum (AL) or for 3 h at the beginning of the dark cycle (IMF) for 5 weeks. Epidydimal fat pads and fat deposits in the leg and abdomen were lower with HP and IMF. Energy expenditure at the beginning of the dark cycle, especially from fat oxidation, was higher with IMF than AL, possibly due to greater activity levels. Brown fat content was higher with IMF. Serum ghrelin levels were higher in HP-IMF than other groups, and accordingly, cumulative food intake was also higher in HP-IMF than HF-IMF. HF-IMF exhibited higher area under the curve (AUC) of serum glucose at the first part (0-40 min) during oral glucose tolerance test, whereas AUC of serum insulin levels in both parts were higher in IMF and HF. During intraperitoneal insulin tolerance test, serum glucose levels were higher with IMF than AL. Consistently, hepatic insulin signaling (GLUT2, pAkt) was attenuated and PEPCK expression was higher with IMF and HF than other groups, and HOMA-IR revealed significantly impaired attenuated insulin sensitivity in the IMF groups. However, surprisingly, hepatic and skeletal muscle glycogen storage was higher in IMF groups than AL. The higher glycogen storage in the IMF groups was associated with the lower expression of glycogen phosphorylase than the AL groups. In conclusion, IMF especially with HF increased insulin resistance, possibly by attenuating hepatic insulin signaling, and lowered glycogen phosphorylase expression despite decreased fat mass in young

  5. Molecular cloning and characterization of glycogen synthase in Eriocheir sinensis.

    PubMed

    Li, Ran; Zhu, Li-Na; Ren, Li-Qi; Weng, Jie-Yang; Sun, Jin-Sheng

    2017-12-01

    Glycogen plays an important role in glucose and energy homeostasis at cellular and organismal levels. In glycogen synthesis, glycogen synthase (GS) is a rate-limiting enzyme catalysing the addition of α-1,4-linked glucose units from (UDP) 3 -glucose to a nascent glycogen chain using glycogenin (GN) as a primer. While studies on mammalian liver GS (GYS2) are numerous, enzymes from crustaceans, which also use glycogen and glucose as their main energy source, have received less attention. In the present study, we amplified full-length GS cDNA from Eriocheir sinensis. Tissue expression profiling revealed the highest expression of GS in the hepatopancreas. During moulting, GS expression and activity declined, and glycogen levels in the hepatopancreas were reduced. Recombinant GS was expressed in Escherichia coli Rosetta (DE3), and induction at 37°C or 16°C yielded EsGS in insoluble inclusion bodies (EsGS-I) or in soluble form (EsGS-S), respectively. Enzyme activity was measured in a cell-free system containing glucose-6-phosphate (G6P), and both forms possessed glycosyltransferase activity, but refolded EsGS-I was more active. Enzyme activity of both GS and EsGS-I in the hepatopancreas was optimum at 25°C, which is coincident with the optimum growth temperature of Chinese mitten crab, and higher (37°C) or lower (16°C) temperatures resulted in lower enzyme activity. Taken together, the results suggest that GS may be important for maintaining normal physiological functions such as growth and reproduction. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

  6. Role of glycogen availability in sarcoplasmic reticulum Ca2+ kinetics in human skeletal muscle

    PubMed Central

    Ørtenblad, Niels; Nielsen, Joachim; Saltin, Bengt; Holmberg, Hans-Christer

    2011-01-01

    Little is known about the precise mechanism that relates skeletal muscle glycogen to muscle fatigue. The aim of the present study was to examine the effect of glycogen on sarcoplasmic reticulum (SR) function in the arm and leg muscles of elite cross-country skiers (n= 10, 72 ± 2 ml kg−1 min−1) before, immediately after, and 4 h and 22 h after a fatiguing 1 h ski race. During the first 4 h recovery, skiers received either water or carbohydrate (CHO) and thereafter all received CHO-enriched food. Immediately after the race, arm glycogen was reduced to 31 ± 4% and SR Ca2+ release rate decreased to 85 ± 2% of initial levels. Glycogen noticeably recovered after 4 h recovery with CHO (59 ± 5% initial) and the SR Ca2+ release rate returned to pre-exercise levels. However, in the absence of CHO during the first 4 h recovery, glycogen and the SR Ca2+ release rate remained unchanged (29 ± 2% and 77 ± 8%, respectively), with both parameters becoming normal after the remaining 18 h recovery with CHO. Leg muscle glycogen decreased to a lesser extent (71 ± 10% initial), with no effects on the SR Ca2+ release rate. Interestingly, transmission electron microscopy (TEM) analysis revealed that the specific pool of intramyofibrillar glycogen, representing 10–15% of total glycogen, was highly significantly correlated with the SR Ca2+ release rate. These observations strongly indicate that low glycogen and especially intramyofibrillar glycogen, as suggested by TEM, modulate the SR Ca2+ release rate in highly trained subjects. Thus, low glycogen during exercise may contribute to fatigue by causing a decreased SR Ca2+ release rate. PMID:21135051

  7. Effect of glycogen synthase overexpression on insulin-stimulated muscle glucose uptake and storage.

    PubMed

    Fogt, Donovan L; Pan, Shujia; Lee, Sukho; Ding, Zhenping; Scrimgeour, Angus; Lawrence, John C; Ivy, John L

    2004-03-01

    Insulin-stimulated muscle glucose uptake is inversely associated with the muscle glycogen concentration. To investigate whether this association is a cause and effect relationship, we compared insulin-stimulated muscle glucose uptake in noncontracted and postcontracted muscle of GSL3-transgenic and wild-type mice. GSL3-transgenic mice overexpress a constitutively active form of glycogen synthase, which results in an abundant storage of muscle glycogen. Muscle contraction was elicited by in situ electrical stimulation of the sciatic nerve. Right gastrocnemii from GSL3-transgenic and wild-type mice were subjected to 30 min of electrical stimulation followed by hindlimb perfusion of both hindlimbs. Thirty minutes of contraction significantly reduced muscle glycogen concentration in wild-type (49%) and transgenic (27%) mice, although transgenic mice retained 168.8 +/- 20.5 micromol/g glycogen compared with 17.7 +/- 2.6 micromol/g glycogen for wild-type mice. Muscle of transgenic and wild-type mice demonstrated similar pre- (3.6 +/- 0.3 and 3.9 +/- 0.6 micromol.g(-1).h(-1) for transgenic and wild-type, respectively) and postcontraction (7.9 +/- 0.4 and 7.0 +/- 0.4 micromol.g(-1).h(-1) for transgenic and wild-type, respectively) insulin-stimulated glucose uptakes. However, the [14C]glucose incorporated into glycogen was greater in noncontracted (151%) and postcontracted (157%) transgenic muscle vs. muscle of corresponding wild-type mice. These results indicate that glycogen synthase activity is not rate limiting for insulin-stimulated glucose uptake in skeletal muscle and that the inverse relationship between muscle glycogen and insulin-stimulated glucose uptake is an association, not a cause and effect relationship.

  8. Putative role of glycogen as a peripheral biomarker of GSK3β activity.

    PubMed

    Frizzo, Marcos Emilio

    2013-09-01

    Glycogen synthase kinase 3-β (GSK3β) has a pivotal role in several intracellular signaling cascades that are involved in gene transcription, cytoskeletal reorganization, energy metabolism, cell cycle regulation, and apoptosis. This kinase has pleiotropic functions, and the importance of its activity has recently been shown in neurons and platelets. In addition to its regulatory function in several physiological events, changes in GSK3β activity have been associated with many psychiatric and neurodegenerative illnesses, such as Alzheimer's disease, schizophrenia and autism-spectrum disorders. Beside the reports of its involvement in several pathologies, it has become increasingly apparent that GSK3β might be a common therapeutic target for different classes of psychiatric drugs, and also that the GSK3β ratio may be a useful parameter to determine the biochemical changes that might occur during antidepressant treatment. Although GSK3β is commonly described as a key enzyme in a plethora of signaling cascades, originally it was identified as playing an important role in the regulation of glycogen synthesis, given its ability to inactivate glycogen synthase (GS) by phosphorylation. Acting as a constitutively active kinase, GSK3β phosphorylates GS, which results in a decrease of glycogen production. GSK3β phosphorylation increases glycogen synthesis and storage, while its dephosphorylation decreases glycogen synthesis. Inactivation of GSK3β leads to dephosphorylation of GS and increase in glycogen synthesis in the adipose tissue, muscle and liver. Glycogen levels are reduced by antidepressant treatment, and this effect seems to be related to an effect of drugs on GSK3β activity. Peripherally, glycogen is also abundantly found in platelets, where it is considered a major energy source, required for a variety of its functions, including the release reaction. Recently, analysis of platelets from patients with late-life major depression showed that active forms of

  9. A novel method of mouse ex utero transplantation of hepatic progenitor cells into the fetal liver

    DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

    Shikanai, Mima; Asahina, Kinji; Iseki, Sachiko

    2009-04-03

    Avoiding the limitations of the adult liver niche, transplantation of hepatic stem/progenitor cells into fetal liver is desirable to analyze immature cells in a hepatic developmental environment. Here, we established a new monitor tool for cell fate of hepatic progenitor cells transplanted into the mouse fetal liver by using ex utero surgery. When embryonic day (ED) 14.5 hepatoblasts were injected into the ED14.5 fetal liver, the transplanted cells expressed albumin abundantly or {alpha}-fetoprotein weakly, and contained glycogen in the neonatal liver, indicating that transplanted hepatoblasts can proliferate and differentiate in concord with surrounding recipient parenchymal cells. The transplanted cells becamemore » mature in the liver of 6-week-old mice. Furthermore, this method was applicable to transplantation of hepatoblast-like cells derived from mouse embryonic stem cells. These data indicate that this unique technique will provide a new in vivo experimental system for studying cell fate of hepatic stem/progenitor cells and liver organogenesis.« less

  10. Glucose uptake and glycogen synthesis in muscles from immobilized limbs

    NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

    Nicholson, W. F.; Watson, P. A.; Booth, F. W.

    1984-01-01

    Defects in glucose metabolism in muscles of immobilized limbs of mice were related to alterations in insulin binding, insulin responsiveness, glucose supply, and insulin activation of glycogen synthase. These were tested by in vitro methodology. A significant lessening in the insulin-induced maximal response of 2-deoxyglucose uptake into the mouse soleus muscle occurred between the 3rd and 8th h of limb immobilization, suggesting a decreased insulin responsiveness. Lack of change in the specific binding of insulin to muscles of 24-h immobilized limbs indicates that a change in insulin receptor number did not play a role in the failure of insulin to stimulate glucose metabolism. Its inability to stimulate glycogen synthesis in muscle from immobilized limbs is due, in part, to a lack of glucose supply to glycogen synthesis and also to the ineffectiveness of insulin to increase the percentage of glycogen synthase in its active form in muscles from 24-h immobilized limbs.

  11. Roux-en-Y Gastric Bypass Improves Hepatic Glucose Metabolism Involving Down-Regulation of Protein Tyrosine Phosphatase 1B in Obese Rats

    PubMed Central

    Mu, Song; Liu, Jiayu; Guo, Wei; Zhang, Shuping; Xiao, Xiaoqiu; Wang, Zhihong; Zhang, Jun

    2017-01-01

    Objective This study was initiated to investigate the effects of Roux-en-Y gastric bypass (RYGB) surgery on hepatic glucose metabolism and hepatic expression of protein tyrosine phosphatase 1B (PTP1B) in obese rats. Methods Body weight, glucose, intraperitoneal glucose, insulin, and pyruvate tolerance tests were performed pre- and postoperatively, and plasma lipid, insulin and glucagon-like peptide 1 (GLP-1) were measured. The mRNA levels of G6Pase, Pepck, Gsk-3β and Gys-2, and the expression levels of PTP1B mRNA, protein, and other components of the insulin signaling pathway were measured by using RT-PCR and western blotting. The intracellular localization of PTP1B and hepatic glycogen deposition was also observed. Results RYGB surgery-treated rats showed persistent weight loss, significantly improved glucose tolerance, pyruvate tolerance, and dyslipidemia, as well as increased insulin sensitivity, hepatic glycogen deposition and increased plasma GLP-1 in obese rats. RT-PCR analyses showed Pepck, G6Pase, and Gsk-3β mRNA to be significantly decreased, and Gys-2 mRNA to be significantly increased in liver tissue in the RYGB group (p < 0.05 vs. high-fat diet (HFD) or HFD + sham group); in addition, the expression of PTP1B were significantly decreased and insulin signaling were improved in the RYGB group (p < 0.05 vs. HFD or HFD + sham group). Conclusion RYGB can improve hepatic glucose metabolism and down-regulate PTP1B in obese rats. An increased circulating GLP-1 concentration may be correlated with the effects following RYGB in obese rats. PMID:28564652

  12. Chronic corticosterone exposure reduces hippocampal glycogen level and induces depression-like behavior in mice.

    PubMed

    Zhang, Hui-yu; Zhao, Yu-nan; Wang, Zhong-li; Huang, Yu-fang

    2015-01-01

    Long-term exposure to stress or high glucocorticoid levels leads to depression-like behavior in rodents; however, the cause remains unknown. Increasing evidence shows that astrocytes, the most abundant cells in the central nervous system (CNS), are important to the nervous system. Astrocytes nourish and protect the neurons, and serve as glycogen repositories for the brain. The metabolic process of glycogen, which is closely linked to neuronal activity, can supply sufficient energy substrates for neurons. The research team probed into the effects of chronic corticosterone (CORT) exposure on the glycogen level of astrocytes in the hippocampal tissues of male C57BL/6N mice in this study. The results showed that chronic CORT injection reduced hippocampal neurofilament light protein (NF-L) and synaptophysin (SYP) levels, induced depression-like behavior in male mice, reduced hippocampal glycogen level and glycogen synthase activity, and increased glycogen phosphorylase activity. The results suggested that the reduction of the hippocampal glycogen level may be the mechanism by which chronic CORT treatment damages hippocampal neurons and induces depression-like behavior in male mice.

  13. Technical note: A method for isolating glycogen granules from ruminal protozoa for further characterization.

    PubMed

    Hall, Mary Beth

    2016-03-01

    Evaluation of physical, chemical, and enzymatic hydrolysis characteristics of protozoal glycogen is best performed on a pure substrate to avoid interference from other cell components. A method for isolating protozoal glycogen granules without use of detergents or other potentially contaminating chemicals was developed. Rumen inoculum was incubated anerobically in vitro with glucose. Glycogen-laden protozoa produced in the fermentation, primarily isotrichids, were allowed to sediment in a separatory funnel and were dispensed. The protozoa were processed through repeated centrifugations and sonication to isolate glycogen granules largely free of feed and cellular debris. The final water-insoluble lyophilized product analyzed as 98.3% α-glucan with very rare starch granules and 1.9% protein. Observed losses of glycogen granules during the clean-up process indicate that this procedure should not be used for quantitative assessment of protozoal glycogen from fermentations. Further optimization of this procedure to enhance the amount of glycogen obtained per fermentation may be possible. Copyright © 2016 American Dairy Science Association. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

  14. Natural products, an important resource for discovery of multitarget drugs and functional food for regulation of hepatic glucose metabolism.

    PubMed

    Li, Jian; Yu, Haiyang; Wang, Sijian; Wang, Wei; Chen, Qian; Ma, Yanmin; Zhang, Yi; Wang, Tao

    2018-01-01

    Imbalanced hepatic glucose homeostasis is one of the critical pathologic events in the development of metabolic syndromes (MSs). Therefore, regulation of imbalanced hepatic glucose homeostasis is important in drug development for MS treatment. In this review, we discuss the major targets that regulate hepatic glucose homeostasis in human physiologic and pathophysiologic processes, involving hepatic glucose uptake, glycolysis and glycogen synthesis, and summarize their changes in MSs. Recent literature suggests the necessity of multitarget drugs in the management of MS disorder for regulation of imbalanced glucose homeostasis in both experimental models and MS patients. Here, we highlight the potential bioactive compounds from natural products with medicinal or health care values, and focus on polypharmacologic and multitarget natural products with effects on various signaling pathways in hepatic glucose metabolism. This review shows the advantage and feasibility of discovering multicompound-multitarget drugs from natural products, and providing a new perspective of ways on drug and functional food development for MSs.

  15. Natural products, an important resource for discovery of multitarget drugs and functional food for regulation of hepatic glucose metabolism

    PubMed Central

    Wang, Sijian; Wang, Wei; Chen, Qian; Ma, Yanmin; Zhang, Yi; Wang, Tao

    2018-01-01

    Imbalanced hepatic glucose homeostasis is one of the critical pathologic events in the development of metabolic syndromes (MSs). Therefore, regulation of imbalanced hepatic glucose homeostasis is important in drug development for MS treatment. In this review, we discuss the major targets that regulate hepatic glucose homeostasis in human physiologic and pathophysiologic processes, involving hepatic glucose uptake, glycolysis and glycogen synthesis, and summarize their changes in MSs. Recent literature suggests the necessity of multitarget drugs in the management of MS disorder for regulation of imbalanced glucose homeostasis in both experimental models and MS patients. Here, we highlight the potential bioactive compounds from natural products with medicinal or health care values, and focus on polypharmacologic and multitarget natural products with effects on various signaling pathways in hepatic glucose metabolism. This review shows the advantage and feasibility of discovering multicompound–multitarget drugs from natural products, and providing a new perspective of ways on drug and functional food development for MSs. PMID:29391777

  16. Rescue administration of a helper-dependent adenovirus vector with long-term efficacy in dogs with glycogen storage disease type Ia.

    PubMed

    Crane, B; Luo, X; Demaster, A; Williams, K D; Kozink, D M; Zhang, P; Brown, T T; Pinto, C R; Oka, K; Sun, F; Jackson, M W; Chan, L; Koeberl, D D

    2012-04-01

    Glycogen storage disease type Ia (GSD-Ia) stems from glucose-6-phosphatase (G6Pase) deficiency and causes hypoglycemia, hepatomegaly, hypercholesterolemia and lactic acidemia. Three dogs with GSD-Ia were initially treated with a helper-dependent adenovirus encoding a human G6Pase transgene (HDAd-cG6Pase serotype 5) on postnatal day 3. Unlike untreated dogs with GSD-Ia, all three dogs initially maintained normal blood glucose levels. After 6-22 months, vector-treated dogs developed hypoglycemia, anorexia and lethargy, suggesting that the HDAd-cG6Pase serotype 5 vector had lost efficacy. Liver biopsies collected at this time revealed significantly elevated hepatic G6Pase activity and reduced glycogen content, when compared with affected dogs treated only by frequent feeding. Subsequently, the HDAd-cG6Pase serotype 2 vector was administered to two dogs, and hypoglycemia was reversed; however, renal dysfunction and recurrent hypoglycemia complicated their management. Administration of a serotype 2 HDAd vector prolonged survival in one GSD-Ia dog to 12 months of age and 36 months of age in the other, but the persistence of long-term complications limited HDAd vectors in the canine model for GSD-Ia.

  17. Effect of a hepatitis B virus inhibitor, NZ-4, on capsid formation.

    PubMed

    Yang, Li; Wang, Ya-Juan; Chen, Hai-Jun; Shi, Li-Ping; Tong, Xian-Kun; Zhang, Yang-Ming; Wang, Gui-Feng; Wang, Wen-Long; Feng, Chun-Lan; He, Pei-Lan; Xu, Yi-Bin; Lu, Meng-Ji; Tang, Wei; Nan, Fa-Jun; Zuo, Jian-Ping

    2016-01-01

    During the hepatitis B virus (HBV) life cycle, nucleocapsid assembly is essential for HBV replication. Both RNA reverse transcription and DNA replication occur within the HBV nucleocapsid. HBV nucleocapsid is consisted of core protein (HBcAg), whose carboxy-terminal domain (CTD) contains an Arg-rich domain (ARD). The ARD of HBcAg does contribute to the encapsidation of pregenomic RNA (pgRNA). Previously, we reported a small-molecule, NZ-4, which dramatically reduced the HBV DNA level in an in vitro cell setting. Here, we explore the possible mechanisms by which NZ-4 inhibits HBV function. As an HBV inhibitor, NZ-4 leads to the formation of genome-free capsids, including a new population of capsid that runs faster on agarose gels. NZ-4's activity was dependent on the presence of the ARD I, containing at least one positively charged amino acid. NZ-4 might provide a new option for further development of HBV therapeutics for the treatment of chronic hepatitis B. Copyright © 2015. Published by Elsevier B.V.

  18. Hydrogen sulphide increases hepatic differentiation of human tooth pulp stem cells compared with human bone marrow stem cells.

    PubMed

    Okada, M; Ishkitiev, N; Yaegaki, K; Imai, T; Tanaka, T; Fukuda, M; Ono, S; Haapasalo, M

    2014-12-01

    To determine the differences in stem cell properties, in hepatic differentiation and in the effects of hydrogen sulphide (H2 S) on hepatic differentiation between human bone marrow stem cells (hBMC) and stem cells from human exfoliated primary tooth pulp (SHED). CD117(+) cells were magnetically separated and subjected to hepatic differentiation. CD117(+) cell lineages were characterized for transcription factors indicative of stem cells by qRT-PCR. For the last 9 days of the differentiation, the test cells were exposed to 0.1 ng mL(-1) H2 S. Immunocytochemistry and flow cytometry of albumin, alpha-fetoprotein and carbamoyl phosphate synthetase were carried out after differentiation. Urea concentration and glycogen synthesis were also determined. Genes expressed in SHED were also expressed in BMC. No difference in expression level of hepatic markers was shown by immunofluorescence. SHED showed more positive cells than hBMC (P < 0.01). H2 S increased the number of positive cells in both cultures (P < 0.01). Urea concentration and glycogen synthesis increased significantly after H2 S exposure (P < 0.001 and P < 0.05, respectively). Real-time PCR data were analysed by RT(2) profiler RT-PCR Array Data Analysis version 3.5 (Qiagen), and ELISA data were analysed by Bonferroni's multiple comparison using Windows spss version 16 (SPSS Inc, Chicago, IL, USA). Bonferroni's multiple comparison test was also carried out after angle transformation for the percentage data of flow cytometer using Windows spss(®) version 16 (SPSS Inc). Statistical significance was accepted at P < 0.05. Stem cells from human exfoliated primary tooth pulp and BMC have similar properties. The level of hepatic differentiation in SHED compared with BMC was the same or higher. H2 S increased the level of hepatic differentiation. © 2014 International Endodontic Journal. Published by John Wiley & Sons Ltd.

  19. The variable presentations of glycogen storage disease type IV: a review of clinical, enzymatic and molecular studies.

    PubMed

    Moses, Shimon W; Parvari, Ruti

    2002-03-01

    Glycogen storage disease type IV (GSD-IV), also known as Andersen disease or amylopectinosis (MIM 23250), is a rare autosomal recessive disorder caused by a deficiency of glycogen branching enzyme (GBE) leading to the accumulation of amylopectin-like structures in affected tissues. The disease is extremely heterogeneous in terms of tissue involvement, age of onset and clinical manifestations. The human GBE cDNA is approximately 3-kb in length and encodes a 702-amino acid protein. The GBE amino acid sequence shows a high degree of conservation throughout species. The human GBE gene is located on chromosome 3p14 and consists of 16 exons spanning at least 118 kb of chromosomal DNA. Clinically the classic Andersen disease is a rapidly progressive disorder leading to terminal liver failure unless liver transplantation is performed. Several mutations have been reported in the GBE gene in patients with classic phenotype. Mutations in the GBE gene have also been identified in patients with the milder non-progressive hepatic form of the disease. Several other variants of GSD-IV have been reported: a variant with multi-system involvement including skeletal and cardiac muscle, nerve and liver; a juvenile polysaccharidosis with multi-system involvement but normal GBE activity; and the fatal neonatal neuromuscular form associated with a splice site mutation in the GBE gene. Other presentations include cardiomyopathy, arthrogryposis and even hydrops fetalis. Polyglucosan body disease, characterized by widespread upper and lower motor neuron lesions, can present with or without GBE deficiency indicating that different biochemical defects could result in an identical phenotype. It is evident that this disease exists in multiple forms with enzymatic and molecular heterogeneity unparalleled in the other types of glycogen storage diseases.

  20. Cerebral glycogen in humans following acute and recurrent hypoglycemia: Implications on a role in hypoglycemia unawareness.

    PubMed

    Öz, Gülin; DiNuzzo, Mauro; Kumar, Anjali; Moheet, Amir; Khowaja, Ameer; Kubisiak, Kristine; Eberly, Lynn E; Seaquist, Elizabeth R

    2017-08-01

    Supercompensated brain glycogen levels may contribute to the development of hypoglycemia-associated autonomic failure (HAAF) following recurrent hypoglycemia (RH) by providing energy for the brain during subsequent periods of hypoglycemia. To assess the role of glycogen supercompensation in the generation of HAAF, we estimated the level of brain glycogen following RH and acute hypoglycemia (AH). After undergoing 3 hyperinsulinemic, euglycemic and 3 hyperinsulinemic, hypoglycemic clamps (RH) on separate occasions at least 1 month apart, five healthy volunteers received [1- 13 C]glucose intravenously over 80+ h while maintaining euglycemia. 13 C-glycogen levels in the occipital lobe were measured by 13 C magnetic resonance spectroscopy at ∼8, 20, 32, 44, 56, 68 and 80 h at 4 T and glycogen levels estimated by fitting the data with a biophysical model that takes into account the tiered glycogen structure. Similarly, prior 13 C-glycogen data obtained following a single hypoglycemic episode (AH) were fitted with the same model. Glycogen levels did not significantly increase after RH relative to after euglycemia, while they increased by ∼16% after AH relative to after euglycemia. These data suggest that glycogen supercompensation may be blunted with repeated hypoglycemic episodes. A causal relationship between glycogen supercompensation and generation of HAAF remains to be established.

  1. The upstream enhancer elements of the G6PC promoter are critical for optimal G6PC expression in murine glycogen storage disease type Ia.

    PubMed

    Lee, Young Mok; Pan, Chi-Jiunn; Koeberl, Dwight D; Mansfield, Brian C; Chou, Janice Y

    2013-11-01

    Glycogen storage disease type-Ia (GSD-Ia) patients deficient in glucose-6-phosphatase-α (G6Pase-α or G6PC) manifest impaired glucose homeostasis characterized by fasting hypoglycemia, growth retardation, hepatomegaly, nephromegaly, hyperlipidemia, hyperuricemia, and lactic acidemia. Two efficacious recombinant adeno-associated virus pseudotype 2/8 (rAAV8) vectors expressing human G6Pase-α have been independently developed. One is a single-stranded vector containing a 2864-bp of the G6PC promoter/enhancer (rAAV8-GPE) and the other is a double-stranded vector containing a shorter 382-bp minimal G6PC promoter/enhancer (rAAV8-miGPE). To identify the best construct, a direct comparison of the rAAV8-GPE and the rAAV8-miGPE vectors was initiated to determine the best vector to take forward into clinical trials. We show that the rAAV8-GPE vector directed significantly higher levels of hepatic G6Pase-α expression, achieved greater reduction in hepatic glycogen accumulation, and led to a better toleration of fasting in GSD-Ia mice than the rAAV8-miGPE vector. Our results indicated that additional control elements in the rAAV8-GPE vector outweigh the gains from the double-stranded rAAV8-miGPE transduction efficiency, and that the rAAV8-GPE vector is the current choice for clinical translation in human GSD-Ia. © 2013.

  2. The nutritional status of Methanosarcina acetivorans regulates glycogen metabolism and gluconeogenesis and glycolysis fluxes.

    PubMed

    Santiago-Martínez, Michel Geovanni; Encalada, Rusely; Lira-Silva, Elizabeth; Pineda, Erika; Gallardo-Pérez, Juan Carlos; Reyes-García, Marco Antonio; Saavedra, Emma; Moreno-Sánchez, Rafael; Marín-Hernández, Alvaro; Jasso-Chávez, Ricardo

    2016-05-01

    Gluconeogenesis is an essential pathway in methanogens because they are unable to use exogenous hexoses as carbon source for cell growth. With the aim of understanding the regulatory mechanisms of central carbon metabolism in Methanosarcina acetivorans, the present study investigated gene expression, the activities and metabolic regulation of key enzymes, metabolite contents and fluxes of gluconeogenesis, as well as glycolysis and glycogen synthesis/degradation pathways. Cells were grown with methanol as a carbon source. Key enzymes were kinetically characterized at physiological pH/temperature. Active consumption of methanol during exponential cell growth correlated with significant methanogenesis, gluconeogenic flux and steady glycogen synthesis. After methanol exhaustion, cells reached the stationary growth phase, which correlated with the rise in glycogen consumption and glycolytic flux, decreased methanogenesis, negligible acetate production and an absence of gluconeogenesis. Elevated activities of carbon monoxide dehydrogenase/acetyl-CoA synthetase complex and pyruvate: ferredoxin oxidoreductase suggested the generation of acetyl-CoA and pyruvate for glycogen synthesis. In the early stationary growth phase, the transcript contents and activities of pyruvate phosphate dikinase, fructose 1,6-bisphosphatase and glycogen synthase decreased, whereas those of glycogen phosphorylase, ADP-phosphofructokinase and pyruvate kinase increased. Therefore, glycogen and gluconeogenic metabolites were synthesized when an external carbon source was provided. Once such a carbon source became depleted, glycolysis and methanogenesis fed by glycogen degradation provided the ATP supply. Weak inhibition of key enzymes by metabolites suggested that the pathways evaluated were mainly transcriptionally regulated. Because glycogen metabolism and glycolysis/gluconeogenesis are not present in all methanogens, the overall data suggest that glycogen storage might represent an environmental

  3. Loss of the starvation-induced gene Rack1 leads to glycogen deficiency and impaired autophagic responses in Drosophila.

    PubMed

    Erdi, Balázs; Nagy, Péter; Zvara, Agnes; Varga, Agnes; Pircs, Karolina; Ménesi, Dalma; Puskás, László G; Juhász, Gábor

    2012-07-01

    Autophagy delivers cytoplasmic material for lysosomal degradation in eukaryotic cells. Starvation induces high levels of autophagy to promote survival in the lack of nutrients. We compared genome-wide transcriptional profiles of fed and starved control, autophagy-deficient Atg7 and Atg1 null mutant Drosophila larvae to search for novel regulators of autophagy. Genes involved in catabolic processes including autophagy were transcriptionally upregulated in all cases. We also detected repression of genes involved in DNA replication in autophagy mutants compared with control animals. The expression of Rack1 (receptor of activated protein kinase C 1) increased 4.1- to 5.5-fold during nutrient deprivation in all three genotypes. The scaffold protein Rack1 plays a role in a wide range of processes including translation, cell adhesion and migration, cell survival and cancer. Loss of Rack1 led to attenuated autophagic response to starvation, and glycogen stores were decreased 11.8-fold in Rack1 mutant cells. Endogenous Rack1 partially colocalized with GFP-Atg8a and early autophagic structures on the ultrastructural level, suggesting its involvement in autophagosome formation. Endogenous Rack1 also showed a high degree of colocalization with glycogen particles in the larval fat body, and with Shaggy, the Drosophila homolog of glycogen synthase kinase 3B (GSK-3B). Our results, for the first time, demonstrated the fundamental role of Rack1 in autophagy and glycogen synthesis.

  4. Glycogen content regulates peroxisome proliferator activated receptor-∂ (PPAR-∂) activity in rat skeletal muscle.

    PubMed

    Philp, Andrew; MacKenzie, Matthew G; Belew, Micah Y; Towler, Mhairi C; Corstorphine, Alan; Papalamprou, Angela; Hardie, D Grahame; Baar, Keith

    2013-01-01

    Performing exercise in a glycogen depleted state increases skeletal muscle lipid utilization and the transcription of genes regulating mitochondrial β-oxidation. Potential candidates for glycogen-mediated metabolic adaptation are the peroxisome proliferator activated receptor (PPAR) coactivator-1α (PGC-1α) and the transcription factor/nuclear receptor PPAR-∂. It was therefore the aim of the present study to examine whether acute exercise with or without glycogen manipulation affects PGC-1α and PPAR-∂ function in rodent skeletal muscle. Twenty female Wistar rats were randomly assigned to 5 experimental groups (n = 4): control [CON]; normal glycogen control [NG-C]; normal glycogen exercise [NG-E]; low glycogen control [LG-C]; and low glycogen exercise [LG-E]). Gastrocnemius (GTN) muscles were collected immediately following exercise and analyzed for glycogen content, PPAR-∂ activity via chromatin immunoprecipitation (ChIP) assays, AMPK α1/α2 kinase activity, and the localization of AMPK and PGC-1α. Exercise reduced muscle glycogen by 47 and 75% relative to CON in the NG-E and LG-E groups, respectively. Exercise that started with low glycogen (LG-E) finished with higher AMPK-α2 activity (147%, p<0.05), nuclear AMPK-α2 and PGC-1α, but no difference in AMPK-α1 activity compared to CON. In addition, PPAR-∂ binding to the CPT1 promoter was significantly increased only in the LG-E group. Finally, cell reporter studies in contracting C2C12 myotubes indicated that PPAR-∂ activity following contraction is sensitive to glucose availability, providing mechanistic insight into the association between PPAR-∂ and glycogen content/substrate availability. The present study is the first to examine PPAR-∂ activity in skeletal muscle in response to an acute bout of endurance exercise. Our data would suggest that a factor associated with muscle contraction and/or glycogen depletion activates PPAR-∂ and initiates AMPK translocation in skeletal muscle in

  5. Glycogen Content Regulates Peroxisome Proliferator Activated Receptor-∂ (PPAR-∂) Activity in Rat Skeletal Muscle

    PubMed Central

    Philp, Andrew; MacKenzie, Matthew G.; Belew, Micah Y.; Towler, Mhairi C.; Corstorphine, Alan; Papalamprou, Angela; Hardie, D. Grahame; Baar, Keith

    2013-01-01

    Performing exercise in a glycogen depleted state increases skeletal muscle lipid utilization and the transcription of genes regulating mitochondrial β-oxidation. Potential candidates for glycogen-mediated metabolic adaptation are the peroxisome proliferator activated receptor (PPAR) coactivator-1α (PGC-1α) and the transcription factor/nuclear receptor PPAR-∂. It was therefore the aim of the present study to examine whether acute exercise with or without glycogen manipulation affects PGC-1α and PPAR-∂ function in rodent skeletal muscle. Twenty female Wistar rats were randomly assigned to 5 experimental groups (n = 4): control [CON]; normal glycogen control [NG-C]; normal glycogen exercise [NG-E]; low glycogen control [LG-C]; and low glycogen exercise [LG-E]). Gastrocnemius (GTN) muscles were collected immediately following exercise and analyzed for glycogen content, PPAR-∂ activity via chromatin immunoprecipitation (ChIP) assays, AMPK α1/α2 kinase activity, and the localization of AMPK and PGC-1α. Exercise reduced muscle glycogen by 47 and 75% relative to CON in the NG-E and LG-E groups, respectively. Exercise that started with low glycogen (LG-E) finished with higher AMPK-α2 activity (147%, p<0.05), nuclear AMPK-α2 and PGC-1α, but no difference in AMPK-α1 activity compared to CON. In addition, PPAR-∂ binding to the CPT1 promoter was significantly increased only in the LG-E group. Finally, cell reporter studies in contracting C2C12 myotubes indicated that PPAR-∂ activity following contraction is sensitive to glucose availability, providing mechanistic insight into the association between PPAR-∂ and glycogen content/substrate availability. The present study is the first to examine PPAR-∂ activity in skeletal muscle in response to an acute bout of endurance exercise. Our data would suggest that a factor associated with muscle contraction and/or glycogen depletion activates PPAR-∂ and initiates AMPK translocation in skeletal muscle in

  6. Feline hepatic lipidosis.

    PubMed

    Dimski, D S

    1997-02-01

    Hepatic lipidosis occurs when lipid mobilized to the liver exceeds lipid leaving the liver via formation of very-low-density lipoproteins or by oxidation. Hepatic lipidosis in cats is associated with overt liver dysfunction. In affected cats, excess lipid is mobilized to the liver because of starvation. Removal of hepatic lipid may be impaired because of protein malnutrition, a relative carnitine deficiency, or oxidative damage to peroxisomes and other hepatic organelles. Hepatic lipidosis occurs in adult cats, and is manifest by signs of weight loss, depression, vomiting, and icterus. Diagnosis is achieved by evaluating laboratory and diagnostic imaging data, in conjunction with a liver biopsy. Aggressive tube feeding is the treatment of choice. With this treatment, survival rates are 60% to 80%.

  7. Aging-associated changes in hippocampal glycogen metabolism in mice. Evidence for and against astrocyte-to-neuron lactate shuttle.

    PubMed

    Drulis-Fajdasz, Dominika; Gizak, Agnieszka; Wójtowicz, Tomasz; Wiśniewski, Jacek R; Rakus, Dariusz

    2018-03-01

    Lactate derived from astrocytic glycogen has been shown to support memory formation in hippocampi of young animals, inhibiting it in old animals. Here we show, using quantitative mass spectrometry-based proteomics, immunofluorescence, and qPCR that aging is associated with an increase of glycogen metabolism enzymes concentration and shift in their localization from astrocytes to neurons. These changes are accompanied with reorganization of hippocampal energy metabolism which is manifested by elevated capacity of aging neurons to oxidize glucose in glycolysis and mitochondria, and decreased ability for fatty acids utilization. Our observations suggest that astrocyte-to-neuron lactate shuttle may operate in young hippocampi, however, during aging neurons become independent on astrocytic lactate and the metabolic crosstalk between the brain's cells is disrupted. © 2018 The Authors GLIA Published by Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

  8. Novel Swelling-Resistant Sodium Alginate Membrane Branching Modified by Glycogen for Highly Aqueous Ethanol Solution Pervaporation.

    PubMed

    Ji, Chen-Hao; Xue, Shuang-Mei; Xu, Zhen-Liang

    2016-10-12

    A novel carbohydrate chain cross-linking method of sodium alginate (SA) is proposed in which glycogen with the branched-chain structure is utilized to cross-link with SA matrix by the bridging of glutaraldehyde (GA). The active layer of SA composite ceramic membrane modified by glycogen and GA for pervaporation (PV) demonstrates great advantages. The branched structure increases the chain density of the active layer, which compresses the free volume between the carbohydrate chains of SA. Large amounts of hydroxyl groups are consumed during the reaction with GA, which reduces the hydrogen bond formation between water molecules and the polysaccharide matrix. The two factors benefit the active layer with great improvement in swelling resistance, promoting the potential of the active layer for the dehydration of an ethanol-water solution containing high water content. Meanwhile, the modified active layer is loaded on the rigid α-Al 2 O 3 ceramic membrane by dip-coating method with the enhancement of anti-deformation and controllable thickness of the active layer. Characterization techniques such as SEM, AFM, XRD, FTIR, XPS, and water contact angle are utilized to observe the composite structure and surface morphology of the composite membrane, to probe the free volume variation, and to determine the chemical composition and hydrophilicity difference of the active layer caused by the different glycogen additive amounts. The membrane containing 3% glycogen in the selective layer demonstrates the flux at 1250 g m -2 h -1 coupled with the separation factor of 187 in the 25 wt % water content feed solution at the operating temperature of 75 °C, reflecting superior pervaporation processing capacity compared with the general organic PV membranes in the same condition.

  9. Excess glycogen does not resolve high ultimate pH of oxidative muscle.

    PubMed

    England, Eric M; Matarneh, Sulaiman K; Oliver, Emily M; Apaoblaza, Ariel; Scheffler, Tracy L; Shi, Hao; Gerrard, David E

    2016-04-01

    Skeletal muscle glycogen content can impact the extent of postmortem pH decline. Compared to glycolytic muscles, oxidative muscles contain lower glycogen levels antemortem which may contribute to the higher ultimate pH. In an effort to explore further the participation of glycogen in postmortem metabolism, we postulated that increasing the availability of glycogen would drive additional pH decline in oxidative muscles to equivalent pH values similar to the ultimate pH of glycolytic muscles. Glycolysis and pH declines were compared in porcine longissimus lumborum (glycolytic) and masseter (oxidative) muscles using an in vitro system in the presence of excess glycogen. The ultimate pH of the system containing longissimus lumborum reached a value similar to that observed in intact muscle. The pH decline of the system containing masseter samples stopped prematurely resulting in a higher ultimate pH which was similar to that of intact masseter muscle. To investigate further, we titrated powdered longissimus lumborum and masseter samples in the reaction buffer. As the percentage of glycolytic sample increased, the ultimate pH decreased. These data show that oxidative muscle produces meat with a high ultimate pH regardless of glycogen content and suggest that inherent muscle factors associated with glycolytic muscle control the extent of pH decline in pig muscles. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

  10. Creatine supplementation increases glycogen storage but not GLUT-4 expression in human skeletal muscle.

    PubMed

    van Loon, Luc J C; Murphy, Robyn; Oosterlaar, Audrey M; Cameron-Smith, David; Hargreaves, Mark; Wagenmakers, Anton J M; Snow, Rodney

    2004-01-01

    It has been speculated that creatine supplementation affects muscle glucose metabolism in humans by increasing muscle glycogen storage and up-regulating GLUT-4 protein expression. In the present study, we assessed the effects of creatine loading and prolonged supplementation on muscle glycogen storage and GLUT-4 mRNA and protein content in humans. A total of 20 subjects participated in a 6-week supplementation period during which creatine or a placebo was ingested. Muscle biopsies were taken before and after 5 days of creatine loading (20 g.day(-1)) and after 6 weeks of continued supplementation (2 g.day(-1)). Fasting plasma insulin concentrations, muscle creatine, glycogen and GLUT-4 protein content as well as GLUT-4, glycogen synthase-1 (GS-1) and glycogenin-1 (Gln-1) mRNA expression were determined. Creatine loading significantly increased total creatine, free creatine and creatine phosphate content with a concomitant 18 +/- 5% increase in muscle glycogen content (P<0.05). The subsequent use of a 2 g.day(-1) maintenance dose for 37 days did not maintain total creatine, creatine phosphate and glycogen content at the elevated levels. The initial increase in muscle glycogen accumulation could not be explained by an increase in fasting plasma insulin concentration, muscle GLUT-4 mRNA and/or protein content. In addition, neither muscle GS-1 nor Gln-1 mRNA expression was affected. We conclude that creatine ingestion itself stimulates muscle glycogen storage, but does not affect muscle GLUT-4 expression.

  11. Interactive effects of melatonin, exercise and diabetes on liver glycogen levels.

    PubMed

    Bicer, Mursel; Akil, Mustafa; Avunduk, Mustafa Cihat; Kilic, Mehmet; Mogulkoc, Rasim; Baltaci, Abdulkerim Kasim

    2011-01-01

    This study aimed to examine the effects of melatonin supplementation on liver glycogen levels in rats with streptozotocin- induced diabetes and subjected to acute swimming exercise. Eighty Sprague-Dawley type adult male rats were divided into eight groups: Group 1, general control; Group 2, melatonin-supplemented control; Group 3, melatonin-supplemented diabetes; Group 4, swimming control; Group 5, melatonin-supplemented swimming; Group 6, melatonin-supplemented diabetic swimming; Group 7, diabetic swimming; Group 8, diabetic control. Melatonin was supplemented at a dose of 3 mg/kg/day intraperitoneally for four weeks. Liver tissue samples were collected and evaluated using a Nikon Eclipse E400 light microscope. All images obtained from the light microscope were transferred to PC medium and evaluated using Clemex PE 3.5 image analysis software. The lowest liver glycogen levels in the study were found in group 4. Liver glycogen levels in groups 3, 6, 7 and 8 (the diabetic groups) were higher than group 4, but lower than those in groups 1 and 2. The lowest liver glycogen levels were obtained in groups 1 and 2. The study indicates that melatonin supplementation maintains the liver glycogen levels that decrease in acute swimming exercise, while induced diabetes prevents this maintenance effect in rats.

  12. Supplementation of the sow diet with chitosan oligosaccharide during late gestation and lactation affects hepatic gluconeogenesis of suckling piglets.

    PubMed

    Xie, Chunyan; Guo, Xiaoyun; Long, Cimin; Fan, Zhiyong; Xiao, Dingfu; Ruan, Zheng; Deng, Ze-yuan; Wu, Xin; Yin, Yulong

    2015-08-01

    Chitosan oligosaccharide (COS) has a blood glucose lowering effect in diabetic rats and is widely used as a dietary supplement. However, the effect of COS on the offspring of supplemented mothers is unknown. This experiment investigates the effect of supplementing sows during gestation and lactation on the levels of plasma glucose on suckling piglets. From day 85 of gestation to day 14 of lactation, 40 pregnant sows were divided into two treatment groups and fed either a control diet or a control diet containing 30mgCOS/kg. One 14 day old piglet per pen was selected to collect plasma and tissue (8pens/diet). Performance, hepatic gluconeogenesis genes and proteins expression, amino acids contents in sow milk, hepatic glycogen and free fatty acid were determined. Results showed that supplementation of the maternal diet with COS improved daily gain and weaning weight (P<0.05), and the concentration of amino acids in sow milk (P<0.05). Meanwhile, maternal supplementation with COS increased (P<0.05) mRNA expression levels and activities of PEPCK-C, PEPCK-M and G6Pase in the liver of piglets compared with piglets from control fed sows. Correspondingly, the level of plasma glucose was higher (P<0.001) and hepatic glycogen was lower (P<0.05) in piglets from COS fed sows when compared with that in the control group. In conclusion, dietary supplementation of the diet with COS during late gestation and lactation reduced piglet hypoglycemia by stimulating hepatic gluconeogenesis and improved the growth rate of suckling piglets. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

  13. Glycogen serves as an energy source that maintains astrocyte cell proliferation in the neonatal telencephalon.

    PubMed

    Gotoh, Hitoshi; Nomura, Tadashi; Ono, Katsuhiko

    2017-06-01

    Large amounts of energy are required when cells undergo cell proliferation and differentiation for mammalian neuronal development. Early neonatal mice face transient starvation and use stored energy for survival or to support development. Glycogen is a branched polysaccharide that is formed by glucose, and serves as an astrocytic energy store for rapid energy requirements. Although it is present in radial glial cells and astrocytes, the role of glycogen during development remains unclear. In the present study, we demonstrated that glycogen accumulated in glutamate aspartate transporter (GLAST)+ astrocytes in the subventricular zone and rostral migratory stream. Glycogen levels markedly decreased after birth due to the increase of glycogen phosphorylase, an essential enzyme for glycogen metabolism. In primary cultures and in vivo, the inhibition of glycogen phosphorylase decreased the proliferation of astrocytic cells. The number of cells in the G1 phase increased in combination with the up-regulation of cyclin-dependent kinase inhibitors or down-regulation of the phosphorylation of retinoblastoma protein (pRB), a determinant for cell cycle progression. These results suggest that glycogen accumulates in astrocytes located in specific areas during the prenatal stage and is used as an energy source to maintain normal development in the early postnatal stage.

  14. Non-invasive measurement of brain glycogen by NMR spectroscopy and its application to the study of brain metabolism

    PubMed Central

    Tesfaye, Nolawit; Seaquist, Elizabeth R.; Öz, Gülin

    2011-01-01

    Glycogen is the reservoir for glucose in the brain. Beyond the general agreement that glycogen serves as an energy source in the central nervous system, its exact role in brain energy metabolism has yet to be elucidated. Experiments performed in cell and tissue culture and animals have shown that glycogen content is affected by several factors including glucose, insulin, neurotransmitters, and neuronal activation. The study of in vivo glycogen metabolism has been hindered by the inability to measure glycogen non-invasively, but in the past several years, the development of a non-invasive localized 13C nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) spectroscopy method has enabled the study of glycogen metabolism in the conscious human. With this technique, 13C-glucose is administered intravenously and its incorporation into and wash-out from brain glycogen is tracked. One application of this method has been to the study of brain glycogen metabolism in humans during hypoglycemia: data have shown that mobilization of brain glycogen is augmented during hypoglycemia and, after a single episode of hypoglycemia, glycogen synthesis rate is increased, suggesting that glycogen stores rebound to levels greater than baseline. Such studies suggest glycogen may serve as a potential energy reservoir in hypoglycemia and may participate in the brain's adaptation to recurrent hypoglycemia and eventual development of hypoglycemia unawareness. Beyond this focused area of study, 13C NMR spectroscopy has a broad potential for application in the study of brain glycogen metabolism and carries the promise of a better understanding of the role of brain glycogen in diabetes and other conditions. PMID:21732401

  15. Glycogen storage disease type III. A case report.

    PubMed

    de Waal, A; Röhm, G F; Hoek, B B; Potgieter, G M; Oosthuysen, W T

    1984-01-07

    A 5-year-old Black boy presented with massive hepatomegaly and muscle weakness. Liver biopsy revealed the presence of glycogen pools in the cytoplasm and nuclei of hepatocytes. Erythrocyte glycogen levels, identified as limit dextrin, were grossly increased. The galactose tolerance test as well as the two-stage glucagon stimulation test suggested a decrease in activity of both amylo-1,6-glucosidase and glucose-6-phosphatase enzymes. This was confirmed by direct assays performed on liver tissue and erythrocytes. The decrease in glucose-6-phosphatase activity was attributed to a secondary effect of limit dextrin.

  16. Diabetes mellitus in a patient with glycogen storage disease type Ia: a case report.

    PubMed

    Cohn, Aviva; Ohri, Anupam

    2017-11-12

    Glycogen storage disease type Ia is a genetic disorder that is associated with persistent fasting hypoglycemia and the inability to produce endogenous glucose. The development of diabetes with glycogen storage disease is exceedingly rare. The underlying pathogenesis for developing diabetes in these patients is unclear, and there are no guidelines for treatment. We describe a case of a 34-year-old woman of South Asian descent with glycogen storage disease type Ia, who developed uncontrolled diabetes mellitus as a young adult. Hyperglycemia was noted after childbirth, and worsened years later. Treatment for diabetes was difficult due to risks of hypoglycemia from her underlying glycogen storage disease. With minimal hypoglycemic events, the patient's blood glucose improved with exercise in combination with a sodium-glucose co-transporter 2 inhibitor and an alpha glucosidase inhibitor. We report a rare case of diabetes in the setting of glycogen storage disease-Ia. Based on the literature, there appears to be a relationship between glycogen storage disease and metabolic syndrome, which likely plays a role in the pathogenesis. The management of glycemic control remains a clinical challenge, requiring management of both fasting hypoglycemia from glycogen storage disease, as well as post-prandial hyperglycemia from diabetes mellitus.

  17. Formation of carbon monoxide during mouse hepatic microsomal oxidative metabolism of cannabidiol; identification and determination.

    PubMed

    Usami, N; Tateoka, Y; Watanabe, K; Yamamoto, I; Yoshimura, H

    1995-04-01

    Carbon monoxide (CO) was generated in the process of hepatic microsomal oxidative metabolism of cannabidiol (CBD). After the generated CO was reduced to methane (CH4) with a methanizer, CH4 formed was determined by gas chromatography (GC) with a flame ionization detector. After oxidation with hopcalite, CO was also identified as CO2 by gas chromatography/mass spectrometry (GC/MS). The reaction was NADPH-dependent and required molecular oxygen. It was inhibited by addition of some inhibitors of cytochrome P450-dependent monooxygenase. When CBD (191 microM) was incubated with hepatic microsomes of mice in the presence of an NADPH-generating system and oxygen, concentration of CO determined by GC was 4.7 +/- 0.5 ppm/nmol P450 in the incubation atmosphere. Pretreatment with phenobarbital (100 mg/kg, i.p. for 3d) but not 3-methylcholanthrene (80 mg/kg, i.p.) increased the CO formation 78%, while pretreatment with cobaltous chloride (40 mg/kg, i.p. for 3 d) decreased the formation 56%. When CBD was incubated under oxygen-18 gas, molecular oxygen was not incorporated into the CO molecule. 8,9-Dihydro- and 1,2,8,9-tetrahydro-CBDs also produced CO to some extent, whereas CBD monomethyl- and dimethylethers reduced the ability to produce CO. In addition, cannabidivarin and olivetol produced CO, although none of delta 9-tetrahydrocannabinol, cannabinol and d-limonene did. Thus, the resorcinol moiety of CBD is important for CO formation.

  18. Glucose induces the translocation and the aggregation of glycogen synthase in rat hepatocytes.

    PubMed Central

    Fernández-Novell, J M; Ariño, J; Vilaró, S; Guinovart, J J

    1992-01-01

    Incubation of rat hepatocytes with glucose results in a decrease in the amount of glycogen synthase activity found in supernatants obtained after centrifugation of cell homogenates at 9200 g. The enzymic activity was quantitatively recovered in the sediments. This effect of translocation was dose- and time-dependent and correlated with the amount of immunoreactive enzyme determined by immunoblotting in both fractions. Hydrolysis by alpha-amylase of glycogen accumulated upon incubation with the sugar did not affect the translocation pattern. Translocation was also observed when cells were incubated with 2-deoxyglucose, which did not result in accumulation of glycogen. Immunocytochemical evidence indicates that glucose induces the aggregation of glycogen synthase molecules into clusters which are recovered in the sediments. These results indicate that glucose, in addition to activating glycogen synthase, may trigger changes in the localization of the enzyme in the cell. Images Fig. 1. Fig. 2. Fig. 4. Fig. 5. PMID:1736893

  19. Caffeine inhibition of glycogen phosphorylase from Mytilus galloprovincialis mantle tissue.

    PubMed

    San Juan Serrano, F; Sánchez López, J L; García Martín, L O

    1995-09-01

    A different caffeine inhibition of both phosphorylated and unphosphorylated forms of glycogen phosphorylase from Mytilus mantle has been demonstrated. Caffeine increases the allosteric constant of phosphorylase b 30-fold, acting as an allosteric inhibitor (nH = 2) of mixed type with respect to inorganic phosphate (Pi) and AMP, and of single competitive type with respect to glycogen. The Mytilus phosphorylated form is also caffeine inhibited through competitive inhibition in relation to Pi and glycogen. In this case, the inhibitor does not modify the allosteric constant (near 2), neither does it display allosteric effects (nH = 1). The results demonstrate the notable modification of the nucleotide site promoted by the phosphorylation process and the existence of a functional inhibitory nucleoside site in Mytilus phosphorylase.

  20. Modelling High-temperature EBPR by Incorporating Glycogen and GAOs: Challenges from a Preliminary Study.

    PubMed

    Liau, Kee Fui; Yeoh, Hak Koon; Shoji, Tadashi; Chua, Adeline Seak May; Ho, Pei Yee

    2017-01-01

      Recently reported kinetic and stoichiometric parameters of the Activated Sludge Model no. 2d (ASM2d) for high-temperature EBPR processes suggested that the absence of glycogen in the model contributed to underestimation of PHA accumulation at 32 °C. Here, two modified ASM2d models were used to further explore the contribution of glycogen in the process. The ASM2d-1G model incorporated glycogen metabolism by PAOs (polyphosphate-accumulating organisms), while the ASM2d-2G model further included processes by GAOs (glycogen-accumulating organisms). These models were calibrated and validated using experimental data at 32 °C. The ASM2d-1G model supported the hypothesis that the excess PHA was attributed to glycogen, but remained inadequate to capture the dynamics of glycogen without considering GAOs activities. The ASM2d-2G model performed better, but it was challenging to calibrate as it often led to wash-out of either PAOs or GAOs. Associated hurdles are highlighted and additional efforts in calibrating ASM2d-2G more effectively are proposed.

  1. Carbohydrates, Muscle Glycogen, and Improved Performance.

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Sherman, W. Mike

    1987-01-01

    One way to improve athletic performance without harming the athlete's health is diet manipulation. This article explores the relationship between muscular endurance and muscle glycogen and discusses a diet and training approach to competition. (Author/MT)

  2. Loss of glycogen during preconditioning is not a prerequisite for protection of the rabbit heart.

    PubMed

    Weinbrenner, C; Wang, P; Downey, J M

    1996-01-01

    Depletion of glycogen has been proposed as the mechanism of protection from ischemic preconditioning. The hypothesis was tested by seeing whether pharmacological manipulation of preconditioning causes parallel changes in cardiac glycogen content. Five groups of isolated rabbit hearts were studied. Group 1 experienced 30 min of ischemia only. Group 2 (PC) was preconditioned with 5 min of global ischemia followed by 10 min of reperfusion. Group 3 was preconditioned with 5 min exposure to 400 nM bradykinin followed by a 10 min washout period. Group 4 experienced exposure to 10 microM adenosine followed by a 10 min washout period, and the fifth group was also preconditioned with 5 min ischemia and 10 min reperfusion but 100 microM 8-(p-sulfophenyl)theophylline (SPT), which blocks adenosine receptors, was included in the buffer to block preconditioning's protection. Transmural biopsies were taken before treatment, just prior to the 30 min period of global ischemia, and after 30 min of global ischemia. Glycogen in the samples was digested with amyloglucosidase and the resulting glucose was assayed. Baseline glycogen averaged 17.3 +/- 0.6 mumol glucose/g wet weight. After preconditioning glycogen decreased to 13.3 +/- 1.3 mumol glucose/g wet weight (p < 0.005 vs. baseline). Glycogen was similarly depleted after pharmacological preconditioning with adenosine (14.0 +/- 1.0 mumol glucose/g wet weight, p < 0.05 vs. baseline) suggesting a correlation. However, when preconditioning was performed in the presence of SPT, which blocks protection, glycogen was also depleted by the same amount (13.3 +/- 0.7 mumol glucose/g wet weight, p = ns vs. PC). Bradykinin, which also mimics preconditioning, caused no depletion of glycogen (16.3 +/- 0.8 mumol glucose/g wet weight, p = ns vs. baseline). Because preconditioning with bradykinin did not deplete glycogen and because glycogen continued to be low when protection from preconditioning was blocked with SPT, we conclude that loss of

  3. Glycogen Supercompensation in the Rat Brain After Acute Hypoglycemia is Independent of Glucose Levels During Recovery.

    PubMed

    Duarte, João M N; Morgenthaler, Florence D; Gruetter, Rolf

    2017-06-01

    Patients with diabetes display a progressive decay in the physiological counter-regulatory response to hypoglycemia, resulting in hypoglycemia unawareness. The mechanism through which the brain adapts to hypoglycemia may involve brain glycogen. We tested the hypothesis that brain glycogen supercompensation following hypoglycemia depends on blood glucose levels during recovery. Conscious rats were submitted to hypoglycemia of 2 mmol/L for 90 min and allowed to recover at different glycemia, controlled by means of i.v. glucose infusion. Brain glycogen concentration was elevated above control levels after 24 h of recovery in the cortex, hippocampus and striatum. This glycogen supercompensation was independent of blood glucose levels in the post-hypoglycemia period. In the absence of a preceding hypoglycemia insult, brain glycogen concentrations were unaltered after 24 h under hyperglycemia. In the hypothalamus, which controls peripheral glucose homeostasis, glycogen levels were unaltered. Overall, we conclude that post-hypoglycemia glycogen supercompensation occurs in several brain areas and its magnitude is independent of plasma glucose levels. By supporting brain metabolism during recurrent hypoglycemia periods, glycogen may have a role in the development of hypoglycemia unawareness.

  4. Muscle glycogen depletion patterns during draught work in Standardbred horses.

    PubMed

    Gottlieb, M

    1989-03-01

    Muscle fibre recruitment was investigated during draught loaded exercise by studying glycogen depletion patterns from histochemical stains of muscle biopsies from the gluteus and semitendinosus muscles. Three Standardbred trotters performed several intervals of draught loaded exercise on a treadmill with 34 kp at a trot (7 m/sec) and with 34 and 80 kp, respectively at a walk (2m/sec). Exercise was continued until the horses were unwilling to continue. Glycogen depletion was seen in all three fibre types when trotting with 34 kp for 5 or 10 mins. When an equal weight resistance was pulled at a walk, glycogen depletion was first seen in type I fibres only, then followed by a small percentage of type IIA fibres after at least 1 h. When 80 kp was pulled at a walk both type I and IIA fibres showed glycogen depletion, and after at least 30 mins exercise a small percentage of type IIB fibres was also depleted. These results indicate that the muscle fibres are depleted, in order, from type I through IIA to IIB as the intensity or duration of draught work increases.

  5. Glycogen Phosphorylase and Glycogen Synthase: Gene Cloning and Expression Analysis Reveal Their Role in Trehalose Metabolism in the Brown Planthopper, Nilaparvata lugens Stål (Hemiptera: Delphacidae)

    PubMed Central

    Zhang, Lu; Wang, Huijuan; Chen, Jianyi; Shen, Qida; Wang, Shigui; Xu, Hongxing

    2017-01-01

    RNA interference has been used to study insects’ gene function and regulation. Glycogen synthase (GS) and glycogen phosphorylase (GP) are two key enzymes in carbohydrates’ conversion in insects. Glycogen content and GP and GS gene expression in several tissues and developmental stages of the Brown planthopper Nilaparvata lugens Stål (Hemiptera: Delphacidae) were analyzed in the present study, using quantitative reverse-transcription polymerase chain reaction to determine their response to double-stranded trehalases (dsTREs), trehalose-6-phosphate synthases (dsTPSs), and validamycin injection. The highest expression of both genes was detected in the wing bud, followed by leg and head tissues, and different expression patterns were shown across the developmental stages analyzed. Glycogen content significantly decreased 48 and 72 h after dsTPSs injection and 48 h after dsTREs injection. GP expression increased 48 h after dsTREs and dsTPSs injection and significantly decreased 72 h after dsTPSs, dsTRE1-1, and dsTRE1-2 injection. GS expression significantly decreased 48 h after dsTPS2 and dsTRE2 injection and 72 h after dsTRE1-1 and dsTRE1-2 injection. GP and GS expression and glycogen content significantly decreased 48 h after validamycin injection. The GP activity significantly decreased 48 h after validamycin injection, while GS activities of dsTPS1 and dsTRE2 injection groups were significantly higher than that of double-stranded GFP (dsGFP) 48 h after injection, respectively. Thus, glycogen is synthesized, released, and degraded across several insect tissues according to the need to maintain stable trehalose levels. PMID:28365765

  6. Molecular diagnosis of glycogen storage disease and disorders with overlapping clinical symptoms by massive parallel sequencing.

    PubMed

    Vega, Ana I; Medrano, Celia; Navarrete, Rosa; Desviat, Lourdes R; Merinero, Begoña; Rodríguez-Pombo, Pilar; Vitoria, Isidro; Ugarte, Magdalena; Pérez-Cerdá, Celia; Pérez, Belen

    2016-10-01

    Glycogen storage disease (GSD) is an umbrella term for a group of genetic disorders that involve the abnormal metabolism of glycogen; to date, 23 types of GSD have been identified. The nonspecific clinical presentation of GSD and the lack of specific biomarkers mean that Sanger sequencing is now widely relied on for making a diagnosis. However, this gene-by-gene sequencing technique is both laborious and costly, which is a consequence of the number of genes to be sequenced and the large size of some genes. This work reports the use of massive parallel sequencing to diagnose patients at our laboratory in Spain using either a customized gene panel (targeted exome sequencing) or the Illumina Clinical-Exome TruSight One Gene Panel (clinical exome sequencing (CES)). Sequence variants were matched against biochemical and clinical hallmarks. Pathogenic mutations were detected in 23 patients. Twenty-two mutations were recognized (mostly loss-of-function mutations), including 11 that were novel in GSD-associated genes. In addition, CES detected five patients with mutations in ALDOB, LIPA, NKX2-5, CPT2, or ANO5. Although these genes are not involved in GSD, they are associated with overlapping phenotypic characteristics such as hepatic, muscular, and cardiac dysfunction. These results show that next-generation sequencing, in combination with the detection of biochemical and clinical hallmarks, provides an accurate, high-throughput means of making genetic diagnoses of GSD and related diseases.Genet Med 18 10, 1037-1043.

  7. Hepatic Insulin Resistance and Altered Gluconeogenic Pathway in Premature Baboons.

    PubMed

    McGill-Vargas, Lisa; Gastaldelli, Amalia; Liang, Hanyu; Anzueto Guerra, Diana; Johnson-Pais, Teresa; Seidner, Steven; McCurnin, Donald; Muscogiuri, Giovanna; DeFronzo, Ralph; Musi, Nicolas; Blanco, Cynthia

    2017-05-01

    Premature infants have altered glucose regulation early in life and increased risk for diabetes in adulthood. Although prematurity leads to an increased risk of diabetes and metabolic syndrome in adult life, the role of hepatic glucose regulation and adaptation to an early extrauterine environment in preterm infants remain unknown. The purpose of this study was to investigate developmental differences in glucose metabolism, hepatic protein content, and gene expression of key insulin-signaling/gluconeogenic molecules. Fetal baboons were delivered at 67%, 75%, and term gestational age and euthanized at birth. Neonatal baboons were delivered prematurely (67% gestation), survived for two weeks, and compared with similar postnatal term animals and underwent serial hyperinsulinemic-euglycemic clamp studies. Premature baboons had decreased endogenous glucose production (EGP) compared with term animals. Consistent with these results, the gluconeogenic molecule, phosphoenolpyruvate carboxykinase messenger RNA, was decreased in preterm baboons compared with terms. Hepatic insulin signaling was altered by preterm birth as evidenced by decreased insulin receptor-β, p85 subunit of phosphoinositide 3-kinase, phosphorylated insulin receptor substrate 1, and Akt-1 under insulin-stimulated conditions. Furthermore, preterm baboons failed to have the normal increase in glycogen synthase kinase-α from fetal to postnatal life. The blunted responses in hepatic insulin signaling may contribute to the hyperglycemia of prematurity, while impaired EGP leads to hypoglycemia of prematurity. Copyright © 2017 Endocrine Society.

  8. Hepatic Insulin Resistance and Altered Gluconeogenic Pathway in Premature Baboons

    PubMed Central

    McGill-Vargas, Lisa; Gastaldelli, Amalia; Liang, Hanyu; Anzueto Guerra, Diana; Johnson-Pais, Teresa; Seidner, Steven; McCurnin, Donald; Muscogiuri, Giovanna; DeFronzo, Ralph; Musi, Nicolas

    2017-01-01

    Premature infants have altered glucose regulation early in life and increased risk for diabetes in adulthood. Although prematurity leads to an increased risk of diabetes and metabolic syndrome in adult life, the role of hepatic glucose regulation and adaptation to an early extrauterine environment in preterm infants remain unknown. The purpose of this study was to investigate developmental differences in glucose metabolism, hepatic protein content, and gene expression of key insulin-signaling/gluconeogenic molecules. Fetal baboons were delivered at 67%, 75%, and term gestational age and euthanized at birth. Neonatal baboons were delivered prematurely (67% gestation), survived for two weeks, and compared with similar postnatal term animals and underwent serial hyperinsulinemic-euglycemic clamp studies. Premature baboons had decreased endogenous glucose production (EGP) compared with term animals. Consistent with these results, the gluconeogenic molecule, phosphoenolpyruvate carboxykinase messenger RNA, was decreased in preterm baboons compared with terms. Hepatic insulin signaling was altered by preterm birth as evidenced by decreased insulin receptor–β, p85 subunit of phosphoinositide 3-kinase, phosphorylated insulin receptor substrate 1, and Akt-1 under insulin-stimulated conditions. Furthermore, preterm baboons failed to have the normal increase in glycogen synthase kinase-α from fetal to postnatal life. The blunted responses in hepatic insulin signaling may contribute to the hyperglycemia of prematurity, while impaired EGP leads to hypoglycemia of prematurity. PMID:28324053

  9. Enhanced hepatic insulin signaling in the livers of high altitude native rats under basal conditions and in the livers of low altitude native rats under insulin stimulation: a mechanistic study.

    PubMed

    Al Dera, Hussain; Eleawa, Samy M; Al-Hashem, Fahaid H; Mahzari, Moeber M; Hoja, Ibrahim; Al Khateeb, Mahmoud

    2017-07-01

    This study was designed to investigate the role of the liver in lowering fasting blood glucose levels (FBG) in rats native to high (HA) and low altitude (LA) areas. As compared with LA natives, besides the improved insulin and glucose tolerance, HA native rats had lower FBG, at least mediated by inhibition of hepatic gluconeogenesis and activation of glycogen synthesis. An effect that is mediated by the enhancement of hepatic insulin signaling mediated by the decreased phosphorylation of TSC induced inhibition of mTOR function. Such effect was independent of activation of AMPK nor stabilization of HIF1α, but most probably due to oxidative stress induced REDD1 expression. However, under insulin stimulation, and in spite of the less activated mTOR function in HA native rats, LA native rats had higher glycogen content and reduced levels of gluconeogenic enzymes with a more enhanced insulin signaling, mainly due to higher levels of p-IRS1 (tyr612).

  10. Glucose-6-phosphate transporter gene therapy corrects metabolic and myeloid abnormalities in glycogen storage disease type Ib mice

    PubMed Central

    Yiu, Wai Han; Pan, Chi-Jiunn; Allamarvdasht, Mohammad; Kim, So Youn; Chou, Janice Y.

    2008-01-01

    Glycogen storage disease type Ib (GSD-Ib) is caused by a deficiency in the glucose-6-phosphate transporter (G6PT), an endoplasmic reticulum-associated transmembrane protein that is ubiquitously expressed. GSD-Ib patients suffer from disturbed glucose homeostasis and myeloid dysfunctions. To evaluate the feasibility of gene replacement therapy for GSD-Ib, we have infused adenoviral (Ad) vector containing human G6PT (Ad-hG6PT) into G6PT-deficient (G6PT-/-) mice that manifest symptoms characteristics of the human disorder. Ad-hG6PT-infusion restores significant levels of G6PT mRNA expression in the liver, bone marrow, and spleen and corrects metabolic as well as myeloid abnormalities in G6PT-/- mice. The G6PT-/- mice receiving gene therapy exhibit improved growth; normalized serum profiles for glucose, cholesterol, triglyceride, uric acid, and lactic acid; and reduced hepatic glycogen deposition. The therapy also corrects neutropenia and lowers the elevated serum levels of granulocyte colony stimulating factor. The development of bone and spleen in the infused G6PT-/- mice is improved and accompanied by increased cellularity and normalized myeloid progenitor cell frequencies in both tissues. This effective use of gene therapy to correct metabolic imbalances and myeloid dysfunctions in GSD-Ib mice holds promise for the future of gene therapy in humans. PMID:17006547

  11. Review: Alterations in placental glycogen deposition in complicated pregnancies: Current preclinical and clinical evidence.

    PubMed

    Akison, Lisa K; Nitert, Marloes Dekker; Clifton, Vicki L; Moritz, Karen M; Simmons, David G

    2017-06-01

    Normal placental function is essential for optimal fetal growth. Transport of glucose from mother to fetus is critical for fetal nutrient demands and can be stored in the placenta as glycogen. However, the function of this glycogen deposition remains a matter of debate: It could be a source of fuel for the placenta itself or a storage reservoir for later use by the fetus in times of need. While the significance of placental glycogen remains elusive, mounting evidence indicates that altered glycogen metabolism and/or deposition accompanies many pregnancy complications that adversely affect fetal development. This review will summarize histological, biochemical and molecular evidence that glycogen accumulates in a) placentas from a variety of experimental rodent models of perturbed pregnancy, including maternal alcohol exposure, glucocorticoid exposure, dietary deficiencies and hypoxia and b) placentas from human pregnancies with complications including preeclampsia, gestational diabetes mellitus and intrauterine growth restriction (IUGR). These pregnancies typically result in altered fetal growth, developmental abnormalities and/or disease outcomes in offspring. Collectively, this evidence suggests that changes in placental glycogen deposition is a common feature of pregnancy complications, particularly those associated with altered fetal growth. Crown Copyright © 2017. Published by Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

  12. Modified glycogen as construction material for functional biomimetic microfibers.

    PubMed

    Rabyk, Mariia; Hruby, Martin; Vetrik, Miroslav; Kucka, Jan; Proks, Vladimir; Parizek, Martin; Konefal, Rafal; Krist, Pavel; Chvatil, David; Bacakova, Lucie; Slouf, Miroslav; Stepanek, Petr

    2016-11-05

    We describe a conceptually new, microfibrous, biodegradable functional material prepared from a modified storage polysaccharide also present in humans (glycogen) showing strong potential as direct-contact dressing/interface material for wound healing. Double bonds were introduced into glycogen via allylation and were further exploited for crosslinking of the microfibers. Triple bonds were introduced by propargylation and served for further click functionalization of the microfibers with bioactive peptide. A simple solvent-free method allowing the preparation of thick layers was used to produce microfibers (diameter ca 2μm) from allylated and/or propargylated glycogen. Crosslinking of the samples was performed by microtron beta-irradiation, and the irradiation dose was optimized to 2kGy. The results from biological testing showed that these highly porous, hydrophilic, readily functionalizable materials were completely nontoxic to cells growing in their presence. The fibers were gradually degraded in the presence of cells. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

  13. Natural dendrimers: Synthesis and in vitro characterization of glycogen-cysteamine conjugates.

    PubMed

    Perrone, Mara; Lopedota, Angela; Liberati, Elisa; Russo, Vincenzo; Cutrignelli, Annalisa; Laquintana, Valentino; de Sousa, Irene Pereira; Franco, Massimo; Tongiani, Serena; Denora, Nunzio; Bernkop-Schnürch, Andreas

    2017-06-01

    The aim of this study was to synthesize, characterize and evaluate the mucoadhesive properties of the first thiolated hyperbranched natural polysaccharide with biodegradability and biocompatibility features. In detail, glycogen-cysteamine conjugates were synthesized through a first step of oxidative ring opening applying increasing concentrations of sodium periodate, to obtain polymers with different degrees of oxidation, and a second step of reductive amination with a constant amount of cysteamine. The obtained glycogen-cysteamine conjugates were characterized regarding their content of free and total thiol groups by Ellman's assay, biocompatibility, swelling/erosion behavior, rheological synergism and mucoadhesive properties in comparison to the unmodified glycogen. The higher the concentration of periodate was, the higher was the content of total thiol groups being in the range of 255.7±12-1194.5±82μmol/g, biocompatibility remained unaffected by these structural changes. On the contrary, the mucoadhesive properties, evaluated by tensile, rheological synergism and rotating cylinder studies, appear to be influenced by the thiol groups concentration on the glycogen. In particular the glycogen-cysteamine conjugate exhibiting the highest degree of thiolation showed a 79-fold increase in viscosity over a time period of 8h, as well as, remained attached on freshly excised porcine mucosa 32-fold longer than the unmodified polymer. The higher was the amount of conjugated thiol groups, the higher was the water absorption capacity of glycogen-cysteamine tablets in Simulated Intestinal Fluid pH 6.8 (SIF). The introduction of thiol moieties on polymer changed the characteristics of the polysaccharide by improving mucoadhesion properties. Therefore, this work represents the first study describing thiolated natural dendrimers as potential platform useful to realize appropriate mucoadhesive nanocarrier systems suitable to prolong mucosal residence time. Copyright © 2017

  14. The glycogen metabolism via Akt signaling is important for the secretion of enamel matrix in tooth development.

    PubMed

    Ida-Yonemochi, Hiroko; Otsu, Keishi; Ohshima, Hayato; Harada, Hidemitsu

    2016-02-01

    Cells alter their energy metabolism depending on the stage of differentiation or various environments. In the ameloblast differentiation of continuous growing mouse incisors, we found temporary glycogen storage in preameloblasts before the start of enamel matrix secretion and investigated the relationship between enamel matrix secretion and glycogen metabolism. Immunohistochemistry showed that in the transitional stage from preameloblasts to secretory ameloblasts, the glycogen synthase changed from the inactive form to the active form, the expression of glycogen phosphorylase increased, and further, the levels of IGF-1, IGF-1 receptor and activated Akt increased. These results suggested that the activation of Akt signaling via IGF is linked to the onset of both glycogen metabolism and enamel matrix deposition. In the experiments using organ culture and ameloblast cell line, the activation of Akt signaling by IGF-1 stimulated glycogen metabolism through the up-regulation of Glut-1,-4 and Gsk-3β and the dephosphorylation of glycogen synthase. Subsequently, they resulted in increased enamel matrix secretion. In contrast, some inhibitors of Akt signals and glycogen synthesis/degradation down-regulated enamel matrix secretion. Taking these findings together, glycogen metabolism via Akt signaling is an essential system for the secretion of enamel matrix in ameloblast differentiation. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

  15. Fat body glycogen serves as a metabolic safeguard for the maintenance of sugar levels in Drosophila.

    PubMed

    Yamada, Takayuki; Habara, Okiko; Kubo, Hitomi; Nishimura, Takashi

    2018-03-14

    Adapting to changes in food availability is a central challenge for survival. Glucose is an important resource for energy production, and therefore many organisms synthesize and retain sugar storage molecules. In insects, glucose is stored in two different forms: the disaccharide trehalose and the branched polymer glycogen. Glycogen is synthesized and stored in several tissues, including in muscle and the fat body. Despite the major role of the fat body as a center for energy metabolism, the importance of its glycogen content remains unclear. Here, we show that glycogen metabolism is regulated in a tissue-specific manner under starvation conditions in the fruit fly Drosophila The mobilization of fat body glycogen in larvae is independent of Adipokinetic hormone (Akh, the glucagon homolog) but is regulated by sugar availability in a tissue-autonomous manner. Fat body glycogen plays a crucial role in the maintenance of circulating sugars, including trehalose, under fasting conditions. These results demonstrate the importance of fat body glycogen as a metabolic safeguard in Drosophila . © 2018. Published by The Company of Biologists Ltd.

  16. Syncytial giant-cell hepatitis due to autoimmune hepatitis type II (LKM1+) presenting as subfulminant hepatitis.

    PubMed

    Ben-Ari, Z; Broida, E; Monselise, Y; Kazatsker, A; Baruch, J; Pappo, O; Skappa, E; Tur-Kaspa, R

    2000-03-01

    Giant cell hepatitis (GCH) in adults is a rare event. The diagnosis of GCH is based on findings of syncytial giant hepatocytes. It is commonly associated with either viral infection or autoimmune hepatitis type I. A patient with GCH due to autoimmune hepatitis type II (LKM1+) is described, a combination that has not been previously reported. Corticosteroid therapy was effective in decreasing serum liver enzymes; however, the patient deteriorated rapidly and developed subfulminant hepatic failure. Although an emergency orthotopic liver transplantation was performed, the patient died because of reperfusion injury. Interestingly, only a few giant hepatocytes were noted in the explanted liver. This case stresses the association of GCH with autoimmune disorders, the possible immune mechanism involved in the formation of giant cell hepatocytes, and illustrates the rapidly progressive course and unfavorable prognosis that these patients can develop.

  17. Glycogen Phosphorylase and Glycogen Synthase: Gene Cloning and Expression Analysis Reveal Their Role in Trehalose Metabolism in the Brown Planthopper, Nilaparvata lugens Stål (Hemiptera: Delphacidae).

    PubMed

    Zhang, Lu; Wang, Huijuan; Chen, Jianyi; Shen, Qida; Wang, Shigui; Xu, Hongxing; Tang, Bin

    2017-01-01

    RNA interference has been used to study insects' gene function and regulation. Glycogen synthase (GS) and glycogen phosphorylase (GP) are two key enzymes in carbohydrates' conversion in insects. Glycogen content and GP and GS gene expression in several tissues and developmental stages of the Brown planthopper Nilaparvata lugens Stål (Hemiptera: Delphacidae) were analyzed in the present study, using quantitative reverse-transcription polymerase chain reaction to determine their response to double-stranded trehalases (dsTREs), trehalose-6-phosphate synthases (dsTPSs), and validamycin injection. The highest expression of both genes was detected in the wing bud, followed by leg and head tissues, and different expression patterns were shown across the developmental stages analyzed. Glycogen content significantly decreased 48 and 72 h after dsTPSs injection and 48 h after dsTREs injection. GP expression increased 48 h after dsTREs and dsTPSs injection and significantly decreased 72 h after dsTPSs, dsTRE1-1, and dsTRE1-2 injection. GS expression significantly decreased 48 h after dsTPS2 and dsTRE2 injection and 72 h after dsTRE1-1 and dsTRE1-2 injection. GP and GS expression and glycogen content significantly decreased 48 h after validamycin injection. The GP activity significantly decreased 48 h after validamycin injection, while GS activities of dsTPS1 and dsTRE2 injection groups were significantly higher than that of double-stranded GFP (dsGFP) 48 h after injection, respectively. Thus, glycogen is synthesized, released, and degraded across several insect tissues according to the need to maintain stable trehalose levels. © The Authors 2017. Published by Oxford University Press on behalf of Entomological Society of America.

  18. Altered Plasticity of Glycogen Phosphorylase in Forebrain Gliosomes Obtained from Insulinoma Patients.

    PubMed

    Tao, Zhen; Cheng, Ming; Hu, Huaiqiang; Wang, Shucai; Su, Jing; Lv, Wei; Guo, Hongwei; Tang, Jigang; Cao, Bingzhen

    2015-09-01

    We investigated a control model of hypoglycemia-exposed brain tissues from a small series of patients with insulinoma, immediately dissect them, and perform a differential cold centrifugation to obtain gliosomes and examine alterations of glycogenolytic mechanisms. The BB as well as MM isoforms of glycogen phosphorylase enzymatic protein expression remained unaltered between insulinoma and control subjects within the gliosomes. However, the glycogen phosphorylase remained in a form that was potentially activated several folds on placing the gliosomes in a glucose-free medium. This was examined by its increased interaction with protein kinase A. Inhibitors of glycogen phosphorylase was used as controls. Furthermore, we demonstrated that glucose-depleted medium enhanced production of both ATP and lactate by the gliosomes. It is possible that a portion of glucose obtained from glycogen breakdown was circuited through glycolytic pathways to generate ATP. It has been reported earlier that ATP within gliosomes plays a major role in glutamate uptake, thus potentially preventing seizure during active bouts of hypoglycemia. Lactate shuttle from astrocytes is a potential mechanism to balance neuronal bioenergetics during events of hypoglycemia. Newer approaches to pharmacologically modulate glycogen phosphorylase may prove to be rational approach for neuroprotective therapy in this common clinical syndrome of hypoglycemia.

  19. Low-carbohydrate diet induces metabolic depression: a possible mechanism to conserve glycogen.

    PubMed

    Winwood-Smith, Hugh S; Franklin, Craig E; White, Craig R

    2017-10-01

    Long-term studies have found that low-carbohydrate diets are more effective for weight loss than calorie-restricted diets in the short term but equally or only marginally more effective in the long term. Low-carbohydrate diets have been linked to reduced glycogen stores and increased feelings of fatigue. We propose that reduced physical activity in response to lowered glycogen explains the diminishing weight loss advantage of low-carbohydrate compared with low-calorie diets over longer time periods. We explored this possibility by feeding adult Drosophila melanogaster a standard or a low-carbohydrate diet for 9 days and measured changes in metabolic rate, glycogen stores, activity, and body mass. We hypothesized that a low-carbohydrate diet would cause a reduction in glycogen stores, which recover over time, a reduction in physical activity, and an increase in resting metabolic rate. The low-carbohydrate diet reduced glycogen stores, which recovered over time. Activity was unaffected by diet, but metabolic rate was reduced, in the low-carbohydrate group. We conclude that metabolic depression could explain the decreased effectiveness of low-carbohydrate diets over time and recommend further investigation of long-term metabolic effects of dietary interventions and a greater focus on physiological plasticity within the study of human nutrition. Copyright © 2017 the American Physiological Society.

  20. Lack of skeletal muscle IL-6 influences hepatic glucose metabolism in mice during prolonged exercise.

    PubMed

    Bertholdt, Lærke; Gudiksen, Anders; Schwartz, Camilla L; Knudsen, Jakob G; Pilegaard, Henriette

    2017-04-01

    The liver is essential in maintaining and regulating glucose homeostasis during prolonged exercise. IL-6 has been shown to be secreted from skeletal muscle during exercise and has been suggested to signal to the liver. Therefore, the aim of this study was to investigate the role of skeletal muscle IL-6 on hepatic glucose regulation and substrate choice during prolonged exercise. Skeletal muscle-specific IL-6 knockout (IL-6 MKO) mice (age, 12-14 wk) and littermate lox/lox (Control) mice were either rested (Rest) or completed a single bout of exercise for 10, 60, or 120 min, and the liver was quickly obtained. Hepatic IL-6 mRNA was higher at 60 min of exercise, and hepatic signal transducer and activator of transcription 3 was higher at 120 min of exercise than at rest in both genotypes. Hepatic glycogen was higher in IL-6 MKO mice than control mice at rest, but decreased similarly during exercise in the two genotypes, and hepatic glucose content was lower in IL-6 MKO than control mice at 120 min of exercise. Hepatic phosphoenolpyruvate carboxykinase mRNA and protein increased in both genotypes at 120 min of exercise, whereas hepatic glucose 6 phosphatase protein remained unchanged. Furthermore, IL-6 MKO mice had higher hepatic pyruvate dehydrogenase (PDH) Ser232 and PDH Ser300 phosphorylation than control mice at rest. In conclusion, hepatic gluconeogenic capacity in mice is increased during prolonged exercise independent of muscle IL-6. Furthermore, Skeletal muscle IL-6 influences hepatic substrate regulation at rest and hepatic glucose metabolism during prolonged exercise, seemingly independent of IL-6 signaling in the liver. Copyright © 2017 the American Physiological Society.

  1. Morphology and Molecular Mechanisms of Hepatic Injury in Rats under Simulated Weightlessness and the Protective Effects of Resistance Training.

    PubMed

    Du, Fang; Ding, Ye; Zou, Jun; Li, Zhili; Tian, Jijing; She, Ruiping; Wang, Desheng; Wang, Huijuan; Lv, Dongqiang; Chang, Lingling

    2015-01-01

    This study investigated the effects of long-term simulated weightlessness on liver morphology, enzymes, glycogen, and apoptosis related proteins by using two-month rat-tail suspension model (TS), and liver injury improvement by rat-tail suspension with resistance training model (TS&RT). Microscopically the livers of TS rats showed massive granular degeneration, chronic inflammation, and portal fibrosis. Mitochondrial and endoplasmic reticulum swelling and loss of membrane integrity were observed by transmission electron microscopy (TEM). The similar, but milder, morphological changes were observed in the livers of TS&RT rats. Serum biochemistry analysis revealed that the levels of alanine aminotransferase (ALT) and aspartate aminotransferase (AST) were significantly higher (p<0.05) in TS rats than in controls. The levels of ALT and AST in TS&RT rats were slightly lower than in RT rats, but they were insignificantly higher than in controls. However, both TS and TS&RT rats had significantly lower levels (p<0.05) of serum glucose and hepatic glycogen than in controls. Immunohistochemistry demonstrated that the expressions of Bax, Bcl-2, and active caspase-3 were higher in TS rats than in TS&RT and control rats. Real-time polymerase chain reaction (real-time PCR) showed that TS rats had higher mRNA levels (P < 0.05) of glucose-regulated protein 78 (GRP78) and caspase-12 transcription than in control rats; whereas mRNA expressions of C/EBP homologous protein (CHOP) and c-Jun N-terminal kinase (JNK) were slightly higher in TS rats. TS&RT rats showed no significant differences of above 4 mRNAs compared with the control group. Our results demonstrated that long-term weightlessness caused hepatic injury, and may trigger hepatic apoptosis. Resistance training slightly improved hepatic damage.

  2. Morphology and Molecular Mechanisms of Hepatic Injury in Rats under Simulated Weightlessness and the Protective Effects of Resistance Training

    PubMed Central

    Zou, Jun; Li, Zhili; Tian, Jijing; She, Ruiping; Wang, Desheng; Wang, Huijuan; Lv, Dongqiang; Chang, Lingling

    2015-01-01

    This study investigated the effects of long-term simulated weightlessness on liver morphology, enzymes, glycogen, and apoptosis related proteins by using two-month rat-tail suspension model (TS), and liver injury improvement by rat-tail suspension with resistance training model (TS&RT). Microscopically the livers of TS rats showed massive granular degeneration, chronic inflammation, and portal fibrosis. Mitochondrial and endoplasmic reticulum swelling and loss of membrane integrity were observed by transmission electron microscopy (TEM). The similar, but milder, morphological changes were observed in the livers of TS&RT rats. Serum biochemistry analysis revealed that the levels of alanine aminotransferase (ALT) and aspartate aminotransferase (AST) were significantly higher (p<0.05) in TS rats than in controls. The levels of ALT and AST in TS&RT rats were slightly lower than in RT rats, but they were insignificantly higher than in controls. However, both TS and TS&RT rats had significantly lower levels (p<0.05) of serum glucose and hepatic glycogen than in controls. Immunohistochemistry demonstrated that the expressions of Bax, Bcl-2, and active caspase-3 were higher in TS rats than in TS&RT and control rats. Real-time polymerase chain reaction (real-time PCR) showed that TS rats had higher mRNA levels (P < 0.05) of glucose-regulated protein 78 (GRP78) and caspase-12 transcription than in control rats; whereas mRNA expressions of C/EBP homologous protein (CHOP) and c-Jun N-terminal kinase (JNK) were slightly higher in TS rats. TS&RT rats showed no significant differences of above 4 mRNAs compared with the control group. Our results demonstrated that long-term weightlessness caused hepatic injury, and may trigger hepatic apoptosis. Resistance training slightly improved hepatic damage. PMID:26000905

  3. Predicting glycogen concentration in the foot muscle of abalone using near infrared reflectance spectroscopy (NIRS).

    PubMed

    Fluckiger, Miriam; Brown, Malcolm R; Ward, Louise R; Moltschaniwskyj, Natalie A

    2011-06-15

    Near infrared reflectance spectroscopy (NIRS) was used to predict glycogen concentrations in the foot muscle of cultured abalone. NIR spectra of live, shucked and freeze-dried abalones were modelled against chemically measured glycogen data (range: 0.77-40.9% of dry weight (DW)) using partial least squares (PLS) regression. The calibration models were then used to predict glycogen concentrations of test abalone samples and model robustness was assessed from coefficient of determination of the validation (R2(val)) and standard error of prediction (SEP) values. The model for freeze-dried abalone gave the best prediction (R2(val) 0.97, SEP=1.71), making it suitable for quantifying glycogen. Models for live and shucked abalones had R2(val) of 0.86 and 0.90, and SEP of 3.46 and 3.07 respectively, making them suitable for producing estimations of glycogen concentration. As glycogen is a taste-active component associated with palatability in abalone, this study demonstrated the potential of NIRS as a rapid method to monitor the factors associated with abalone quality. Copyright © 2011 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

  4. Structural basis of AMPK regulation by adenine nucleotides and glycogen

    DOE PAGES

    Li, Xiaodan; Wang, Lili; Zhou, X. Edward; ...

    2014-11-21

    AMP-activated protein kinase (AMPK) is a central cellular energy sensor and regulator of energy homeostasis, and a promising drug target for the treatment of diabetes, obesity, and cancer. Here we present low-resolution crystal structures of the human α1β2γ1 holo-AMPK complex bound to its allosteric modulators AMP and the glycogen-mimic cyclodextrin, both in the phosphorylated (4.05 Å) and non-phosphorylated (4.60 Å) state. In addition, we have solved a 2.95 Å structure of the human kinase domain (KD) bound to the adjacent autoinhibitory domain (AID) and have performed extensive biochemical and mutational studies. Altogether, these studies illustrate an underlying mechanism of allostericmore » AMPK modulation by AMP and glycogen, whose binding changes the equilibria between alternate AID (AMP) and carbohydrate-binding module (glycogen) interactions.« less

  5. The Csr System Regulates Escherichia coli Fitness by Controlling Glycogen Accumulation and Energy Levels.

    PubMed

    Morin, Manon; Ropers, Delphine; Cinquemani, Eugenio; Portais, Jean-Charles; Enjalbert, Brice; Cocaign-Bousquet, Muriel

    2017-10-31

    In the bacterium Escherichia coli , the posttranscriptional regulatory system Csr was postulated to influence the transition from glycolysis to gluconeogenesis. Here, we explored the role of the Csr system in the glucose-acetate transition as a model of the glycolysis-to-gluconeogenesis switch. Mutations in the Csr system influence the reorganization of gene expression after glucose exhaustion and disturb the timing of acetate reconsumption after glucose exhaustion. Analysis of metabolite concentrations during the transition revealed that the Csr system has a major effect on the energy levels of the cells after glucose exhaustion. This influence was demonstrated to result directly from the effect of the Csr system on glycogen accumulation. Mutation in glycogen metabolism was also demonstrated to hinder metabolic adaptation after glucose exhaustion because of insufficient energy. This work explains how the Csr system influences E. coli fitness during the glycolysis-gluconeogenesis switch and demonstrates the role of glycogen in maintenance of the energy charge during metabolic adaptation. IMPORTANCE Glycogen is a polysaccharide and the main storage form of glucose from bacteria such as Escherichia coli to yeasts and mammals. Although its function as a sugar reserve in mammals is well documented, the role of glycogen in bacteria is not as clear. By studying the role of posttranscriptional regulation during metabolic adaptation, for the first time, we demonstrate the role of sugar reserve played by glycogen in E. coli Indeed, glycogen not only makes it possible to maintain sufficient energy during metabolic transitions but is also the key component in the capacity of cells to resume growth. Since the essential posttranscriptional regulatory system Csr is a major regulator of glycogen accumulation, this work also sheds light on the central role of posttranscriptional regulation in metabolic adaptation. Copyright © 2017 Morin et al.

  6. Human α-amylase present in lower-genital-tract mucosal fluid processes glycogen to support vaginal colonization by Lactobacillus.

    PubMed

    Spear, Gregory T; French, Audrey L; Gilbert, Douglas; Zariffard, M Reza; Mirmonsef, Paria; Sullivan, Thomas H; Spear, William W; Landay, Alan; Micci, Sandra; Lee, Byung-Hoo; Hamaker, Bruce R

    2014-10-01

    Lactobacillus colonization of the lower female genital tract provides protection from the acquisition of sexually transmitted diseases, including human immunodeficiency virus, and from adverse pregnancy outcomes. While glycogen in vaginal epithelium is thought to support Lactobacillus colonization in vivo, many Lactobacillus isolates cannot utilize glycogen in vitro. This study investigated how glycogen could be utilized by vaginal lactobacilli in the genital tract. Several Lactobacillus isolates were confirmed to not grow in glycogen, but did grow in glycogen-breakdown products, including maltose, maltotriose, maltopentaose, maltodextrins, and glycogen treated with salivary α-amylase. A temperature-dependent glycogen-degrading activity was detected in genital fluids that correlated with levels of α-amylase. Treatment of glycogen with genital fluids resulted in production of maltose, maltotriose, and maltotetraose, the major products of α-amylase digestion. These studies show that human α-amylase is present in the female lower genital tract and elucidates how epithelial glycogen can support Lactobacillus colonization in the genital tract. © The Author 2014. Published by Oxford University Press on behalf of the Infectious Diseases Society of America. All rights reserved. For Permissions, please e-mail: journals.permissions@oup.com.

  7. Inhibition of glycogen synthase kinase (GSK)-3-β improves liver microcirculation and hepatocellular function after hemorrhagic shock.

    PubMed

    Jellestad, Lena; Fink, Tobias; Pradarutti, Sascha; Kubulus, Darius; Wolf, Beate; Bauer, Inge; Thiemermann, Chris; Rensing, Hauke

    2014-02-05

    Ischemia and reperfusion may cause liver injury and are characterized by hepatic microperfusion failure and a decreased hepatocellular function. Inhibition of glycogen synthase kinase (GSK)-3β, a serine-threonine kinase that has recently emerged as a key regulator in the modulation of the inflammatory response after stress events, may be protective in conditions like sepsis, inflammation and shock. Therefore, aim of the study was to assess the role of GSK-3β in liver microcirculation and hepatocellular function after hemorrhagic shock and resuscitation (H/R). Anesthetized male Sprague-Dawley rats underwent pretreatment with Ringer´s solution, vehicle (DMSO) or TDZD-8 (1 mg/kg), a selective GSK-3β inhibitor, 30 min before induction of hemorrhagic shock (mean arterial pressure 35±5 mmHg for 90 min) and were resuscitated with shed blood and Ringer´s solution (2h). 5h after resuscitation hepatic microcirculation was assessed by intravital microscopy. Propidium iodide (PI) positive cells, liver enzymes and alpha-GST were measured as indicators of hepatic injury. Liver function was estimated by assessment of indocyanine green plasma disappearance rate. H/R led to a significant decrease in sinusoidal diameters and impairment of liver function compared to sham operation. Furthermore, the number of PI positive cells in the liver as well as serum activities of liver enzymes and alpha-GST increased significantly after H/R. Pretreatment with TDZD-8 prevented the changes in liver microcirculation, hepatocellular injury and liver function after H/R. A significant rise in the plasma level of IL-10 was observed. Thus, inhibition of GSK-3β before hemorrhagic shock modulates the inflammatory response and improves hepatic microcirculation and hepatocellular function. Copyright © 2013 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

  8. Starch Binding Domain-containing Protein 1 Plays a Dominant Role in Glycogen Transport to Lysosomes in Liver*

    PubMed Central

    Sun, Tao; Yi, Haiqing; Yang, Chunyu; Kishnani, Priya S.; Sun, Baodong

    2016-01-01

    A small portion of cellular glycogen is transported to and degraded in lysosomes by acid α-glucosidase (GAA) in mammals, but it is unclear why and how glycogen is transported to the lysosomes. Stbd1 has recently been proposed to participate in glycogen trafficking to lysosomes. However, our previous study demonstrated that knockdown of Stbd1 in GAA knock-out mice did not alter lysosomal glycogen storage in skeletal muscles. To further determine whether Stbd1 participates in glycogen transport to lysosomes, we generated GAA/Stbd1 double knock-out mice. In fasted double knock-out mice, glycogen accumulation in skeletal and cardiac muscles was not affected, but glycogen content in liver was reduced by nearly 73% at 3 months of age and by 60% at 13 months as compared with GAA knock-out mice, indicating that the transport of glycogen to lysosomes was suppressed in liver by the loss of Stbd1. Exogenous expression of human Stbd1 in double knock-out mice restored the liver lysosomal glycogen content to the level of GAA knock-out mice, as did a mutant lacking the Atg8 family interacting motif (AIM) and another mutant that contains only the N-terminal 24 hydrophobic segment and the C-terminal starch binding domain (CBM20) interlinked by an HA tag. Our results demonstrate that Stbd1 plays a dominant role in glycogen transport to lysosomes in liver and that the N-terminal transmembrane region and the C-terminal CBM20 domain are critical for this function. PMID:27358407

  9. Conditional ablation of glycogen synthase kinase 3β in postnatal mouse kidney.

    PubMed

    Ge, Yan; Si, Jin; Tian, Li; Zhuang, Shougang; Dworkin, Lance D; Gong, Rujun

    2011-01-01

    Glycogen synthase kinase (GSK)3 is a ubiquitously expressed serine/threonine kinase existing in two isoforms, namely GSK3α and GSK3β. Aside from the long-recognized role in insulin signal transduction and glycogen biosynthesis, GSK3β has been recently coined as a master control molecule in nuclear factor-κB activation and inflammatory kidney injury. Nevertheless, previous studies are less conclusive because they relied greatly on small molecule inhibitors, which lack selectivity and barely distinguish between the GSK3 isoforms. In addition, early embryonic lethality after global knockout of GSK3β precludes interrogation of the biological role of GSK3β in the adult kidney. To circumvent these issues, the Cre/loxP system was used to generate a conditional knockout mouse model in which the GSK3β gene was specifically deleted in kidney cortical tubules at postnatal mature stage. Kidney-specific ablation of GSK3β resulted in a phenotype no different from control littermates. Knockout mice (KO) were viable and exhibited normal development and normal kidney physiology in terms of kidney function, urine albumin excretion, and urine-concentrating ability. It is noteworthy that apart from normal glomerular and tubulointerstitial morphology, the kidneys from KO demonstrated more glycogen accumulation in the renal cortical tubules as assessed by both periodic acid-Schiff staining for light microscopy and direct biochemical assay, consistent with an elevated glycogen synthetic activity as evidenced by diminished inhibitory phosphorylation of glycogen synthase that occurred subsequent to GSK3β ablation. This finding was further validated by electron microscopic observations of increased deposition of glycogen particles in the renal tubules of KO, suggesting that GSK3α could not fully compensate for the loss of GSK3β in regulating glycogen metabolism in the kidney. Collectively, our study suggests that kidney-specific ablation of GSK3β barely affects kidney function

  10. Genetic models rule out a major role of beta cell glycogen in the control of glucose homeostasis.

    PubMed

    Mir-Coll, Joan; Duran, Jordi; Slebe, Felipe; García-Rocha, Mar; Gomis, Ramon; Gasa, Rosa; Guinovart, Joan J

    2016-05-01

    Glycogen accumulation occurs in beta cells of diabetic patients and has been proposed to partly mediate glucotoxicity-induced beta cell dysfunction. However, the role of glycogen metabolism in beta cell function and its contribution to diabetes pathophysiology remain poorly understood. We investigated the function of beta cell glycogen by studying glucose homeostasis in mice with (1) defective glycogen synthesis in the pancreas; and (2) excessive glycogen accumulation in beta cells. Conditional deletion of the Gys1 gene and overexpression of protein targeting to glycogen (PTG) was accomplished by Cre-lox recombination using pancreas-specific Cre lines. Glucose homeostasis was assessed by determining fasting glycaemia, insulinaemia and glucose tolerance. Beta cell mass was determined by morphometry. Glycogen was detected histologically by periodic acid-Schiff's reagent staining. Isolated islets were used for the determination of glycogen and insulin content, insulin secretion, immunoblots and gene expression assays. Gys1 knockout (Gys1 (KO)) mice did not exhibit differences in glucose tolerance or basal glycaemia and insulinaemia relative to controls. Insulin secretion and gene expression in isolated islets was also indistinguishable between Gys1 (KO) and controls. Conversely, despite effective glycogen overaccumulation in islets, mice with PTG overexpression (PTG(OE)) presented similar glucose tolerance to controls. However, under fasting conditions they exhibited lower glycaemia and higher insulinaemia. Importantly, neither young nor aged PTG(OE) mice showed differences in beta cell mass relative to age-matched controls. Finally, a high-fat diet did not reveal a beta cell-autonomous phenotype in either model. Glycogen metabolism is not required for the maintenance of beta cell function. Glycogen accumulation in beta cells alone is not sufficient to trigger the dysfunction or loss of these cells, or progression to diabetes.

  11. Glycogen-bound polyphosphate kinase from the archaebacterium Sulfolobus acidocaldarius.

    PubMed

    Skórko, R; Osipiuk, J; Stetter, K O

    1989-09-01

    Glycogen-bound polyphosphate kinase has been isolated from a crude extract of Sulfolobus acidocaldarius by isopycnic centrifugation in CsCl. Divalent cations (Mn2+ greater than Mg2+) stimulated the reaction. The enzyme does not require the presence of histones for its activity; it is inhibited strongly by phosphate and slightly by fluoride. The protein from the glycogen complex migrated in a sodium dodecyl sulfate-polyacrylamide gel as a 57-kilodalton protein band; after isoelectric focusing it separated into several spots in the pH range of 5.6 to 6.7.

  12. The extracellular redox state modulates mitochondrial function, gluconeogenesis, and glycogen synthesis in murine hepatocytes.

    PubMed

    Nocito, Laura; Kleckner, Amber S; Yoo, Elsia J; Jones Iv, Albert R; Liesa, Marc; Corkey, Barbara E

    2015-01-01

    Circulating redox state changes, determined by the ratio of reduced/oxidized pairs of different metabolites, have been associated with metabolic diseases. However, the pathogenic contribution of these changes and whether they modulate normal tissue function is unclear. As alterations in hepatic gluconeogenesis and glycogen metabolism are hallmarks that characterize insulin resistance and type 2 diabetes, we tested whether imposed changes in the extracellular redox state could modulate these processes. Thus, primary hepatocytes were treated with different ratios of the following physiological extracellular redox couples: β-hydroxybutyrate (βOHB)/acetoacetate (Acoc), reduced glutathione (GSH)/oxidized glutathione (GSSG), and cysteine/cystine. Exposure to a more oxidized ratio via extracellular βOHB/Acoc, GSH/GSSG, and cysteine/cystine in hepatocytes from fed mice increased intracellular hydrogen peroxide without causing oxidative damage. On the other hand, addition of more reduced ratios of extracellular βOHB/Acoc led to increased NAD(P)H and maximal mitochondrial respiratory capacity in hepatocytes. Greater βOHB/Acoc ratios were also associated with decreased β-oxidation, as expected with enhanced lipogenesis. In hepatocytes from fasted mice, a more extracellular reduced state of βOHB/Acoc led to increased alanine-stimulated gluconeogenesis and enhanced glycogen synthesis capacity from added glucose. Thus, we demonstrated for the first time that the extracellular redox state regulates the major metabolic functions of the liver and involves changes in intracellular NADH, hydrogen peroxide, and mitochondrial respiration. Because redox state in the blood can be communicated to all metabolically sensitive tissues, this work confirms the hypothesis that circulating redox state may be an important regulator of whole body metabolism and contribute to alterations associated with metabolic diseases.

  13. The Extracellular Redox State Modulates Mitochondrial Function, Gluconeogenesis, and Glycogen Synthesis in Murine Hepatocytes

    PubMed Central

    Nocito, Laura; Kleckner, Amber S.; Yoo, Elsia J.; Jones IV, Albert R.; Liesa, Marc; Corkey, Barbara E.

    2015-01-01

    Circulating redox state changes, determined by the ratio of reduced/oxidized pairs of different metabolites, have been associated with metabolic diseases. However, the pathogenic contribution of these changes and whether they modulate normal tissue function is unclear. As alterations in hepatic gluconeogenesis and glycogen metabolism are hallmarks that characterize insulin resistance and type 2 diabetes, we tested whether imposed changes in the extracellular redox state could modulate these processes. Thus, primary hepatocytes were treated with different ratios of the following physiological extracellular redox couples: β-hydroxybutyrate (βOHB)/acetoacetate (Acoc), reduced glutathione (GSH)/oxidized glutathione (GSSG), and cysteine/cystine. Exposure to a more oxidized ratio via extracellular βOHB/Acoc, GSH/GSSG, and cysteine/cystine in hepatocytes from fed mice increased intracellular hydrogen peroxide without causing oxidative damage. On the other hand, addition of more reduced ratios of extracellular βOHB/Acoc led to increased NAD(P)H and maximal mitochondrial respiratory capacity in hepatocytes. Greater βOHB/Acoc ratios were also associated with decreased β-oxidation, as expected with enhanced lipogenesis. In hepatocytes from fasted mice, a more extracellular reduced state of βOHB/Acoc led to increased alanine-stimulated gluconeogenesis and enhanced glycogen synthesis capacity from added glucose. Thus, we demonstrated for the first time that the extracellular redox state regulates the major metabolic functions of the liver and involves changes in intracellular NADH, hydrogen peroxide, and mitochondrial respiration. Because redox state in the blood can be communicated to all metabolically sensitive tissues, this work confirms the hypothesis that circulating redox state may be an important regulator of whole body metabolism and contribute to alterations associated with metabolic diseases. PMID:25816337

  14. Identification and Functional Characterization of the Glycogen Synthesis Related Gene Glycogenin in Pacific Oysters (Crassostrea gigas).

    PubMed

    Li, Busu; Meng, Jie; Li, Li; Liu, Sheng; Wang, Ting; Zhang, Guofan

    2017-09-06

    High glycogen levels in the Pacific oyster (Crassostrea gigas) contribute to its flavor, quality, and hardiness. Glycogenin (CgGN) is the priming glucosyltransferase that initiates glycogen biosynthesis. We characterized the full sequence and function of C. gigas CgGN. Three CgGN isoforms (CgGN-α, β, and γ) containing alternative exon regions were isolated. CgGN expression varied seasonally in the adductor muscle and gonadal area and was the highest in the adductor muscle. Autoglycosylation of CgGN can interact with glycogen synthase (CgGS) to complete glycogen synthesis. Subcellular localization analysis showed that CgGN isoforms and CgGS were located in the cytoplasm. Additionally, a site-directed mutagenesis experiment revealed that the Tyr200Phe and Tyr202Phe mutations could affect CgGN autoglycosylation. This is the first study of glycogenin function in marine bivalves. These findings will improve our understanding of glycogen synthesis and accumulation mechanisms in mollusks. The data are potentially useful for breeding high-glycogen oysters.

  15. AJS1669, a novel small-molecule muscle glycogen synthase activator, improves glucose metabolism and reduces body fat mass in mice

    PubMed Central

    Nakano, Kazuhiro; Takeshita, Sen; Kawasaki, Noriko; Miyanaga, Wataru; Okamatsu, Yoriko; Dohi, Mizuki; Nakagawa, Tadakiyo

    2017-01-01

    Impaired glycogen synthesis and turnover are common in insulin resistance and type 2 diabetes. As glycogen synthase (GS) is a key enzyme involved in the synthetic process, it presents a promising therapeutic target for the treatment of type 2 diabetes. In the present study, we identified a novel, potent and orally available GS activator AJS1669 {sodium 2-[[5-[[4-(4,5-difluoro-2-methylsulfanyl-phenyl) phenoxy] methyl]furan-2-carbonyl]-(2-furylmethyl)amino] acetate}. In vitro, we performed a glycogen synthase 1 (GYS1) activation assay for screening GS activators and identified that the activity of AJS1669 was further potentiated in the presence of glucose-6-phosphate (G6P). In vivo, we used ob/ob mice to evaluate the novel anti-diabetic effects of AJS1669 by measuring basal blood glucose levels, glucose tolerance and body fat mass index. Repeated administration of AJS1669 over 4 weeks reduced blood glucose and hemoglobin A1c (HbA1c) levels in ob/ob mice. AJS1669 also improved glucose tolerance in a dose-dependent manner, and decreased body fat mass. The mRNA levels of genes involved in mitochondrial fatty acid oxidation and mitochondrial biogenesis were elevated in skeletal muscle tissue following AJS1669 treatment. Hepatic tissue of treated mice also exhibited elevated expression of genes associated with fatty acid oxidation. In contrast to ob/ob mice, in C57Bl/6 mice AJS1669 administration did not alter body weight or reduce glucose levels. These results demonstrate that pharmacological agents that activate GYS1, the main GS subtype found in skeletal muscle, have potential for use as novel treatments for diabetes that improve glucose metabolism in skeletal muscle. PMID:28290602

  16. AJS1669, a novel small-molecule muscle glycogen synthase activator, improves glucose metabolism and reduces body fat mass in mice.

    PubMed

    Nakano, Kazuhiro; Takeshita, Sen; Kawasaki, Noriko; Miyanaga, Wataru; Okamatsu, Yoriko; Dohi, Mizuki; Nakagawa, Tadakiyo

    2017-04-01

    Impaired glycogen synthesis and turnover are common in insulin resistance and type 2 diabetes. As glycogen synthase (GS) is a key enzyme involved in the synthetic process, it presents a promising therapeutic target for the treatment of type 2 diabetes. In the present study, we identified a novel, potent and orally available GS activator AJS1669 {sodium 2-[[5-[[4-(4,5-difluoro-2-methylsulfanyl-phenyl)phenoxy] methyl]furan-2-carbonyl]-(2-furylmethyl)amino] acetate}. In vitro, we performed a glycogen synthase 1 (GYS1) activation assay for screening GS activators and identified that the activity of AJS1669 was further potentiated in the presence of glucose-6-phosphate (G6P). In vivo, we used ob/ob mice to evaluate the novel anti-diabetic effects of AJS1669 by measuring basal blood glucose levels, glucose tolerance and body fat mass index. Repeated administration of AJS1669 over 4 weeks reduced blood glucose and hemoglobin A1c (HbA1c) levels in ob/ob mice. AJS1669 also improved glucose tolerance in a dose-dependent manner, and decreased body fat mass. The mRNA levels of genes involved in mitochondrial fatty acid oxidation and mitochondrial biogenesis were elevated in skeletal muscle tissue following AJS1669 treatment. Hepatic tissue of treated mice also exhibited elevated expression of genes associated with fatty acid oxidation. In contrast to ob/ob mice, in C57Bl/6 mice AJS1669 administration did not alter body weight or reduce glucose levels. These results demonstrate that pharmacological agents that activate GYS1, the main GS subtype found in skeletal muscle, have potential for use as novel treatments for diabetes that improve glucose metabolism in skeletal muscle.

  17. [Zonal variability and seasonal changes of the content of glycogen and glucose in the Mytilus mantle].

    PubMed

    Crespo, C A; Espinosa, J

    1989-06-01

    Glycogen and free-glucose content in the ventral, central and dorsal parts, as well as glucose-6-phosphate phosphatase activity in mantle of Mytilus galloprovincialis Lmk. were examined. The glycogen content of mantle did not manifest asymmetrical distribution among the three parts. In the period studied, the typical glycogen content profile variation was found, being maximum in July. The tissue free-glucose content was similar in each part, and the obtained seasonal variation profile was opposite to the glycogen content, reaching the minimum in July. For every part of mantle, free-glucose/glycogen ratio showed similar monthly profiles. In each part the 50% point was found in July. Glucose-6-phosphate phosphatase activity was not found in the mantle tissue.

  18. In vitro variation of glycogen content in three sheep nematodes.

    PubMed

    Premvati, G; Chopra, A K

    1979-06-01

    In vitro variation of glycogen content under aerobic conditions was measured on fresh weight basis in 3 sheep nematodes inhabiting different niches; Haemonchus contortus, Oesophagostomum columbianum and Trichuris ovis. The parasites were saparated into species and then sexes and starved for varying periods of time up to 24 h in glucose-free physiological saline. The differences between females and males and among the species with respect to glycogen content and its rate of change with time are discussed.

  19. Refeeding-Induced Brown Adipose Tissue Glycogen Hyper-Accumulation in Mice Is Mediated by Insulin and Catecholamines

    PubMed Central

    Carmean, Christopher M.; Bobe, Alexandria M.; Yu, Justin C.; Volden, Paul A.; Brady, Matthew J.

    2013-01-01

    Brown adipose tissue (BAT) generates heat during adaptive thermogenesis through a combination of oxidative metabolism and uncoupling protein 1-mediated electron transport chain uncoupling, using both free-fatty acids and glucose as substrate. Previous rat-based work in 1942 showed that prolonged partial fasting followed by refeeding led to a dramatic, transient increase in glycogen stores in multiple fat depots. In the present study, the protocol was replicated in male CD1 mice, resulting in a 2000-fold increase in interscapular BAT (IBAT) glycogen levels within 4–12 hours (hr) of refeeding, with IBAT glycogen stores reaching levels comparable to fed liver glycogen. Lesser effects occurred in white adipose tissues (WAT). Over the next 36 hr, glycogen levels dissipated and histological analysis revealed an over-accumulation of lipid droplets, suggesting a potential metabolic connection between glycogenolysis and lipid synthesis. 24 hr of total starvation followed by refeeding induced a robust and consistent glycogen over-accumulation similar in magnitude and time course to the prolonged partial fast. Experimentation demonstrated that hyperglycemia was not sufficient to drive glycogen accumulation in IBAT, but that elevated circulating insulin was sufficient. Additionally, pharmacological inhibition of catecholamine production reduced refeeding-induced IBAT glycogen storage, providing evidence of a contribution from the central nervous system. These findings highlight IBAT as a tissue that integrates both canonically-anabolic and catabolic stimulation for the promotion of glycogen storage during recovery from caloric deficit. The preservation of this robust response through many generations of animals not subjected to food deprivation suggests that the over-accumulation phenomenon plays a critical role in IBAT physiology. PMID:23861810

  20. Starch Binding Domain-containing Protein 1 Plays a Dominant Role in Glycogen Transport to Lysosomes in Liver.

    PubMed

    Sun, Tao; Yi, Haiqing; Yang, Chunyu; Kishnani, Priya S; Sun, Baodong

    2016-08-05

    A small portion of cellular glycogen is transported to and degraded in lysosomes by acid α-glucosidase (GAA) in mammals, but it is unclear why and how glycogen is transported to the lysosomes. Stbd1 has recently been proposed to participate in glycogen trafficking to lysosomes. However, our previous study demonstrated that knockdown of Stbd1 in GAA knock-out mice did not alter lysosomal glycogen storage in skeletal muscles. To further determine whether Stbd1 participates in glycogen transport to lysosomes, we generated GAA/Stbd1 double knock-out mice. In fasted double knock-out mice, glycogen accumulation in skeletal and cardiac muscles was not affected, but glycogen content in liver was reduced by nearly 73% at 3 months of age and by 60% at 13 months as compared with GAA knock-out mice, indicating that the transport of glycogen to lysosomes was suppressed in liver by the loss of Stbd1. Exogenous expression of human Stbd1 in double knock-out mice restored the liver lysosomal glycogen content to the level of GAA knock-out mice, as did a mutant lacking the Atg8 family interacting motif (AIM) and another mutant that contains only the N-terminal 24 hydrophobic segment and the C-terminal starch binding domain (CBM20) interlinked by an HA tag. Our results demonstrate that Stbd1 plays a dominant role in glycogen transport to lysosomes in liver and that the N-terminal transmembrane region and the C-terminal CBM20 domain are critical for this function. © 2016 by The American Society for Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Inc.

  1. Liver glycogen in type 2 diabetic mice is randomly branched as enlarged aggregates with blunted glucose release.

    PubMed

    Besford, Quinn Alexander; Zeng, Xiao-Yi; Ye, Ji-Ming; Gray-Weale, Angus

    2016-02-01

    Glycogen is a vital highly branched polymer of glucose that is essential for blood glucose homeostasis. In this article, the structure of liver glycogen from mice is investigated with respect to size distributions, degradation kinetics, and branching structure, complemented by a comparison of normal and diabetic liver glycogen. This is done to screen for differences that may result from disease. Glycogen α-particle (diameter ∼ 150 nm) and β-particle (diameter ∼ 25 nm) size distributions are reported, along with in vitro γ-amylase degradation experiments, and a small angle X-ray scattering analysis of mouse β-particles. Type 2 diabetic liver glycogen upon extraction was found to be present as large loosely bound, aggregates, not present in normal livers. Liver glycogen was found to aggregate in vitro over a period of 20 h, and particle size is shown to be related to rate of glucose release, allowing a structure-function relationship to be inferred for the tissue specific distribution of particle types. Application of branching theories to small angle X-ray scattering data for mouse β-particles revealed these particles to be randomly branched polymers, not fractal polymers. Together, this article shows that type 2 diabetic liver glycogen is present as large aggregates in mice, which may contribute to the inflexibility of interconversion between glucose and glycogen in type 2 diabetes, and further that glycogen particles are randomly branched with a size that is related to the rate of glucose release.

  2. Effects of Coffee Components on Muscle Glycogen Recovery: A Systematic Review.

    PubMed

    Loureiro, Laís Monteiro Rodrigues; Reis, Caio Eduardo Gonçalves; da Costa, Teresa Helena Macedo

    2018-01-18

    Coffee is one of the most consumed beverages in the world and it can improve insulin sensitivity, stimulating glucose uptake in skeletal muscle when adequate carbohydrate intake is observed. The aim of this review is to analyze the effects of coffee and coffee components on muscle glycogen metabolism. A literature search was conducted according to PRISMA and seven studies were included. They explored the effects of coffee components on various substances and signaling proteins. In one of the studies with humans, caffeine was shown to increase glucose levels, Ca 2+ /calmodulin-dependent protein kinase (CaMK) phosphorylation, glycogen resynthesis rates and glycogen accumulation after exercise. After intravenous injection of caffeine in rats, caffeine increased adenosine monophosphate-activated protein kinase (AMPK) and acetyl-CoA carboxylase (ACC) phosphorylation, and glucose transport. In in vitro studies caffeine raised AMPK and ACC phosphorylation, increasing glucose transport activity and reducing energy status in rat muscle cells. Cafestol and caffeic acid increased insulin secretion in rat beta-cells, and glucose uptake into human muscle cells. Caffeic acid also increased AMPK and ACC phosphorylation, reducing the energy status and increasing glucose uptake in rat muscle cells. Chlorogenic acid did not show any positive or negative effect. The findings from the current review must be taken with caution due to the limited number of studies on the subject. In conclusion, various coffee components had a neutral or positive role in the metabolism of glucose and muscle glycogen, whilst no detrimental effect was described. Coffee beverages should be tested as an option for athlete's glycogen recovery.

  3. Muscle glycogen depletion and subsequent replenishment affect anaerobic capacity of horses.

    PubMed

    Lacombe, V A; Hinchcliff, K W; Geor, R J; Baskin, C R

    2001-10-01

    The purpose of this study was to determine the effect of muscle glycogen depletion and subsequent replenishment on anaerobic capacity of horses. In a blinded crossover study, seven fit horses performed glycogen-depleting exercise on two occasions. Horses were infused after glycogen-depleting exercise with either 6 g/kg body wt of glucose as a 13.5% solution in 0.9% NaCl (Glu) or with 0.9% NaCl (Sal) of equivalent volume. Subsequently, horses performed a high-speed exercise test (120% of maximal rate of oxygen consumption) to estimate maximum accumulated oxygen deficit. Replenishment of muscle glycogen was greater (P < 0.05) in Glu [from 24.7 +/- 7.2 (SE) to 116.5 +/- 7 mmol/kg wet wt before and after infusion, respectively] than in Sal (from 23.4 +/- 7.2 to 47.8 +/- 5.7 mmol/kg wet wt before and after infusion, respectively). Run time to fatigue during the high-speed exercise test (97.3 +/- 8.2 and 70.8 +/- 8.3 s, P < 0.05), maximal accumulated oxygen deficit (105.7 +/- 9.3 and 82.4 +/- 10.3 ml O(2) equivalent/kg, P < 0.05), and blood lactate concentration at the end of the high-speed exercise test (11.1 +/- 1.4 and 9.2 +/- 3.7 mmol/l, P < 0.05) were greater for Glu than for Sal, respectively. We concluded that decreased availability of skeletal muscle glycogen stores diminishes anaerobic power generation and capacity for high-intensity exercise in horses.

  4. Gallic acid ameliorates hyperglycemia and improves hepatic carbohydrate metabolism in rats fed a high-fructose diet.

    PubMed

    Huang, Da-Wei; Chang, Wen-Chang; Wu, James Swi-Bea; Shih, Rui-Wen; Shen, Szu-Chuan

    2016-02-01

    Herein, we investigated the hypoglycemic effect of plant gallic acid (GA) on glucose uptake in an insulin-resistant cell culture model and on hepatic carbohydrate metabolism in rats with a high-fructose diet (HFD)-induced diabetes. Our hypothesis is that GA ameliorates hyperglycemia via alleviating hepatic insulin resistance by suppressing hepatic inflammation and improves abnormal hepatic carbohydrate metabolism by suppressing hepatic gluconeogenesis and enhancing the hepatic glycogenesis and glycolysis pathways in HFD-induced diabetic rats. Gallic acid increased glucose uptake activity by 19.2% at a concentration of 6.25 μg/mL in insulin-resistant FL83B mouse hepatocytes. In HFD-induced diabetic rats, GA significantly alleviated hyperglycemia, reduced the values of the area under the curve for glucose in an oral glucose tolerance test, and reduced the scores of the homeostasis model assessment of insulin resistance index. The levels of serum C-peptide and fructosamine and cardiovascular risk index scores were also significantly decreased in HFD rats treated with GA. Moreover, GA up-regulated the expression of hepatic insulin signal transduction-related proteins, including insulin receptor, insulin receptor substrate 1, phosphatidylinositol-3 kinase, Akt/protein kinase B, and glucose transporter 2, in HFD rats. Gallic acid also down-regulated the expression of hepatic gluconeogenesis-related proteins, such as fructose-1,6-bisphosphatase, and up-regulated expression of hepatic glycogen synthase and glycolysis-related proteins, including hexokinase, phosphofructokinase, and aldolase, in HFD rats. Our findings indicate that GA has potential as a health food ingredient to prevent diabetes mellitus. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

  5. Restoration of Muscle Glycogen and Functional Capacity: Role of Post-Exercise Carbohydrate and Protein Co-Ingestion

    PubMed Central

    Alghannam, Abdullah F.; Betts, James A.

    2018-01-01

    The importance of post-exercise recovery nutrition has been well described in recent years, leading to its incorporation as an integral part of training regimes in both athletes and active individuals. Muscle glycogen depletion during an initial prolonged exercise bout is a main factor in the onset of fatigue and so the replenishment of glycogen stores may be important for recovery of functional capacity. Nevertheless, nutritional considerations for optimal short-term (3–6 h) recovery remain incompletely elucidated, particularly surrounding the precise amount of specific types of nutrients required. Current nutritional guidelines to maximise muscle glycogen availability within limited recovery are provided under the assumption that similar fatigue mechanisms (i.e., muscle glycogen depletion) are involved during a repeated exercise bout. Indeed, recent data support the notion that muscle glycogen availability is a determinant of subsequent endurance capacity following limited recovery. Thus, carbohydrate ingestion can be utilised to influence the restoration of endurance capacity following exhaustive exercise. One strategy with the potential to accelerate muscle glycogen resynthesis and/or functional capacity beyond merely ingesting adequate carbohydrate is the co-ingestion of added protein. While numerous studies have been instigated, a consensus that is related to the influence of carbohydrate-protein ingestion in maximising muscle glycogen during short-term recovery and repeated exercise capacity has not been established. When considered collectively, carbohydrate intake during limited recovery appears to primarily determine muscle glycogen resynthesis and repeated exercise capacity. Thus, when the goal is to optimise repeated exercise capacity following short-term recovery, ingesting carbohydrate at an amount of ≥1.2 g kg body mass−1·h−1 can maximise muscle glycogen repletion. The addition of protein to carbohydrate during post-exercise recovery may be

  6. Isoform-selective regulation of glycogen phosphorylase by energy deprivation and phosphorylation in astrocytes.

    PubMed

    Müller, Margit S; Pedersen, Sofie E; Walls, Anne B; Waagepetersen, Helle S; Bak, Lasse K

    2015-01-01

    Glycogen phosphorylase (GP) is activated to degrade glycogen in response to different stimuli, to support both the astrocyte's own metabolic demand and the metabolic needs of neurons. The regulatory mechanism allowing such a glycogenolytic response to distinct triggers remains incompletely understood. In the present study, we used siRNA-mediated differential knockdown of the two isoforms of GP expressed in astrocytes, muscle isoform (GPMM), and brain isoform (GPBB), to analyze isoform-specific regulatory characteristics in a cellular setting. Subsequently, we tested the response of each isoform to phosphorylation, triggered by incubation with norepinephrine (NE), and to AMP, increased by glucose deprivation in cells in which expression of one GP isoform had been silenced. Successful knockdown was demonstrated on the protein level by Western blot, and on a functional level by determination of glycogen content showing an increase in glycogen levels following knockdown of either GPMM or GPBB. NE triggered glycogenolysis within 15 min in control cells and after GPBB knockdown. However, astrocytes in which expression of GPMM had been silenced showed a delay in response to NE, with glycogen levels significantly reduced only after 60 min. In contrast, allosteric activation of GP by AMP, induced by glucose deprivation, seemed to mainly affect GPBB, as only knockdown of GPBB, but not of GPMM, delayed the glycogenolytic response to glucose deprivation. Our results indicate that the two GP isoforms expressed in astrocytes respond to different physiological triggers, therefore conferring distinct metabolic functions of brain glycogen. © 2014 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

  7. Targeting hepatic glucose output in the treatment of type 2 diabetes

    PubMed Central

    Rines, Amy K.; Sharabi, Kfir; Tavares, Clint D. J.; Puigserver, Pere

    2017-01-01

    Type 2 diabetes mellitus is characterized by the dysregulation of glucose homeostasis resulting in hyperglycemia. Although current diabetes treatments have exhibited some success in lowering blood glucose, their effect is not always sustained and their use may be associated with undesirable side effects, such as hypoglycemia. Novel diabetic drugs, which may be used in combination with existing therapies, are therefore needed. The potential of specifically targeting the liver in order to normalize blood glucose levels has not been fully exploited. Here, we review the molecular mechanisms controlling hepatic gluconeogenesis and glycogen storage, and assess the prospect of therapeutically targeting associated pathways to treat type 2 diabetes. PMID:27516169

  8. Glycogen synthase kinase 3: more than a namesake.

    PubMed

    Rayasam, Geetha Vani; Tulasi, Vamshi Krishna; Sodhi, Reena; Davis, Joseph Alex; Ray, Abhijit

    2009-03-01

    Glycogen synthase kinase 3 (GSK3), a constitutively acting multi-functional serine threonine kinase is involved in diverse physiological pathways ranging from metabolism, cell cycle, gene expression, development and oncogenesis to neuroprotection. These diverse multiple functions attributed to GSK3 can be explained by variety of substrates like glycogen synthase, tau protein and beta catenin that are phosphorylated leading to their inactivation. GSK3 has been implicated in various diseases such as diabetes, inflammation, cancer, Alzheimer's and bipolar disorder. GSK3 negatively regulates insulin-mediated glycogen synthesis and glucose homeostasis, and increased expression and activity of GSK3 has been reported in type II diabetics and obese animal models. Consequently, inhibitors of GSK3 have been demonstrated to have anti-diabetic effects in vitro and in animal models. However, inhibition of GSK3 poses a challenge as achieving selectivity of an over achieving kinase involved in various pathways with multiple substrates may lead to side effects and toxicity. The primary concern is developing inhibitors of GSK3 that are anti-diabetic but do not lead to up-regulation of oncogenes. The focus of this review is the recent advances and the challenges surrounding GSK3 as an anti-diabetic therapeutic target.

  9. The role of astrocytic glycogen in supporting the energetics of neuronal activity.

    PubMed

    Dinuzzo, Mauro; Mangia, Silvia; Maraviglia, Bruno; Giove, Federico

    2012-11-01

    Energy homeostasis in the brain is maintained by oxidative metabolism of glucose, primarily to fulfil the energy demand associated with ionic movements in neurons and astrocytes. In this contribution we review the experimental evidence that grounds a specific role of glycogen metabolism in supporting the functional energetic needs of astrocytes during the removal of extracellular potassium. Based on theoretical considerations, we further discuss the hypothesis that the mobilization of glycogen in astrocytes serves the purpose to enhance the availability of glucose for neuronal glycolytic and oxidative metabolism at the onset of stimulation. Finally, we provide an evolutionary perspective for explaining the selection of glycogen as carbohydrate reserve in the energy-sensing machinery of cell metabolism.

  10. The role of astrocytic glycogen in supporting the energetics of neuronal activity

    PubMed Central

    DiNuzzo, Mauro; Mangia, Silvia; Maraviglia, Bruno; Giove, Federico

    2014-01-01

    Energy homeostasis in the brain is maintained by oxidative metabolism of glucose, primarily to fulfil the energy demand associated with ionic movements in neurons and astrocytes. In this contribution we review the experimental evidence that ground a specific role of glycogen metabolism in supporting the functional energetic needs of astrocytes during the removal of extracellular potassium. Based on theoretical considerations, we further discuss the hypothesis that the mobilization of glycogen in astrocytes serves the purpose to enhance the availability of glucose for neuronal glycolytic and oxidative metabolism at the onset of stimulation. Finally, we provide an evolutionary perspective for explaining the selection of glycogen as carbohydrate reserve in the energy-sensing machinery of cell metabolism. PMID:22614927

  11. A novel GBE1 gene variant in a child with glycogen storage disease type IV.

    PubMed

    Said, Samar M; Murphree, Marine I; Mounajjed, Taofic; El-Youssef, Mounif; Zhang, Lizhi

    2016-08-01

    Glycogen storage disease type IV is an autosomal recessive disorder of carbohydrates caused by deficiency of amylo-1-4-glycanoglycosyltransferase, which leads to accumulation of amylopectin-like polysaccharides in tissues including liver, heart and neuromuscular system. More than 40 different mutations in the glycogen branching enzyme gene (GBE1) have been described. In this study, we report a 2-year-old boy who presented with developmental delay and muscle weakness. He subsequently was diagnosed with glycogen storage disease type IV based on a liver biopsy histology and electron microscopy. Glycogen branching enzyme activity was in the low range. Genetic analysis demonstrated a novel heterozygous variant (c.760A>G; p.Thr254Ala) in exon 6 of the GBE1 gene, which is believed to be pathogenic. This variant was inherited from the patient's mother who was asymptomatic with normal glycogen branching enzyme activity. Whole-exome sequencing failed to reveal additional variations in the GBE1 gene. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

  12. LOCALISATION MITOCHONDRIALE D'ENZYMES LIEES AU METABOLISME DU GLYCOGENE DANS LE SPERMATOZOIDE DE L'ESCARGOT

    PubMed Central

    Personne, Paul; Anderson, Winston

    1970-01-01

    The mitochondrial derivative of the sperm cell of the Gastropod Helix is endowed with a compartment loaded with glycogen (Personne et André, 1964). The aim of this work is to establish whether this mitochondrial glycogen is synthesized in the mitochondrial derivative itself or elsewhere in the cell. For this purpose, living sperm were first incubated in a medium containing glucose 1-phosphate, then fixed, sectioned, and stained specifically for polysaccharides by the phosphotungstic acid technique or the periodic acid-thiosemicarbazide-silver proteinate technique. Comparison with controls shows that a synthesis of glycogen occurred during the time of incubation. It can be inferred from this result that an amylophosphorylase system controlling the metabolism of polysaccharides is present in the mitochondrial derivative itself. Results obtained with the iodine technique indicate that the original glycogen molecules are elongated during the experiment. It seems probable that the amylophosphorylase system demonstrated here accounts for at least a part of the proteinaceous coat morphologically detectable around each individual glycogen particle. PMID:5409457

  13. Enhanced Glycogen Storage of a Subcellular Hot Spot in Human Skeletal Muscle during Early Recovery from Eccentric Contractions

    PubMed Central

    Nielsen, Joachim; Farup, Jean; Rahbek, Stine Klejs; de Paoli, Frank Vincenzo; Vissing, Kristian

    2015-01-01

    Unaccustomed eccentric exercise is accompanied by muscle damage and impaired glucose uptake and glycogen synthesis during subsequent recovery. Recently, it was shown that the role and regulation of glycogen in skeletal muscle are dependent on its subcellular localization, and that glycogen synthesis, as described by the product of glycogen particle size and number, is dependent on the time course of recovery after exercise and carbohydrate availability. In the present study, we investigated the subcellular distribution of glycogen in fibers with high (type I) and low (type II) mitochondrial content during post-exercise recovery from eccentric contractions. Analysis was completed on five male subjects performing an exercise bout consisting of 15 x 10 maximal eccentric contractions. Carbohydrate-rich drinks were subsequently ingested throughout a 48 h recovery period and muscle biopsies for analysis included time points 3, 24 and 48 h post exercise from the exercising leg, whereas biopsies corresponding to prior to and at 48 h after the exercise bout were collected from the non-exercising, control leg. Quantitative imaging by transmission electron microscopy revealed an early (post 3 and 24 h) enhanced storage of intramyofibrillar glycogen (defined as glycogen particles located within the myofibrils) of type I fibers, which was associated with an increase in the number of particles. In contrast, late in recovery (post 48 h), intermyofibrillar, intramyofibrillar and subsarcolemmal glycogen in both type I and II fibers were lower in the exercise leg compared with the control leg, and this was associated with a smaller size of the glycogen particles. We conclude that in the carbohydrate-supplemented state, the effect of eccentric contractions on glycogen metabolism depends on the subcellular localization, muscle fiber’s oxidative capacity, and the time course of recovery. The early enhanced storage of intramyofibrillar glycogen after the eccentric contractions may

  14. Is Type-2 Diabetes a Glycogen Storage Disease of Pancreatic β-Cells?

    PubMed Central

    Ashcroft, Frances M; Rohm, Maria; Clark, Anne; Brereton, Melissa F

    2018-01-01

    Elevated plasma glucose leads to pancreatic β-cell dysfunction and death in type 2 diabetes. Glycogen accumulation, due to impaired metabolism, contributes to this ‘glucotoxicity’ via dysregulated biochemical pathways promoting β-cell dysfunction. Here, we review emerging data, and re-examine published findings, on the role of glycogen in β-cells in normoglycaemia and in diabetes. PMID:28683284

  15. An efficient nonviral gene-delivery vector based on hyperbranched cationic glycogen derivatives.

    PubMed

    Liang, Xuan; Ren, Xianyue; Liu, Zhenzhen; Liu, Yingliang; Wang, Jue; Wang, Jingnan; Zhang, Li-Ming; Deng, David Yb; Quan, Daping; Yang, Liqun

    2014-01-01

    The purpose of this study was to synthesize and evaluate hyperbranched cationic glycogen derivatives as an efficient nonviral gene-delivery vector. A series of hyperbranched cationic glycogen derivatives conjugated with 3-(dimethylamino)-1-propylamine (DMAPA-Glyp) and 1-(2-aminoethyl) piperazine (AEPZ-Glyp) residues were synthesized and characterized by Fourier-transform infrared and hydrogen-1 nuclear magnetic resonance spectroscopy. Their buffer capacity was assessed by acid-base titration in aqueous NaCl solution. Plasmid deoxyribonucleic acid (pDNA) condensation ability and protection against DNase I degradation of the glycogen derivatives were assessed using agarose gel electrophoresis. The zeta potentials and particle sizes of the glycogen derivative/pDNA complexes were measured, and the images of the complexes were observed using atomic force microscopy. Blood compatibility and cytotoxicity were evaluated by hemolysis assay and MTT (3-[4,5-dimethylthiazol-2-yl]-2,5-diphenyltetrazolium bromide) assay, respectively. pDNA transfection efficiency mediated by the cationic glycogen derivatives was evaluated by flow cytometry and fluorescence microscopy in the 293T (human embryonic kidney) and the CNE2 (human nasopharyngeal carcinoma) cell lines. In vivo delivery of pDNA in model animals (Sprague Dawley rats) was evaluated to identify the safety and transfection efficiency. The hyperbranched cationic glycogen derivatives conjugated with DMAPA and AEPZ residues were synthesized. They exhibited better blood compatibility and lower cytotoxicity when compared to branched polyethyleneimine (bPEI). They were able to bind and condense pDNA to form the complexes of 100-250 nm in size. The transfection efficiency of the DMAPA-Glyp/pDNA complexes was higher than those of the AEPZ-Glyp/pDNA complexes in both the 293T and CNE2 cells, and almost equal to those of bPEI. Furthermore, pDNA could be more safely delivered to the blood vessels in brain tissue of Sprague Dawley rats

  16. Skeletal Muscle Glycogen Content at Rest and During Endurance Exercise in Humans: A Meta-Analysis.

    PubMed

    Areta, José L; Hopkins, Will G

    2018-06-19

    Skeletal muscle glycogen is an important energy source for muscle contraction and a key regulator of metabolic responses to exercise. Manipulation of muscle glycogen is therefore a strategy to improve performance in competitions and potentially adaptation to training. However, assessing muscle glycogen in the field is impractical, and there are no normative values for glycogen concentration at rest and during exercise. The objective of this study was to meta-analyse the effects of fitness, acute dietary carbohydrate (CHO) availability and other factors on muscle glycogen concentration at rest and during exercise of different durations and intensities. PubMed was used to search for original articles in English published up until February 2018. Search terms included muscle glycogen and exercise, filtered for humans. The analysis incorporated 181 studies of continuous or intermittent cycling and running by healthy participants, with muscle glycogen at rest and during exercise determined by biochemical analysis of biopsies. Resting muscle glycogen was determined with a meta-regression mixed model that included fixed effects for fitness status [linear, as maximal oxygen uptake ([Formula: see text]O 2max ) in mL·kg -1 ·min -1 ] and CHO availability (three levels: high, ≥ 6 g·kg -1 of CHO per day for ≥ 3 days or ≥ 7 g·kg -1 CHO per day for ≥ 2 days; low, glycogen depletion and low-CHO diet; and normal, neither high nor low, or not specified in study). Muscle glycogen during exercise was determined with a meta-regression mixed model that included fixed effects for fitness status, resting glycogen [linear, in mmol·kg -1 of dry mass (DM)], exercise duration (five levels, with means of 5, 23, 53 and 116 min, and time to fatigue), and exercise intensity (linear, as percentage of [Formula: see text]O 2max ); intensity, fitness and resting glycogen were interacted with duration, and there were also fixed effects for exercise modes, CHO ingestion

  17. The glycogen synthase 2 gene (Gys2) displays parallel evolution between Old World and New World fruit bats.

    PubMed

    Qian, Yamin; Fang, Tao; Shen, Bin; Zhang, Shuyi

    2014-01-01

    Frugivorous and nectarivorous bats rely largely on hepatic glycogenesis and glycogenolysis for postprandial blood glucose disposal and maintenance of glucose homeostasis during short time starvation, respectively. The glycogen synthase 2 encoded by the Gys2 gene plays a critical role in liver glycogen synthesis. To test whether the Gys2 gene has undergone adaptive evolution in bats with carbohydrate-rich diets in relation to their insect-eating sister taxa, we sequenced the coding region of the Gys2 gene in a number of bat species, including three Old World fruit bats (OWFBs) (Pteropodidae) and two New World fruit bats (NWFBs) (Phyllostomidae). Our results showed that the Gys2 coding sequences are highly conserved across all bat species we examined, and no evidence of positive selection was detected in the ancestral branches leading to OWFBs and NWFBs. Our explicit convergence test showed that posterior probabilities of convergence between several branches of OWFBs, and the NWFBs were markedly higher than that of divergence. Three parallel amino acid substitutions (Q72H, K371Q, and E666D) were detected among branches of OWFBs and NWFBs. Tests for parallel evolution showed that two parallel substitutions (Q72H and E666D) were driven by natural selection, while the K371Q was more likely to be fixed randomly. Thus, our results suggested that the Gys2 gene has undergone parallel evolution on amino acid level between OWFBs and NWFBs in relation to their carbohydrate metabolism.

  18. Lowering Temperature is the Trigger for Glycogen Build-Up and Winter Fasting in Crucian Carp (Carassius carassius).

    PubMed

    Varis, Joonas; Haverinen, Jaakko; Vornanen, Matti

    2016-02-01

    Seasonal changes in physiology of vertebrate animals are triggered by environmental cues including temperature, day-length and oxygen availability. Crucian carp (Carassius carassius) tolerate prolonged anoxia in winter by using several physiological adaptations that are seasonally activated. This study examines which environmental cues are required to trigger physiological adjustments for winter dormancy in crucian carp. To this end, crucian carp were exposed to changing environmental factors under laboratory conditions: effects of declining water temperature, shortening day-length and reduced oxygen availability, separately and in different combinations, were examined on glycogen content and enzyme activities involved in feeding (alkaline phosphatase, AP) and glycogen metabolism (glycogen synthase, GyS; glycogen phosphorylase, GP). Lowering temperature induced a fall in activity of AP and a rise in glycogen content and rate of glycogen synthesis. Relative mass of the liver, and glycogen concentration of liver, muscle and brain increased with lowering temperature. Similarly activity of GyS in muscle and expression of GyS transcripts in brain were up-regulated by lowering temperature. Shortened day-length and oxygen availability had practically no effects on measured variables. We conclude that lowering temperature is the main trigger in preparation for winter anoxia in crucian carp.

  19. Cecropia peltata Accumulates Starch or Soluble Glycogen by Differentially Regulating Starch Biosynthetic Genes[W][OA

    PubMed Central

    Bischof, Sylvain; Umhang, Martin; Eicke, Simona; Streb, Sebastian; Qi, Weihong; Zeeman, Samuel C.

    2013-01-01

    The branched glucans glycogen and starch are the most widespread storage carbohydrates in living organisms. The production of semicrystalline starch granules in plants is more complex than that of small, soluble glycogen particles in microbes and animals. However, the factors determining whether glycogen or starch is formed are not fully understood. The tropical tree Cecropia peltata is a rare example of an organism able to make either polymer type. Electron micrographs and quantitative measurements show that glycogen accumulates to very high levels in specialized myrmecophytic structures (Müllerian bodies), whereas starch accumulates in leaves. Compared with polymers comprising leaf starch, glycogen is more highly branched and has shorter branches—factors that prevent crystallization and explain its solubility. RNA sequencing and quantitative shotgun proteomics reveal that isoforms of all three classes of glucan biosynthetic enzyme (starch/glycogen synthases, branching enzymes, and debranching enzymes) are differentially expressed in Müllerian bodies and leaves, providing a system-wide view of the quantitative programming of storage carbohydrate metabolism. This work will prompt targeted analysis in model organisms and cross-species comparisons. Finally, as starch is the major carbohydrate used for food and industrial applications worldwide, these data provide a basis for manipulating starch biosynthesis in crops to synthesize tailor-made polyglucans. PMID:23632447

  20. Genetics Home Reference: glycogen storage disease type IV

    MedlinePlus

    ... 000 to 800,000 individuals worldwide. Type IV accounts for roughly 3 percent of all cases of glycogen storage disease. Related Information What information about a genetic condition can statistics ...

  1. Glycogen metabolism has a key role in the cancer microenvironment and provides new targets for cancer therapy.

    PubMed

    Zois, Christos E; Harris, Adrian L

    2016-02-01

    Metabolic reprogramming is a hallmark of cancer cells and contributes to their adaption within the tumour microenvironment and resistance to anticancer therapies. Recently, glycogen metabolism has become a recognised feature of cancer cells since it is upregulated in many tumour types, suggesting that it is an important aspect of cancer cell pathophysiology. Here, we provide an overview of glycogen metabolism and its regulation, with a focus on its role in metabolic reprogramming of cancer cells under stress conditions such as hypoxia, glucose deprivation and anticancer treatment. The various methods to detect glycogen in tumours in vivo as well as pharmacological modulators of glycogen metabolism are also reviewed. Finally, we discuss the therapeutic value of targeting glycogen metabolism as a strategy for combinational approaches in cancer treatment.

  2. Fiber type-specific muscle glycogen sparing due to carbohydrate intake before and during exercise.

    PubMed

    De Bock, K; Derave, W; Ramaekers, M; Richter, E A; Hespel, P

    2007-01-01

    The effect of carbohydrate intake before and during exercise on muscle glycogen content was investigated. According to a randomized crossover study design, eight young healthy volunteers (n = 8) participated in two experimental sessions with an interval of 3 wk. In each session subjects performed 2 h of constant-load bicycle exercise ( approximately 75% maximal oxygen uptake). On one occasion (CHO), they received carbohydrates before ( approximately 150 g) and during (1 g.kg body weight(-1).h(-1)) exercise. On the other occasion they exercised after an overnight fast (F). Fiber type-specific relative glycogen content was determined by periodic acid Schiff staining combined with immunofluorescence in needle biopsies from the vastus lateralis muscle before and immediately after exercise. Preexercise glycogen content was higher in type IIa fibers [9.1 +/- 1 x 10(-2) optical density (OD)/microm(2)] than in type I fibers (8.0 +/- 1 x 10(-2) OD/microm(2); P < 0.0001). Type IIa fiber glycogen content decreased during F from 9.6 +/- 1 x 10(-2) OD/microm(2) to 4.5 +/- 1 x 10(-2) OD/microm(2) (P = 0.001), but it did not significantly change during CHO (P = 0.29). Conversely, in type I fibers during CHO and F the exercise bout decreased glycogen content to the same degree. We conclude that the combination of carbohydrate intake both before and during moderate- to high-intensity endurance exercise results in glycogen sparing in type IIa muscle fibers.

  3. Muscle glycogen storage after different amounts of carbohydrate ingestion.

    PubMed

    Ivy, J L; Lee, M C; Brozinick, J T; Reed, M J

    1988-11-01

    The purpose of this study was to determine whether the rate of muscle glycogen storage could be enhanced during the initial 4-h period postexercise by substantially increasing the amount of the carbohydrate consumed. Eight subjects cycled for 2 h on three separate occasions to deplete their muscle glycogen stores. Immediately and 2 h after exercise they consumed either 0 (P), 1.5 (L), or 3.0 g glucose/kg body wt (H) from a 50% glucose polymer solution. Blood samples were drawn from an antecubital vein before exercise, during exercise, and throughout recovery. Muscle biopsies were taken from the vastus lateralis immediately, 2 h, and 4 h after exercise. Blood glucose and insulin declined significantly during exercise in each of the three treatments. They remained below the preexercise concentrations during recovery in the P treatment but increased significantly above the preexercise concentrations during the L and H treatments. By the end of the 4 h-recovery period, blood glucose and insulin were still significantly above the preexercise concentrations in both treatments. Muscle glycogen storage was significantly increased above the basal rate (P, 0.5 mumol.g wet wt-1.h-1) after ingestion of either glucose polymer supplement. The rates of muscle glycogen storage, however, were not different between the L and H treatments during the first 2 h (L, 5.2 +/- 0.9 vs. H, 5.8 +/- 0.7 mumol.g wet wt-1.h-1) or the second 2 h of recovery (L, 4.0 +/- 0.9 vs. H, 4.5 +/- 0.6 mumol.g wet wt-1. h-1).(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)

  4. Ablation of PPP1R3G reduces glycogen deposition and mitigates high-fat diet induced obesity.

    PubMed

    Zhang, Yongxian; Gu, Jin; Wang, Lin; Zhao, Zilong; Pan, Yi; Chen, Yan

    2017-01-05

    Glycogen and triglyceride are two major forms of energy storage in the body and provide the fuel during different phases of food deprivation. However, how glycogen metabolism is linked to fat deposition in adipose tissue has not been clearly characterized. We generated a mouse model with whole-body deletion of PPP1R3G, a glycogen-targeting subunit of protein phosphatase-1 required for glycogen synthesis. Upon feeding with high-fat diet, the body weight and fat composition are significantly reduced in the PPP1R3G -/- mice compared to the wild type controls. The metabolic rate of the mice as measured by O 2 consumption and CO 2 production is accelerated by PPP1R3G deletion. The high-fat diet-induced liver steatosis is also slightly relieved by PPP1R3G deletion. The glycogen level in adipose tissue is reduced by PPP1R3G deletion. In 3T3L1 cells, overexpression of PPP1R3G leads to increases of both glycogen and triglyceride levels. In conclusion, our study indicates that glycogen is actively involved in fat accumulation in adipose tissue and obesity development upon high-fat diet. Our study also suggests that PPP1R3G is an important player that links glycogen metabolism to lipid metabolism in vivo. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Ireland Ltd. All rights reserved.

  5. Applications of mutant yeast strains with low glycogen storage capability

    NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

    Petersen, G. R.; Schubert, W. W.; Stokes, B. O.

    1981-01-01

    Several strains of Hansenula polymorpha were selected for possible low glycogen storage characteristics based on a selective I2 staining procedure. The levels of storage carbohydrates in the mutant strains were found to be 44-70% of the levels in the parent strain for cultures harvested in stationary phase. Similar differences generally were not found for cells harvested in exponential phase. Yeast strains deficient in glycogen storage capability are valuable in increasing the relative protein value of microbial biomass and also may provide significant cost savings in substrate utilization in fermentative processes.

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

    PubMed Central

    Kato, Hiroyuki; Miura, Kyoko; Suzuki, Katsuya; Bannai, Makoto

    2017-01-01

    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. PMID:29065533

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

    PubMed

    Kato, Hiroyuki; Miura, Kyoko; Suzuki, Katsuya; Bannai, Makoto

    2017-10-23

    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.

  8. Efficacy of azelaic acid on hepatic key enzymes of carbohydrate metabolism in high fat diet induced type 2 diabetic mice.

    PubMed

    Muthulakshmi, Shanmugam; Saravanan, Ramalingam

    2013-06-01

    Azelaic acid (AzA), a C9 linear α,ω-dicarboxylic acid, is found in whole grains namely wheat, rye, barley, oat seeds and sorghum. The study was performed to investigate whether AzA exerts beneficial effect on hepatic key enzymes of carbohydrate metabolism in high fat diet (HFD) induced type 2 diabetic C57BL/6J mice. C57BL/6J mice were fed high fat diet for 10 weeks and subjected to intragastric administration of various doses (20 mg, 40 mg and 80 mg/kg BW) of AzA daily for the subsequent 5 weeks. Rosiglitazone (RSG) was used as reference drug. Body weight, food intake, plasma glucose, plasma insulin, blood haemoglobin (Hb), blood glycosylated haemoglobin (HbA1c), liver glycolytic enzyme (hexokinase), hepatic shunt enzyme (glucose-6-phosphate dehydrogenase), gluconeogenic enzymes(glucose-6-phosphatase and fructose-1,6-bisphosphatase), liver glycogen, plasma and liver triglycerides were examined in mice fed with normal standard diet (NC), high fat diet (HFD), HFD with AzA (HFD + AzA) and HFD with rosiglitazone (HFD + RSG). Among the three doses, 80 mg/kg BW of AzA was able to positively regulate plasma glucose, insulin, blood HbA1c and haemoglobin levels by significantly increasing the activity of hexokinase and glucose-6-phosphate dehydrogenase and significantly decreasing the activity of glucose-6-phosphatase and fructose-1,6-bisphosphatase thereby increasing the glycogen content in the liver. From this study, we put forward that AzA could significantly restore the levels of plasma glucose, insulin, HbA1c, Hb, liver glycogen and carbohydrate metabolic key enzymes to near normal in diabetic mice and hence, AzA may be useful as a biomaterial in the development of therapeutic agents against high fat diet induced T2DM. Copyright © 2013 Elsevier Masson SAS. All rights reserved.

  9. Capsular Polysaccharide Interferes with Biofilm Formation by Pasteurella multocida Serogroup A

    PubMed Central

    Petruzzi, Briana; Briggs, Robert E.; Swords, W. Edward; De Castro, Cristina; Molinaro, Antonio

    2017-01-01

    ABSTRACT Pasteurella multocida is an important multihost animal and zoonotic pathogen that is capable of causing respiratory and multisystemic diseases, bacteremia, and bite wound infections. The glycosaminoglycan capsule of P. multocida is an essential virulence factor that protects the bacterium from host defenses. However, chronic infections (such as swine atrophic rhinitis and the carrier state in birds and other animals) may be associated with biofilm formation, which has not been characterized in P. multocida. Biofilm formation by clinical isolates was inversely related to capsule production and was confirmed with capsule-deficient mutants of highly encapsulated strains. Capsule-deficient mutants formed biofilms with a larger biomass that was thicker and smoother than the biofilm of encapsulated strains. Passage of a highly encapsulated, poor-biofilm-forming strain under conditions that favored biofilm formation resulted in the production of less capsular polysaccharide and a more robust biofilm, as did addition of hyaluronidase to the growth medium of all of the strains tested. The matrix material of the biofilm was composed predominately of a glycogen exopolysaccharide (EPS), as determined by gas chromatography-mass spectrometry, nuclear magnetic resonance, and enzymatic digestion. However, a putative glycogen synthesis locus was not differentially regulated when the bacteria were grown as a biofilm or planktonically, as determined by quantitative reverse transcriptase PCR. Therefore, the negatively charged capsule may interfere with biofilm formation by blocking adherence to a surface or by preventing the EPS matrix from encasing large numbers of bacterial cells. This is the first detailed description of biofilm formation and a glycogen EPS by P. multocida. PMID:29162713

  10. Glycogen storage disease type Ia in canines: a model for human metabolic and genetic liver disease.

    PubMed

    Specht, Andrew; Fiske, Laurie; Erger, Kirsten; Cossette, Travis; Verstegen, John; Campbell-Thompson, Martha; Struck, Maggie B; Lee, Young Mok; Chou, Janice Y; Byrne, Barry J; Correia, Catherine E; Mah, Cathryn S; Weinstein, David A; Conlon, Thomas J

    2011-01-01

    A canine model of Glycogen storage disease type Ia (GSDIa) is described. Affected dogs are homozygous for a previously described M121I mutation resulting in a deficiency of glucose-6-phosphatase-α. Metabolic, clinicopathologic, pathologic, and clinical manifestations of GSDIa observed in this model are described and compared to those observed in humans. The canine model shows more complete recapitulation of the clinical manifestations seen in humans including "lactic acidosis", larger size, and longer lifespan compared to other animal models. Use of this model in preclinical trials of gene therapy is described and briefly compared to the murine model. Although the canine model offers a number of advantages for evaluating potential therapies for GSDIa, there are also some significant challenges involved in its use. Despite these challenges, the canine model of GSDIa should continue to provide valuable information about the potential for generating curative therapies for GSDIa as well as other genetic hepatic diseases.

  11. Glycogen synthase kinase 3: more than a namesake

    PubMed Central

    Rayasam, Geetha Vani; Tulasi, Vamshi Krishna; Sodhi, Reena; Davis, Joseph Alex; Ray, Abhijit

    2009-01-01

    Glycogen synthase kinase 3 (GSK3), a constitutively acting multi-functional serine threonine kinase is involved in diverse physiological pathways ranging from metabolism, cell cycle, gene expression, development and oncogenesis to neuroprotection. These diverse multiple functions attributed to GSK3 can be explained by variety of substrates like glycogen synthase, τ protein and β catenin that are phosphorylated leading to their inactivation. GSK3 has been implicated in various diseases such as diabetes, inflammation, cancer, Alzheimer's and bipolar disorder. GSK3 negatively regulates insulin-mediated glycogen synthesis and glucose homeostasis, and increased expression and activity of GSK3 has been reported in type II diabetics and obese animal models. Consequently, inhibitors of GSK3 have been demonstrated to have anti-diabetic effects in vitro and in animal models. However, inhibition of GSK3 poses a challenge as achieving selectivity of an over achieving kinase involved in various pathways with multiple substrates may lead to side effects and toxicity. The primary concern is developing inhibitors of GSK3 that are anti-diabetic but do not lead to up-regulation of oncogenes. The focus of this review is the recent advances and the challenges surrounding GSK3 as an anti-diabetic therapeutic target. British Journal of Pharmacology (2009) doi:10.1111/j.1476-5381.2008.00085.x PMID:19366350

  12. Antibody-mediated enzyme replacement therapy targeting both lysosomal and cytoplasmic glycogen in Pompe disease.

    PubMed

    Yi, Haiqing; Sun, Tao; Armstrong, Dustin; Borneman, Scott; Yang, Chunyu; Austin, Stephanie; Kishnani, Priya S; Sun, Baodong

    2017-05-01

    Pompe disease is characterized by accumulation of both lysosomal and cytoplasmic glycogen primarily in skeletal and cardiac muscles. Mannose-6-phosphate receptor-mediated enzyme replacement therapy (ERT) with recombinant human acid α-glucosidase (rhGAA) targets the enzyme to lysosomes and thus is unable to digest cytoplasmic glycogen. Studies have shown that anti-DNA antibody 3E10 penetrates living cells and delivers "cargo" proteins to the cytosol or nucleus via equilibrative nucleoside transporter ENT2. We speculate that 3E10-mediated ERT with GAA will target both lysosomal and cytoplasmic glycogen in Pompe disease. A fusion protein (FabGAA) containing a humanized Fab fragment derived from the murine 3E10 antibody and the 110 kDa human GAA precursor was constructed and produced in CHO cells. Immunostaining with an anti-Fab antibody revealed that the Fab signals did not co-localize with the lysosomal marker LAMP2 in cultured L6 myoblasts or Pompe patient fibroblasts after incubation with FabGAA. Western blot with an anti-GAA antibody showed presence of the 150 kDa full-length FabGAA in the cell lysates, in addition to the 95- and 76 kDa processed forms of GAA that were also seen in the rhGAA-treated cells. Blocking of mannose-6-phosphate receptor with mannose-6-phosphate markedly reduced the 95- and the 76 kDa forms but not the 150 kDa form. In GAA-KO mice, FabGAA achieved similar treatment efficacy as rhGAA at an equal molar dose in reducing tissue glycogen contents. Our data suggest that FabGAA retains the ability of rhGAA to treat lysosomal glycogen accumulation and has the beneficial potential over rhGAA to reduce cytoplasmic glycogen storage in Pompe disease. FabGAA can be delivered to both the cytoplasm and lysosomes in cultured cells. FabGAA equally reduced lysosomal glycogen accumulation as rhGAA in GAA-KO mice. FabGAA has the beneficial potential over rhGAA to clear cytoplasmic glycogen. This study suggests a novel antibody-enzyme fusion protein therapy

  13. Technical note: A method for isolating glycogen granules from ruminal protozoa for further characterization

    USDA-ARS?s Scientific Manuscript database

    Evaluation of physical, compositional, and digestion characteristics of protozoal glycogen is best performed on a pure substrate in order to avoid interference from other cell components. A method for isolating protozoal glycogen without use of detergents was developed. Rumen inoculum was incubated ...

  14. Is Type 2 Diabetes a Glycogen Storage Disease of Pancreatic β Cells?

    PubMed

    Ashcroft, Frances M; Rohm, Maria; Clark, Anne; Brereton, Melissa F

    2017-07-05

    Elevated plasma glucose leads to pancreatic β cell dysfunction and death in type 2 diabetes. Glycogen accumulation, due to impaired metabolism, contributes to this "glucotoxicity" via dysregulated biochemical pathways promoting β cell dysfunction. Here, we review emerging data, and re-examine published findings, on the role of glycogen in β cells in normoglycemia and in diabetes. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

  15. Laforin Prevents Stress-Induced Polyglucosan Body Formation and Lafora Disease Progression in Neurons

    PubMed Central

    Wang, Yin; Ma, Keli; Wang, Peixiang; Baba, Otto; Zhang, Helen; Parent, Jack M.; Zheng, Pan; Liu, Yang; Minassian, Berge A; Liu, Yan

    2013-01-01

    Glycogen, the largest cytosolic macromolecule, is soluble because of intricate construction generating perfect hydrophilic-surfaced spheres. Little is known about neuronal glycogen function and metabolism, though progress is accruing through the neurodegenerative epilepsy Lafora disease (LD) proteins laforin and malin. Neurons in LD exhibit Lafora bodies (LBs), large accumulations of malconstructed insoluble glycogen (polyglucosans). We demonstrated that the laforin-malin complex reduces LBs and protects neuronal cells against endoplasmic reticulum stress-induced apoptosis. We now show that stress induces polyglucosan formation in normal neurons in culture and in brain. This is mediated by increased glucose-6-phosphate allosterically hyperactivating muscle glycogen synthase (GS1), and is followed by activation of the glycogen digesting enzyme glycogen phosphorylase. In the absence of laforin, stress-induced polyglucosans are undigested and accumulate into massive LBs, and in laforin-deficient mice stress drastically accelerates LB accumulation and LD. The mechanism through which laforin-malin mediates polyglucosan degradation remains unclear but involves GS1 dephosphorylation by laforin. Our work uncovers the presence of rapid polyglucosan metabolism as part of the normal physiology of neuroprotection. We propose that deficiency in the degradative phase of this metabolism, leading to LB accumulation and resultant seizure predisposition and neurodegeneration, underlies LD. PMID:23546741

  16. Laforin prevents stress-induced polyglucosan body formation and Lafora disease progression in neurons.

    PubMed

    Wang, Yin; Ma, Keli; Wang, Peixiang; Baba, Otto; Zhang, Helen; Parent, Jack M; Zheng, Pan; Liu, Yang; Minassian, Berge A; Liu, Yan

    2013-08-01

    Glycogen, the largest cytosolic macromolecule, is soluble because of intricate construction generating perfect hydrophilic-surfaced spheres. Little is known about neuronal glycogen function and metabolism, though progress is accruing through the neurodegenerative epilepsy Lafora disease (LD) proteins laforin and malin. Neurons in LD exhibit Lafora bodies (LBs), large accumulations of malconstructed insoluble glycogen (polyglucosans). We demonstrated that the laforin-malin complex reduces LBs and protects neuronal cells against endoplasmic reticulum stress-induced apoptosis. We now show that stress induces polyglucosan formation in normal neurons in culture and in the brain. This is mediated by increased glucose-6-phosphate allosterically hyperactivating muscle glycogen synthase (GS1) and is followed by activation of the glycogen digesting enzyme glycogen phosphorylase. In the absence of laforin, stress-induced polyglucosans are undigested and accumulate into massive LBs, and in laforin-deficient mice, stress drastically accelerates LB accumulation and LD. The mechanism through which laforin-malin mediates polyglucosan degradation remains unclear but involves GS1 dephosphorylation by laforin. Our work uncovers the presence of rapid polyglucosan metabolism as part of the normal physiology of neuroprotection. We propose that deficiency in the degradative phase of this metabolism, leading to LB accumulation and resultant seizure predisposition and neurodegeneration, underlies LD.

  17. Identification and Structural Basis of Binding to Host Lung Glycogen by Streptococcal Virulence Factors

    DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

    Lammerts van Bueren,A.; Higgins, M.; Wang, D.

    2007-01-01

    The ability of pathogenic bacteria to recognize host glycans is often essential to their virulence. Here we report structure-function studies of previously uncharacterized glycogen-binding modules in the surface-anchored pullulanases from Streptococcus pneumoniae (SpuA) and Streptococcus pyogenes (PulA). Multivalent binding to glycogen leads to a strong interaction with alveolar type II cells in mouse lung tissue. X-ray crystal structures of the binding modules reveal a novel fusion of tandem modules into single, bivalent functional domains. In addition to indicating a structural basis for multivalent attachment, the structure of the SpuA modules in complex with carbohydrate provides insight into the molecular basismore » for glycogen specificity. This report provides the first evidence that intracellular lung glycogen may be a novel target of pathogenic streptococci and thus provides a rationale for the identification of the streptococcal {alpha}-glucan-metabolizing machinery as virulence factors.« less

  18. The acute effects of citrus flavanones on the metabolism of glycogen and monosaccharides in the isolated perfused rat liver.

    PubMed

    do Nascimento, Gilson Soares; Constantin, Renato Polimeni; Gilglioni, Eduardo Hideo; de Castro Ghizoni, Cristiane Vizioli; Bracht, Adelar; Utsunomiya, Karina Sayuri; Yamamoto, Nair Seiko; Ishii-Iwamoto, Emy Luiza; Constantin, Jorgete; Constantin, Rodrigo Polimeni

    2018-07-01

    Citrus flavanones are often linked to their antihyperglycemic properties. This effect may be in part due to the inhibition of hepatic gluconeogenesis through different mechanisms. One of the possible mechanisms appears to be impairment of oxidative phosphorylation, which may also interfere with glycogen metabolism. Based on these facts, the purpose of the present study was to investigate the effects of three citrus flavanones on glycogenolysis in the isolated perfused rat liver. Hesperidin, hesperetin, and naringenin stimulated glycogenolysis and glycolysis from glycogen with concomitant changes in oxygen uptake. At higher concentrations (300 μM), hesperetin and naringenin clearly altered fructose and glucose metabolism, whereas hesperidin exerted little to no effects. In subcellular fractions hesperetin and naringenin inhibited the activity of glucose 6-phosphatase and glucokinase and the mitochondrial respiration linked to ADP phosphorylation. Hesperetin and naringenin also inhibited the transport of glucose into the cell. At a concentration of 300 μM, the glucose influx rate inhibition was 83% and 43% for hesperetin and naringenin, respectively. Hesperidin was the less active among the assayed citrus flavanones, indicating that the rutinoside moiety noticeably decrease the activity of these compounds. The effects on glycogenolysis and fructolysis were mainly consequence of an impairment on mitochondrial energy metabolism. The increased glucose release, due to the higher glycogenolysis, together with glucose transport inhibition is the opposite of what is expected for antihyperglycemic agents. Copyright © 2018 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

  19. Human stem cell osteoblastogenesis mediated by novel glycogen synthase kinase 3 inhibitors induces bone formation and a unique bone turnover biomarker profile in rats

    DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

    Gilmour, Peter S., E-mail: Peter.Gilmour@astrazeneca.com; O'Shea, Patrick J.; Fagura, Malbinder

    Wnt activation by inhibiting glycogen synthase kinase 3 (GSK-3) causes bone anabolism in rodents making GSK-3 a potential therapeutic target for osteoporotic and osteolytic metastatic bone disease. To understand the wnt pathway related to human disease translation, the ability of 3 potent inhibitors of GSK-3 (AZD2858, AR79, AZ13282107) to 1) drive osteoblast differentiation and mineralisation using human adipose-derived stem cells (hADSC) in vitro; and 2) stimulate rat bone formation in vivo was investigated. Bone anabolism/resorption was determined using clinically relevant serum biomarkers as indicators of bone turnover and bone formation assessed in femurs by histopathology and pQCT/μCT imaging. GSK-3 inhibitorsmore » caused β-catenin stabilisation in human and rat mesenchymal stem cells, stimulated hADSC commitment towards osteoblasts and osteogenic mineralisation in vitro. AZD2858 produced time-dependent changes in serum bone turnover biomarkers and increased bone mass over 28 days exposure in rats. After 7 days, AZD2858, AR79 or AZ13282107 exposure increased the bone formation biomarker P1NP, and reduced the resorption biomarker TRAcP-5b, indicating increased bone anabolism and reduced resorption in rats. This biomarker profile was differentiated from anabolic agent PTH{sub 1–34} or the anti-resorptive Alendronate-induced changes. Increased bone formation in cortical and cancellous bone as assessed by femur histopathology supported biomarker changes. 14 day AR79 treatment increased bone mineral density and trabecular thickness, and decreased trabecular number and connectivity assessed by pQCT/μCT. GSK-3 inhibition caused hADSC osteoblastogenesis and mineralisation in vitro. Increased femur bone mass associated with changes in bone turnover biomarkers confirmed in vivo bone formation and indicated uncoupling of bone formation and resorption. - Highlights: • Wnt modulation with 3 novel GSK-3 inhibitors alters bone growth. • Human stem cell

  20. Structural basis for glucose-6-phosphate activation of glycogen synthase

    DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

    Baskaran, Sulochanadevi; Roach, Peter J.; DePaoli-Roach, Anna A.

    2010-11-22

    Regulation of the storage of glycogen, one of the major energy reserves, is of utmost metabolic importance. In eukaryotes, this regulation is accomplished through glucose-6-phosphate levels and protein phosphorylation. Glycogen synthase homologs in bacteria and archaea lack regulation, while the eukaryotic enzymes are inhibited by protein kinase mediated phosphorylation and activated by protein phosphatases and glucose-6-phosphate binding. We determined the crystal structures corresponding to the basal activity state and glucose-6-phosphate activated state of yeast glycogen synthase-2. The enzyme is assembled into an unusual tetramer by an insertion unique to the eukaryotic enzymes, and this subunit interface is rearranged by themore » binding of glucose-6-phosphate, which frees the active site cleft and facilitates catalysis. Using both mutagenesis and intein-mediated phospho-peptide ligation experiments, we demonstrate that the enzyme's response to glucose-6-phosphate is controlled by Arg583 and Arg587, while four additional arginine residues present within the same regulatory helix regulate the response to phosphorylation.« less

  1. Cypermethrin-Induced Toxic Effect on Glycogen Metabolism in Estuarine Clam, Marcia Opima (Gmelin, 1791) of Ratnagiri Coast, Maharashtra

    PubMed Central

    Tendulkar, Medha; Kulkarni, Arvind

    2012-01-01

    Cypermethrin is a synthetic pyrethroid class of insecticide. Toxic effects of cypermethrin were studied by selecting Marcia opima as an animal model. Cypermethrins effect on the total glycogen content of mantle, gill, foot, hepatopancreas, male gonad and a female gonad of an estuarine clam, Marcia opima was examined. The clams were exposed to 1.58 ppm cypermethrin for acute and 1/10th of that concentration for chronic treatment. It was found that there was a decrease in glycogen content in various tissues as compared to control. In LC0 and LC50 groups, glycogen was decreased in all tissues except in hepatopancreas compared to control. This decrease is greater in mantle, gill, and foot in LC50 group than the decrease in those tissues of LC0 group. In chronic exposure it was found that glycogen was decreased in mantle, foot, male gonad, and female gonad when compared to the control group except in gill and hepatopancreas. Decrease in glycogen content indicates greater utilization of glycogen for metabolic purposes and too combat with cypermethrin stress. The significant increase in glycogen content in gill and hepatopancreas may be a reaction to the increase in energy demand. PMID:22577376

  2. Glycogen distribution in porcine fallopian tube epithelium during the estrus cycle.

    PubMed

    Gregoraszczuk, E Ł; Cała, M; Witkowska, E

    2000-01-01

    Histochemical features of two different parts of the porcine Fallopian tube have been studied, with special reference to cyclic changes in the distribution of glycogen particles. Porcine Fallopian tubes were obtained from a local slaughterhouse. Slides were studied under light microscopy utilising histological and histochemical techniques. The most striking feature during the periovulatory stage of the estrus cycle was the occurrence of glycogen granules in the apical cytoplasm of epithelial cells in both the ampulla and isthmus of the Fallopian tubes. In the isthmus, cells containing numerous granules of polysaccharides aggregated into areas of different sizes were noted after ovulation. During the midluteal phase their number was minimal or were even absent. In the ampula typical extrusion of secretory granules and nuclei protruding into the tubal lumen was visible after ovulation. In the luteal phase a lot of nuclei protruded into the tubal lumen and some free in the lumen were noted. It is possible that glycogen in the preovulatory stage functions as a source of energy for ciliary movement and as a nourishment for the ovum. In the isthmus large number of aggregated glycogen particles was observed also after ovulation. In this stage of the cycle, numerous granules of polysaccharide aggregated in isthmus epithelium could be the major energy source for embriogenesis when the embryo travels down the Fallopian tubes, during the early cleavage stage.

  3. Intrinsic and extrinsic carbohydrates in the vagina: A short review on vaginal glycogen.

    PubMed

    Tester, Richard; Al-Ghazzewi, Farage H

    2018-06-01

    The reasons for (i) the presence and (ii) mechanisms of utilisation of glycogen by the lactic acid bacteria in the human vaginal tract are not well understood. It is probable that the vaginal epithelia produce both glycogen and α-amylase where the enzyme depolymerises the polysaccharide within the vagina itself. Only these depolymerised residues are then utilised for growth by the lactic acid bacteria. The lactic acid bacteria cannot metabolise the glycogen directly due to their incapacity to produce the α-amylase enzyme. These bacteria may, however, metabolise exogenous carbohydrates (such as prebiotics) selectively for growth effectively. These carbohydrate utilisation issues within the vagina are considered in this short review. Copyright © 2018 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

  4. Rare Sugar Syrup Containing d-Allulose but Not High-Fructose Corn Syrup Maintains Glucose Tolerance and Insulin Sensitivity Partly via Hepatic Glucokinase Translocation in Wistar Rats.

    PubMed

    Shintani, Tomoya; Yamada, Takako; Hayashi, Noriko; Iida, Tetsuo; Nagata, Yasuo; Ozaki, Nobuaki; Toyoda, Yukiyasu

    2017-04-05

    Ingestion of high-fructose corn syrup (HFCS) is associated with the risk of both diabetes and obesity. Rare sugar syrup (RSS) has been developed by alkaline isomerization of HFCS and has anti-obesity and anti-diabetic effects. However, the influence of RSS on glucose metabolism has not been explored. We investigated whether long-term administration of RSS maintains glucose tolerance and whether the underlying mechanism involves hepatic glucokinase translocation. Wistar rats were administered water, RSS, or HFCS in drinking water for 10 weeks and then evaluated for glucose tolerance, insulin tolerance, liver glycogen content, and subcellular distribution of liver glucokinase. RSS significantly suppressed body weight gain and abdominal fat mass (p < 0.05). The glucose tolerance test revealed significantly higher blood glucose levels in the HFCS group compared to the water group, whereas the RSS group had significantly lower blood glucose levels from 90 to 180 min (p < 0.05). At 30, 60, and 90 min, the levels of insulin in the RSS group were significantly lower than those in the water group (p < 0.05). The amount of hepatic glycogen was more than 3 times higher in the RSS group than that in the other groups. After glucose loading, the nuclear export of glucokinase was significantly increased in the RSS group compared to the water group. These results imply that RSS maintains glucose tolerance and insulin sensitivity, at least partly, by enhancing nuclear export of hepatic glucokinase.

  5. Mir-338-3p Mediates Tnf-A-Induced Hepatic Insulin Resistance by Targeting PP4r1 to Regulate PP4 Expression.

    PubMed

    Dou, Lin; Wang, Shuyue; Sun, Libo; Huang, Xiuqing; Zhang, Yang; Shen, Tao; Guo, Jun; Man, Yong; Tang, Weiqing; Li, Jian

    2017-01-01

    Insulin resistance is a critical factor contributing to the pathogenesis of type 2 diabetes and other metabolic diseases. Recent studies have indicated that miR-338-3p plays an important role in cancer. Here, we investigated whether miR-338-3p mediates tumour necrosis factor-α (TNF-α)-induced hepatic insulin resistance. The activation of the insulin signalling pathway and the level of glycogenesis were examined in the livers of the db/db and high fat diet (HFD)-fed mice and in HEP1-6 cells transfected with miR-338-3p mimic or inhibitor. Computational prediction of microRNA target, luciferase assay and Western blot were used to assess the miR-338-3p target. Chromatin immunoprecipitation (ChIP) assay was used to determine the transcriptional regulator of miR-338-3p. miR-338-3p was down-regulated in the livers of the db/db, HFD-fed and TNF-α-treated C57BL/6J mice, as well as in mouse HEP1-6 hepatocytes treated with TNF-α. Importantly the down-regulation of miR-338-3p induced insulin resistance, as indicated by impaired glucose tolerance and insulin tolerance. Further research showed that the down-regulated miR-338-3p resulted in the impaired AKT/ glycogen synthase kinase 3 beta (GSl·Gβ) signalling pathway and glycogen synthesis. In contrast, hepatic over-expression of miR-338-3p rescued the TNF-α-induced insulin resistance. Moreover, protein phosphatase 4 regulator subunit 1 (PP4R1) was identified as a direct target of miR-338-3p that mediated hepatic insulin signalling by regulating protein phosphatase 4 (PP4). Finally we identified hepatic nuclear factor 4 alpha (HNF-4α) as the transcriptional regulator of miRNA-338-3p. Our studies provide novel insight into the critical role and molecular mechanism by which miR-338-3p is involved in TNF-α-induced hepatic insulin resistance. miR-338-3p might mediate TNF-α-induced hepatic insulin resistance by targeting PP4R1 to regulate PP4 expression. © 2017 The Author(s). Published by S. Karger AG, Basel.

  6. Investigating the effects of an oral fructose challenge on hepatic ATP reserves in healthy volunteers: A (31)P MRS study.

    PubMed

    Bawden, S J; Stephenson, M C; Ciampi, E; Hunter, K; Marciani, L; Macdonald, I A; Aithal, G P; Morris, P G; Gowland, P A

    2016-06-01

    Impaired homeostasis of hepatic ATP has been associated with NAFLD. An intravenous fructose infusion has been shown to be an effective challenge to monitor the depletion and subsequent recovery of hepatic ATP reserves using (31)P MRS. The purpose of this study was to evaluate the effects of an oral rather than intravenous fructose challenge on hepatic ATP reserves in healthy subjects. Self-reported healthy males were recruited. Following an overnight fast, baseline liver glycogen and lipid levels were measured using Magnetic Resonance Spectroscopy (MRS). Immediately after consuming a 500 ml 75 g fructose drink (1275 kJ) subjects were scanned continuously for 90 min to acquire dynamic (31)P MRS measurements of liver ATP reserves. A significant effect on ATP reserves was observed across the time course (P < 0.05). Mean ATP levels reached a minimum at 50 min which was markedly lower than baseline (80 ± 17% baseline, P < 0.05). Subsequently, mean values tended to rise but did not reach statistical significance above minimum. The time to minimum ATP levels across subjects was negatively correlated with BMI (R(2) = 0.74, P < 0.005). Rates of ATP recovery were not significantly correlated with BMI or liver fat levels, but were negatively correlated with baseline glycogen levels (R(2) = 0.7, P < 0.05). Depletion of ATP reserves can be measured non-invasively following an oral fructose challenge using (31)P MRS. BMI is the best predictor of postprandial ATP homeostasis following fructose consumption. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Ltd and European Society for Clinical Nutrition and Metabolism. All rights reserved.

  7. [Hepatomegaly due to glycogen storage disease and type 1 diabetes mellitus].

    PubMed

    Flotats Bastardas, M; Miserachs Barba, M; Ricart Cumeras, A; Clemente León, M; Gussinyer Canadell, M; Yeste Fernández, D; Albisu Aparicio, María A; Carrascosa Lezcano, A

    2007-08-01

    Patients with type 1 diabetes and poor metabolic control can develop hepatomegaly due to intrahepatic glycogen deposition. If these patients also have elevated liver enzymes, dyslipidemia, cushingoid features and delayed growth or sexual maturation, Mauriac syndrome can be diagnosed. This disorder is common and reversible with optimization of insulin therapy. We report three adolescents with type 1 diabetes and a long-standing history of poor glycemic control, who developed hepatomegaly, elevated liver enzymes and dyslipidemia with preserved liver function. One of these patients also had delayed growth and another had hypogonadotropic hypogonadism. Liver ultrasound showed changes suggestive of glycogenosis. In all three patients, optimization of insulin therapy achieved good glycemic control and reversed the manifestations within 2 weeks. The etiology of Mauriac syndrome is controversial since both prolonged hyperglycemia and hyperinsulinization produce glycogen accumulation in the liver. Hypercortisolism (due to ketosis or hypoglycemia) contributes to glycogen storage and also causes growth and sexual maturation delay.

  8. Cell-Intrinsic Glycogen Metabolism Supports Early Glycolytic Reprogramming Required for Dendritic Cell Immune Responses.

    PubMed

    Thwe, Phyu M; Pelgrom, Leonard; Cooper, Rachel; Beauchamp, Saritha; Reisz, Julie A; D'Alessandro, Angelo; Everts, Bart; Amiel, Eyal

    2017-09-05

    Dendritic cell (DC) activation by Toll-like receptor (TLR) agonists causes rapid glycolytic reprogramming that is required to meet the metabolic demands of their immune activation. Recent efforts in the field have identified an important role for extracellular glucose sourcing to support DC activation. However, the contributions of intracellular glucose stores to these processes have not been well characterized. We demonstrate that DCs possess intracellular glycogen stores and that cell-intrinsic glycogen metabolism supports the early effector functions of TLR-activated DCs. Inhibition of glycogenolysis significantly attenuates TLR-mediated DC maturation and impairs their ability to initiate lymphocyte activation. We further report that DCs exhibit functional compartmentalization of glucose- and glycogen-derived carbons, where these substrates preferentially contribute to distinct metabolic pathways. This work provides novel insights into nutrient homeostasis in DCs, demonstrating that differential utilization of glycogen and glucose metabolism regulates their optimal immune function. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

  9. Manipulation of Muscle Creatine and Glycogen Changes Dual X-ray Absorptiometry Estimates of Body Composition.

    PubMed

    Bone, Julia L; Ross, Megan L; Tomcik, Kristyen A; Jeacocke, Nikki A; Hopkins, Will G; Burke, Louise M

    2017-05-01

    Standardizing a dual x-ray absorptiometry (DXA) protocol is thought to provide a reliable measurement of body composition. We investigated the effects of manipulating muscle glycogen and creatine content independently and additively on DXA estimates of lean mass. Eighteen well-trained male cyclists undertook a parallel group application of creatine loading (n = 9) (20 g·d for 5 d loading; 3 g·d maintenance) or placebo (n = 9) with crossover application of glycogen loading (12 v 6 g·kg BM per day for 48 h) as part of a larger study involving a glycogen-depleting exercise protocol. Body composition, total body water, muscle glycogen and creatine content were assessed via DXA, bioelectrical impedance spectroscopy and standard biopsy techniques. Changes in the mean were assessed using the following effect-size scale: >0.2 small, >0.6, moderate, >1.2 large and compared with the threshold for the smallest worthwhile effect of the treatment. Glycogen loading, both with and without creatine loading, resulted in substantial increases in estimates of lean body mass (mean ± SD; 3.0% ± 0.7% and 2.0% ± 0.9%) and leg lean mass (3.1% ± 1.8% and 2.6% ± 1.0%) respectively. A substantial decrease in leg lean mass was observed after the glycogen depleting condition (-1.4% ± 1.6%). Total body water showed substantial increases after glycogen loading (2.3% ± 2.3%), creatine loading (1.4% ± 1.9%) and the combined treatment (2.3% ± 1.1%). Changes in muscle metabolites and water content alter DXA estimates of lean mass during periods in which minimal change in muscle protein mass is likely. This information needs to be considered in interpreting the results of DXA-derived estimates of body composition in athletes.

  10. Axonal and dendritic localization of mRNAs for glycogen-metabolizing enzymes in cultured rodent neurons

    PubMed Central

    2014-01-01

    Background Localization of mRNAs encoding cytoskeletal or signaling proteins to neuronal processes is known to contribute to axon growth, synaptic differentiation and plasticity. In addition, a still increasing spectrum of mRNAs has been demonstrated to be localized under different conditions and developing stages thus reflecting a highly regulated mechanism and a role of mRNA localization in a broad range of cellular processes. Results Applying fluorescence in-situ-hybridization with specific riboprobes on cultured neurons and nervous tissue sections, we investigated whether the mRNAs for two metabolic enzymes, namely glycogen synthase (GS) and glycogen phosphorylase (GP), the key enzymes of glycogen metabolism, may also be targeted to neuronal processes. If it were so, this might contribute to clarify the so far enigmatic role of neuronal glycogen. We found that the mRNAs for both enzymes are localized to axonal and dendritic processes in cultured lumbar spinal motoneurons, but not in cultured trigeminal neurons. In cultured cortical neurons which do not store glycogen but nevertheless express glycogen synthase, the GS mRNA is also subject to axonal and dendritic localization. In spinal motoneurons and trigeminal neurons in situ, however, the mRNAs could only be demonstrated in the neuronal somata but not in the nerves. Conclusions We could demonstrate that the mRNAs for major enzymes of neural energy metabolism can be localized to neuronal processes. The heterogeneous pattern of mRNA localization in different culture types and developmental stages stresses that mRNA localization is a versatile mechanism for the fine-tuning of cellular events. Our findings suggest that mRNA localization for enzymes of glycogen metabolism could allow adaptation to spatial and temporal energy demands in neuronal events like growth, repair and synaptic transmission. PMID:24898526

  11. Axonal and dendritic localization of mRNAs for glycogen-metabolizing enzymes in cultured rodent neurons.

    PubMed

    Pfeiffer-Guglielmi, Brigitte; Dombert, Benjamin; Jablonka, Sibylle; Hausherr, Vanessa; van Thriel, Christoph; Schöbel, Nicole; Jansen, Ralf-Peter

    2014-06-04

    Localization of mRNAs encoding cytoskeletal or signaling proteins to neuronal processes is known to contribute to axon growth, synaptic differentiation and plasticity. In addition, a still increasing spectrum of mRNAs has been demonstrated to be localized under different conditions and developing stages thus reflecting a highly regulated mechanism and a role of mRNA localization in a broad range of cellular processes. Applying fluorescence in-situ-hybridization with specific riboprobes on cultured neurons and nervous tissue sections, we investigated whether the mRNAs for two metabolic enzymes, namely glycogen synthase (GS) and glycogen phosphorylase (GP), the key enzymes of glycogen metabolism, may also be targeted to neuronal processes. If it were so, this might contribute to clarify the so far enigmatic role of neuronal glycogen. We found that the mRNAs for both enzymes are localized to axonal and dendritic processes in cultured lumbar spinal motoneurons, but not in cultured trigeminal neurons. In cultured cortical neurons which do not store glycogen but nevertheless express glycogen synthase, the GS mRNA is also subject to axonal and dendritic localization. In spinal motoneurons and trigeminal neurons in situ, however, the mRNAs could only be demonstrated in the neuronal somata but not in the nerves. We could demonstrate that the mRNAs for major enzymes of neural energy metabolism can be localized to neuronal processes. The heterogeneous pattern of mRNA localization in different culture types and developmental stages stresses that mRNA localization is a versatile mechanism for the fine-tuning of cellular events. Our findings suggest that mRNA localization for enzymes of glycogen metabolism could allow adaptation to spatial and temporal energy demands in neuronal events like growth, repair and synaptic transmission.

  12. Astrocyte glycogen as an emergency fuel under conditions of glucose deprivation or intense neural activity.

    PubMed

    Brown, Angus M; Ransom, Bruce R

    2015-02-01

    Energy metabolism in the brain is a complex process that is incompletely understood. Although glucose is agreed as the main energy support of the brain, the role of glucose is not clear, which has led to controversies that can be summarized as follows: the fate of glucose, once it enters the brain is unclear. It is not known the form in which glucose enters the cells (neurons and glia) within the brain, nor the degree of metabolic shuttling of glucose derived metabolites between cells, with a key limitation in our knowledge being the extent of oxidative metabolism, and how increased tissue activity alters this. Glycogen is present within the brain and is derived from glucose. Glycogen is stored in astrocytes and acts to provide short-term delivery of substrates to neural elements, although it may also contribute an important component to astrocyte metabolism. The roles played by glycogen awaits further study, but to date its most important role is in supporting neural elements during increased firing activity, where signaling molecules, proposed to be elevated interstitial K(+), indicative of elevated neural firing rates, activate glycogen phosphorylase leading to increased production of glycogen derived substrate.

  13. An isozyme of acid alpha-glucosidase with reduced catalytic activity for glycogen.

    PubMed

    Beratis, N G; LaBadie, G U; Hirschhorn, K

    1980-03-01

    Both the common and a variant isozyme of acid alpha-glucosidase have been purified from a heterozygous placenta with CM-Sephadex, ammonium sulfate precipitation, dialysis, Amicon filtration, affinity chromatography by Sephadex G-100, and DEAE-cellulose chromatography. Three and two activity peaks, from the common and variant isozymes, respectively, were obtained by DEAE-cellulose chromatography using a linear NaCl gradient. The three peaks of activity of the common isozyme were eluted with 0.08, 0.12, and 0.17 M NaCl, whereas the two peaks of the variant, with 0.01 and 0.06 M NaCl. The pH optimum and thermal denaturation at 57 degrees C were the same in all enzyme peaks of both isozymes. Rabbit antiacid alpha-glucosidase antibodies produced against the common isozyme were found to cross-react with both peaks of the variant isozyme. The two isozymes shared antigenic identity and had similar Km's with maltose as substrate. Normal substrate saturation kinetics were observed with the common isozyme when glycogen was the substrate, but the variant produced an S-shaped saturation curve indicating a phase of negative and positive cooperativity at low and high glycogen concentrations, respectively. The activity of the variant was only 8.6% and 19.2% of the common isozyme when assayed with nonsaturating and saturating concentrations of glycogen, respectively. A similar rate of hydrolysis of isomaltose by both isozymes was found indicating that the reduced catalytic activity of the variant isozyme toward glycogen is not the result of a reduced ability of this enzyme to cleave the alpha-1,6 linkages of glycogen.

  14. An isozyme of acid alpha-glucosidase with reduced catalytic activity for glycogen.

    PubMed Central

    Beratis, N G; LaBadie, G U; Hirschhorn, K

    1980-01-01

    Both the common and a variant isozyme of acid alpha-glucosidase have been purified from a heterozygous placenta with CM-Sephadex, ammonium sulfate precipitation, dialysis, Amicon filtration, affinity chromatography by Sephadex G-100, and DEAE-cellulose chromatography. Three and two activity peaks, from the common and variant isozymes, respectively, were obtained by DEAE-cellulose chromatography using a linear NaCl gradient. The three peaks of activity of the common isozyme were eluted with 0.08, 0.12, and 0.17 M NaCl, whereas the two peaks of the variant, with 0.01 and 0.06 M NaCl. The pH optimum and thermal denaturation at 57 degrees C were the same in all enzyme peaks of both isozymes. Rabbit antiacid alpha-glucosidase antibodies produced against the common isozyme were found to cross-react with both peaks of the variant isozyme. The two isozymes shared antigenic identity and had similar Km's with maltose as substrate. Normal substrate saturation kinetics were observed with the common isozyme when glycogen was the substrate, but the variant produced an S-shaped saturation curve indicating a phase of negative and positive cooperativity at low and high glycogen concentrations, respectively. The activity of the variant was only 8.6% and 19.2% of the common isozyme when assayed with nonsaturating and saturating concentrations of glycogen, respectively. A similar rate of hydrolysis of isomaltose by both isozymes was found indicating that the reduced catalytic activity of the variant isozyme toward glycogen is not the result of a reduced ability of this enzyme to cleave the alpha-1,6 linkages of glycogen. Images Fig. 2 Fig. 4 Fig. 6 PMID:6770674

  15. Causes of hepatic capsular retraction: a pictorial essay.

    PubMed

    Tan, Gary Xia Vern; Miranda, Rhian; Sutherland, Tom

    2016-12-01

    Hepatic capsular retraction refers to the loss of the normal convex hepatic contour, with the formation of an area of flattening or concavity. This can result from myriad causes, including intrinsic hepatic conditions such as cirrhosis, biliary obstruction, benign tumours, malignancy and infections, as well as extrahepatic causes such as trauma. This article aims to provide familiarity with this wide spectrum of conditions, including mimics of hepatic capsular retraction, by highlighting the anatomic, pathologic and imaging features that help distinguish these entities from one another. • Hepatic capsular retraction can occur due to various intrinsic or extrinsic hepatic causes. • Hepatic capsular retraction is observed in both benign and malignant conditions. • Recognising associated imaging features can help elicit causes of hepatic capsular retraction.

  16. The effect of fixatives and temperature on the quality of glycogen demonstration.

    PubMed

    Zakout, Yosef Mohamed Azzam; Salih, Magdi M; Ahmed, H G

    2010-04-01

    Glycogen is demonstrated in a number of lesions and is diagnostically significant, particularly in certain tumors. To stain glycogen accurately, it is essential to choose a suitable fixative, temperature and staining method. We used rabbit liver to assess these variables. Specimens were fixed in three fixatives at two temperatures: 10% formalin, neutral buffered formalin (NBF) and Bouin's solution at 37 and 4 degrees C. Seventy-two paraffin sections were prepared and stained with periodic acid-Schiff (PAS), hexamine (methenamine) silver and Best's carmine methods. Negative control sections using diastase digestion were used for all methods to confirm the presence of glycogen. For the PAS reaction, Bouin's fixative gave better results at both temperatures compared to the other fixatives. For hexamine (methenamine) silver, the quality of staining was improved for tissues fixed in both 10% formalin and NBF at 37 degrees C compared to Bouin's solution. Both 10% formalin and NBF at 4 degrees C gave better results than Bouin's solution. For Best's carmine, Bouin's solution gave the best results for tissues fixed at 4 degrees C. Fixation of tissues with NBF at 37 degrees C gave the best quality staining. We concluded that the quality of glycogen staining in paraffin sections is greatly affected by both the fixative and the temperature of fixation.

  17. The effect of enteric galactose on neonatal canine carbohydrate metabolism

    DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

    Kliegman, R.M.; Miettinen, E.L.; Kalhan, S.C.

    1981-01-01

    Newborn pups were assigned to a fasting group or to a group receiving intravenous glucose alimentation. Glucose turnover was determined during steady state equilibration of simultaneously infused (6-/sup 3/H) glucose. Thereafter, pups from each group received 0.625 g/Kg of either oral (U-/sup 14/C) galactose or (U-/sup 14/C) glucose. In fasted or intravenously alimented pups enteric glucose resulted in a rapid and sustained elevation of blood glucose concentrations. Systemic appearance of /sup 14/C label from enteric glucose increased rapidly as did the enrichment of blood (/sup 14/C) glucose specific activity. In those pups given enteric galactose, blood glucose values were equivalentmore » to that in the glucose fed groups, however /sup 14/C appearing in blood glucose and blood glucose specific activity was significantly lower. The peak values for rates of appearance and disappearance of systemic glucose were significantly lower in pups fed galactose than among pups fed glucose. Glucose clearance was also significantly lower in these pups despite equivalent plasma insulin responses. Among fasting pups hepatic glycogen content was significantly higher in those given either oral glucose or galactose when compared to a completely starved control group. In contrast, among alimented pups galactose administration significantly enhanced hepatic glycogen content compared to those fed glucose. In addition, hepatic glycogen synthase (glucose-6-phosphate independent) activity was increased only among alimented pups fed galactose when compared to completely fasted pups. In conclusion these data suggest that following gastrointestinal galactose administration, hepatic carbohydrate uptake is augmented while glycogen synthesis may be enhanced. Augmented glycogen synthesis following galactose administration may reflect alterations in hepatic glycogen synthase activity or enhanced hepatic carbohydrate uptake.« less

  18. Integrated application of transcriptomics and metabolomics provides insights into glycogen content regulation in the Pacific oyster Crassostrea gigas.

    PubMed

    Li, Busu; Song, Kai; Meng, Jie; Li, Li; Zhang, Guofan

    2017-09-11

    The Pacific oyster Crassostrea gigas is an important marine fishery resource, which contains high levels of glycogen that contributes to the flavor and the quality of the oyster. However, little is known about the molecular and chemical mechanisms underlying glycogen content differences in Pacific oysters. Using a homogeneous cultured Pacific oyster family, we explored these regulatory networks at the level of the metabolome and the transcriptome. Oysters with the highest and lowest natural glycogen content were selected for differential transcriptome and metabolome analysis. We identified 1888 differentially-expressed genes, seventy-five differentially-abundant metabolites, which are part of twenty-seven signaling pathways that were enriched using an integrated analysis of the interaction between the differentially-expressed genes and the differentially-abundant metabolites. Based on these results, we found that a high expression of carnitine O-palmitoyltransferase 2 (CPT2), indicative of increased fatty acid degradation, is associated with a lower glycogen content. Together, a high level of expression of phosphoenolpyruvate carboxykinase (PEPCK), and high levels of glucogenic amino acids likely underlie the increased glycogen production in high-glycogen oysters. In addition, the higher levels of the glycolytic enzymes hexokinase (HK) and pyruvate kinase (PK), as well as of the TCA cycle enzymes malate dehydrogenase (MDH) and pyruvate carboxylase (PYC), imply that there is a concomitant up-regulation of energy metabolism in high-glycogen oysters. High-glycogen oysters also appeared to have an increased ability to cope with stress, since the levels of the antioxidant glutathione peroxidase enzyme 5 (GPX5) gene were also increased. Our results suggest that amino acids and free fatty acids are closely related to glycogen content in oysters. In addition, oysters with a high glycogen content have a greater energy production capacity and a greater ability to cope with

  19. Skeletal muscle glycogen synthase subcellular localization: effects of insulin and PPAR-alpha agonist (K-111) administration in rhesus monkeys.

    PubMed

    Ortmeyer, Heidi K; Adall, Yohannes; Marciani, Karina R; Katsiaras, Andreas; Ryan, Alice S; Bodkin, Noni L; Hansen, Barbara C

    2005-06-01

    Insulin covalently and allosterically regulates glycogen synthase (GS) and may also cause the translocation of GS from glycogen-poor to glycogen-rich locations. We examined the possible role of subcellular localization of GS and glycogen in insulin activation of GS in skeletal muscle of six obese monkeys and determined whether 1) insulin stimulation during a hyperinsulinemic euglycemic clamp and/or peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor (PPAR)-alpha agonist treatment (K-111, 3 mg.kg(-1).day(-1); Kowa) induced translocation of GS and 2) translocation of GS was associated with insulin activation of GS. GS and glycogen were present in all fractions obtained by differential centrifugation, except for the cytosolic fraction, under both basal and insulin-stimulated conditions. We found no evidence for translocation of GS by insulin. GS total (GST) activity was strongly associated with glycogen content (r = 0.70, P < 0.001). Six weeks of treatment with K-111 increased GST activity in all fractions, except the cytosolic fraction, and mean GST activity, GS independent activity, and glycogen content were significantly higher in the insulin-stimulated samples compared with basal samples, effects not seen with vehicle. The increase in GST activity was strongly related to the increase in glycogen content during the hyperinsulinemic euglycemic clamp after K-111 administration (r = 0.74, P < 0.001). Neither GS protein expression nor GS gene expression was affected by insulin or by K-111 treatment. We conclude that 1) in vivo insulin does not cause translocation of GS from a glycogen-poor to a glycogen-rich location in primate skeletal muscle and 2) the mechanism of action of K-111 to improve insulin sensitivity includes an increase in GST activity without an increase in GS gene or protein expression.

  20. Inhibitory properties of 1,4-dideoxy-1,4-imino-d-arabinitol (DAB) derivatives acting on glycogen metabolising enzymes.

    PubMed

    Díaz-Lobo, Mireia; Concia, Alda Lisa; Gómez, Livia; Clapés, Pere; Fita, Ignacio; Guinovart, Joan J; Ferrer, Joan C

    2016-09-26

    Glycogen synthase (GS) and glycogen phosphorylase (GP) are the key enzymes that control, respectively, the synthesis and degradation of glycogen, a multi-branched glucose polymer that serves as a form of energy storage in bacteria, fungi and animals. An abnormal glycogen metabolism is associated with several human diseases. Thus, GS and GP constitute adequate pharmacological targets to modulate cellular glycogen levels by means of their selective inhibition. The compound 1,4-dideoxy-1,4-imino-d-arabinitol (DAB) is a known potent inhibitor of GP. We studied the inhibitory effect of DAB, its enantiomer LAB, and 29 DAB derivatives on the activity of rat muscle glycogen phosphorylase (RMGP) and E. coli glycogen synthase (EcGS). The isoform 4 of sucrose synthase (SuSy4) from Solanum tuberosum L. was also included in the study for comparative purposes. Although these three enzymes possess highly conserved catalytic site architectures, the DAB derivatives analysed showed extremely diverse inhibitory potential. Subtle changes in the positions of crucial residues in their active sites are sufficient to discriminate among the structural differences of the tested inhibitors. For the two Leloir-type enzymes, EcGS and SuSy4, which use sugar nucleotides as donors, the inhibitory potency of the compounds analysed was synergistically enhanced by more than three orders of magnitude in the presence of ADP and UDP, respectively. Our results are consistent with a model in which these compounds bind to the subsite in the active centre of the enzymes that is normally occupied by the glucosyl residue which is transferred between donor and acceptor substrates. The ability to selectively inhibit the catalytic activity of the key enzymes of the glycogen metabolism may represent a new approach for the treatment of disorders of the glycogen metabolism.

  1. In Vitro Hepatic Trans-Differentiation of Human Mesenchymal Stem Cells Using Sera from Congestive/Ischemic Liver during Cardiac Failure

    PubMed Central

    Bishi, Dillip Kumar; Mathapati, Santosh; Cherian, Kotturathu Mammen; Guhathakurta, Soma; Verma, Rama Shanker

    2014-01-01

    Cellular therapy for end-stage liver failures using human mesenchymal stem cells (hMSCs)-derived hepatocytes is a potential alternative to liver transplantation. Hepatic trans-differentiation of hMSCs is routinely accomplished by induction with commercially available recombinant growth factors, which is of limited clinical applications. In the present study, we have evaluated the potential of sera from cardiac-failure-associated congestive/ischemic liver patients for hepatic trans-differentiation of hMSCs. Results from such experiments were confirmed through morphological changes and expression of hepatocyte-specific markers at molecular and cellular level. Furthermore, the process of mesenchymal-to-epithelial transition during hepatic trans-differentiation of hMSCs was confirmed by elevated expression of E-Cadherin and down-regulation of Snail. The functionality of hMSCs-derived hepatocytes was validated by various liver function tests such as albumin synthesis, urea release, glycogen accumulation and presence of a drug inducible cytochrome P450 system. Based on these findings, we conclude that sera from congestive/ischemic liver during cardiac failure support a liver specific microenvironment for effective hepatic trans-differentiation of hMSCs in vitro. PMID:24642599

  2. The structure of brain glycogen phosphorylase-from allosteric regulation mechanisms to clinical perspectives.

    PubMed

    Mathieu, Cécile; Dupret, Jean-Marie; Rodrigues Lima, Fernando

    2017-02-01

    Glycogen phosphorylase (GP) is the key enzyme that regulates glycogen mobilization in cells. GP is a complex allosteric enzyme that comprises a family of three isozymes: muscle GP (mGP), liver GP (lGP), and brain GP (bGP). Although the three isozymes display high similarity and catalyze the same reaction, they differ in their sensitivity to the allosteric activator adenosine monophosphate (AMP). Moreover, inactivating mutations in mGP and lGP have been known to be associated with glycogen storage diseases (McArdle and Hers disease, respectively). The determination, decades ago, of the structure of mGP and lGP have allowed to better understand the allosteric regulation of these two isoforms and the development of specific inhibitors. Despite its important role in brain glycogen metabolism, the structure of the brain GP had remained elusive. Here, we provide an overview of the human brain GP structure and its relationship with the two other members of this key family of the metabolic enzymes. We also summarize how this structure provides valuable information to understand the regulation of bGP and to design specific ligands of potential pharmacological interest. © 2016 Federation of European Biochemical Societies.

  3. Forced expression of Hnf1b/Foxa3 promotes hepatic fate of embryonic stem cells.

    PubMed

    Yahoo, Neda; Pournasr, Behshad; Rostamzadeh, Jalal; Hakhamaneshi, Mohammad Saeed; Ebadifar, Asghar; Fathi, Fardin; Baharvand, Hossein

    2016-05-20

    Embryonic stem (ES) cell-derived hepatocytes have the potential to be used for basic research, regenerative medicine, and drug discovery. Recent reports demonstrated that in addition to conventional differentiation inducers such as chemical compounds and cytokines, overexpression of lineage-specific transcription factors could induce ES cells to differentiate to a hepatic fate. Here, we hypothesized that lentivirus-mediated inducible expression of hepatic lineage transcription factors could enhance mouse ES cells to hepatocyte-like cells. We screened the effects of candidate transcription factors Hnf1b, Hnf1a, Hnf4a, Foxa1, Foxa3 and Hex, and determined that the combination of Hnf1b/Foxa3 promoted expression of several hepatic lineage-specific markers and proteins, in addition to glycogen storage, ICG uptake, and secretion of albumin and urea. The differentiated cells were engraftable and expressed albumin when transplanted into a carbon tetrachloride-injured mouse model. These results demonstrated the crucial role of Hnf1b and Foxa3 in hepatogenesis in vitro and provided a valuable tool for the efficient differentiation of HLCs from ES cells. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

  4. Ultrasound Irradiation Combined with Hepatocyte Growth Factor Accelerate the Hepatic Differentiation of Human Bone Marrow Mesenchymal Stem Cells.

    PubMed

    Li, Fan; Liu, Yang; Cai, Yingyu; Li, Xin; Bai, Min; Sun, Ting; Du, Lianfang

    2018-05-01

    This study investigated the impact of ultrasound (US) irradiation on the hepatic differentiation of human bone marrow mesenchymal stem cells (hBMSCs) induced by hepatocyte growth factor (HGF) and the possible mechanisms. We treated hBMSCs, using HGF with and without US irradiation. Cell viability and stem cell surface markers were analyzed. Hepatocyte-like cell markers and functional markers including α-fetoprotein (αFP/AFP), cytokeratin 18 (CK18), albumin (ALB) and glycogen content were analyzed at the time point of day 1, 3 and 5 after treatment. The involvement of Wnt/β-catenin signaling pathway was evaluated as well. The results showed that the US treatment at 1.0 W/cm 2 or 1.5 W/cm 2 for 30 s or 60 s conditions yielded favorable cell viability and engendered stem cell differentiation. At day 5, the expressions of AFP, CK18, ALB and the glycogen content were significantly elevated in the US-treated group at both messenger ribonucleic acid and protein levels (all p <0.05), in comparison with HGF and control groups. Among all the US treated groups, the expression levels of specific hepatic markers in the (1.5 W/cm 2 for 60 s) group were the highest. Furthermore, Wnt1, β-Catenin, c-Myc and Cyclin D1 were significantly increased after US irradiation (all p <0.05), and the enhancements of c-Myc and Cyclin D1 could be obviously impaired by the inhibitor ICG-001 (p <0.05, p <0.05), in accordance with decreased ALB and CK18 expression and glycogen content (all p <0.05). In conclusion, US irradiation was able to promote the hBMSCs' differentiation mediated by HGF in vitro safely, easily and controllably. The activation of Wnt/β-catenin signaling pathway was involved in this process. US irradiation could serve as a potentially beneficial tool for the research and application of stem cell differentiation. Copyright © 2018 World Federation for Ultrasound in Medicine and Biology. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

  5. Radiation-Induced Glycogen Accumulation Detected by Single Cell Raman Spectroscopy Is Associated with Radioresistance that Can Be Reversed by Metformin

    PubMed Central

    Matthews, Quinn; Isabelle, Martin; Harder, Samantha J.; Smazynski, Julian; Beckham, Wayne; Brolo, Alexandre G.; Jirasek, Andrew; Lum, Julian J.

    2015-01-01

    Altered cellular metabolism is a hallmark of tumor cells and contributes to a host of properties associated with resistance to radiotherapy. Detection of radiation-induced biochemical changes can reveal unique metabolic pathways affecting radiosensitivity that may serve as attractive therapeutic targets. Using clinically relevant doses of radiation, we performed label-free single cell Raman spectroscopy on a series of human cancer cell lines and detected radiation-induced accumulation of intracellular glycogen. The increase in glycogen post-irradiation was highest in lung (H460) and breast (MCF7) tumor cells compared to prostate (LNCaP) tumor cells. In response to radiation, the appearance of this glycogen signature correlated with radiation resistance. Moreover, the buildup of glycogen was linked to the phosphorylation of GSK-3β, a canonical modulator of cell survival following radiation exposure and a key regulator of glycogen metabolism. When MCF7 cells were irradiated in the presence of the anti-diabetic drug metformin, there was a significant decrease in the amount of radiation-induced glycogen. The suppression of glycogen by metformin following radiation was associated with increased radiosensitivity. In contrast to MCF7 cells, metformin had minimal effects on both the level of glycogen in H460 cells following radiation and radiosensitivity. Our data demonstrate a novel approach of spectral monitoring by Raman spectroscopy to assess changes in the levels of intracellular glycogen as a potential marker and resistance mechanism to radiation therapy. PMID:26280348

  6. Does abnormal glycogen structure contribute to increased susceptibility to seizures in epilepsy?

    PubMed Central

    DiNuzzo, Mauro; Mangia, Silvia; Maraviglia, Bruno; Giove, Federico

    2014-01-01

    Epilepsy is a family of brain disorders with a largely unknown etiology and high percentage of pharmacoresistance. The clinical manifestations of epilepsy are seizures, which originate from aberrant neuronal synchronization and hyperexcitability. Reactive astrocytosis, a hallmark of the epileptic tissue, develops into loss-of-function of glutamine synthetase, impairment of glutamate-glutamine cycle and increase in extracellular and astrocytic glutamate concentration. Here, we argue that chronically elevated intracellular glutamate level in astrocytes is instrumental to alterations in the metabolism of glycogen and leads to the synthesis of polyglucosans. Unaccessibility of glycogen-degrading enzymes to these insoluble molecules compromises the glycogenolysis-dependent reuptake of extracellular K+ by astrocytes, thereby leading to increased extracellular K+ and associated membrane depolarization. Based on current knowledge, we propose that the deterioration in structural homogeneity of glycogen particles is relevant to disruption of brain K+ homeostasis and increased susceptibility to seizures in epilepsy. PMID:24643875

  7. Does abnormal glycogen structure contribute to increased susceptibility to seizures in epilepsy?

    PubMed

    DiNuzzo, Mauro; Mangia, Silvia; Maraviglia, Bruno; Giove, Federico

    2015-02-01

    Epilepsy is a family of brain disorders with a largely unknown etiology and high percentage of pharmacoresistance. The clinical manifestations of epilepsy are seizures, which originate from aberrant neuronal synchronization and hyperexcitability. Reactive astrocytosis, a hallmark of the epileptic tissue, develops into loss-of-function of glutamine synthetase, impairment of glutamate-glutamine cycle and increase in extracellular and astrocytic glutamate concentration. Here, we argue that chronically elevated intracellular glutamate level in astrocytes is instrumental to alterations in the metabolism of glycogen and leads to the synthesis of polyglucosans. Unaccessibility of glycogen-degrading enzymes to these insoluble molecules compromises the glycogenolysis-dependent reuptake of extracellular K(+) by astrocytes, thereby leading to increased extracellular K(+) and associated membrane depolarization. Based on current knowledge, we propose that the deterioration in structural homogeneity of glycogen particles is relevant to disruption of brain K(+) homeostasis and increased susceptibility to seizures in epilepsy.

  8. Glycogen metabolism protects against metabolic insult to preserve carotid body function during glucose deprivation

    PubMed Central

    Holmes, Andrew P; Turner, Philip J; Carter, Paul; Leadbeater, Wendy; Ray, Clare J; Hauton, David; Buckler, Keith J; Kumar, Prem

    2014-01-01

    The view that the carotid body (CB) type I cells are direct physiological sensors of hypoglycaemia is challenged by the finding that the basal sensory neuronal outflow from the whole organ is unchanged in response to low glucose. The reason for this difference in viewpoint and how the whole CB maintains its metabolic integrity when exposed to low glucose is unknown. Here we show that, in the intact superfused rat CB, basal sensory neuronal activity was sustained during glucose deprivation for 29.1 ± 1.2 min, before irreversible failure following a brief period of excitation. Graded increases in the basal discharge induced by reducing the superfusate led to proportional decreases in the time to the pre-failure excitation during glucose deprivation which was dependent on a complete run-down in glycolysis and a fall in cellular energy status. A similar ability to withstand prolonged glucose deprivation was observed in isolated type I cells. Electron micrographs and immunofluorescence staining of rat CB sections revealed the presence of glycogen granules and the glycogen conversion enzymes glycogen synthase I and glycogen phosphorylase BB, dispersed throughout the type I cell cytoplasm. Furthermore, pharmacological attenuation of glycogenolysis and functional depletion of glycogen both significantly reduced the time to glycolytic run-down by ∼33 and 65%, respectively. These findings suggest that type I cell glycogen metabolism allows for the continuation of glycolysis and the maintenance of CB sensory neuronal output in periods of restricted glucose delivery and this may act as a key protective mechanism for the organ during hypoglycaemia. The ability, or otherwise, to preserve energetic status may thus account for variation in the reported capacity of the CB to sense physiological glucose concentrations and may even underlie its function during pathological states associated with augmented CB discharge. PMID:25063821

  9. Additive effects of nicotine and high-fat diet on hepatic steatosis in male mice.

    PubMed

    Friedman, Theodore C; Sinha-Hikim, Indrani; Parveen, Meher; Najjar, Sonia M; Liu, Yanjun; Mangubat, Michael; Shin, Chang-Sung; Lyzlov, Alexei; Ivey, Rasheed; Shaheen, Magda; French, Samuel W; Sinha-Hikim, Amiya P

    2012-12-01

    Smoking is a major risk factor for diabetes and cardiovascular disease and may contribute to nonalcoholic fatty liver disease. We hypothesize that in the presence of nicotine, high-fat diet (HFD) causes more severe hepatic steatosis in obese mice. Adult C57BL6 male mice were fed a normal chow diet or HFD and received twice daily injections of nicotine (0.75 mg/kg body weight, ip) or saline for 10 wk. Light microscopic image analysis revealed significantly higher lipid accumulation in livers from mice on HFD plus nicotine (190 ± 19 μm(2)), compared with mice on HFD alone (28 ± 1.2 μm(2)). A significant reduction in the percent volume of endoplasmic reticulum (67.8%) and glycogen (49.2%) was also noted in hepatocytes from mice on HFD plus nicotine, compared with mice on HFD alone. The additive effects of nicotine on the severity of HFD-induced hepatic steatosis was associated with significantly greater oxidative stress, increased hepatic triglyceride levels, higher incidence of hepatocellular apoptosis, inactivation (dephosphorylation) of AMP-activated protein kinase, and activation of its downstream target acetyl-coenzyme A-carboxylase. Treatment with acipimox, an inhibitor of lipolysis, significantly reduced nicotine plus HFD-induced hepatic lipid accumulation. We conclude that: 1) greater oxidative stress coupled with inactivation of AMP-activated protein kinase mediate the additive effects of nicotine and HFD on hepatic steatosis in obese mice and 2) increased lipolysis is an important contributor to hepatic steatosis. We surmise that nicotine exposure is likely to exacerbate the metabolic abnormalities induced by high-fat intake in obese patients.

  10. Influence of thyroid status on hepatic alpha 1-adrenoreceptor responsiveness.

    PubMed

    Daza, F J; Parrilla, R; Martín-Requero, A

    1997-12-01

    The present work aimed to elucidate the influence of thyroid functional status on the alpha 1-adrenoreceptor-induced activation of hepatic metabolic functions. The experiments were performed in either a nonrecirculating liver perfusion system featuring continuous monitoring of portal pressure, PO2, pCa, and pH, or isolated hepatocytes from euthyroid, hyperthyroid, and hypothyroid rats. Hypothyroidism decreased the alpha 1-adrenergic stimulation of respiration, glycogen breakdown, and gluconeogenesis. These effects were accompanied by a decreased intracellular Ca2+ mobilization corroborating that those processes are regulated by the Ca(2+)-dependent branch of the alpha 1-adrenoreceptor signaling pathway. Moreover, in hyperthyroid rats the alpha 1-adrenergic-induced increase in cytosolic Ca2+ was enhanced, and glucose synthesis or mobilization was not altered. The thyroid status influenced neither the alpha 1-adrenergic stimulation of vascular smooth muscle contraction nor the alpha 1-agonist-induced intracellular alkalinization and protein kinase C (PKC) activation. Thus the distinct impairment of the Ca(2+)-dependent branch of the alpha 1-adrenoreceptor signaling pathway by thyroid status provides a useful tool to investigate the role played by each signaling pathway, Ca2+ or PKC, in controlling hepatic functions.

  11. Monthly changes of glycogen, lipid and free amino acid of oyster

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Zhicui, Zhang; Changhu, Xue; Xin, Gao; Zhaojie, Li; Qi, Wang

    2006-07-01

    Monthly difference of the chemical composition of oyster cultured along the eastern coast of Shandong Province was analyzed. The components analyzed included glycogen, fatty acid and free amino acid (FAA). The content of glycogen was high in January and March (2.89 and 2.82 g(100g)-1 on average, respectively) and low in October (2.07 g(100g)-1 on avarage). The low content of neutral lipids in October reflected a relatively poor nutritional value of oyster (1.42 g(100 g)-1 on average). The main fatty acids of oyster were palmitic acid (16:0), oleic acid (18:1), eicosapentaenoic acid (EPA, 20: 5ω-3) and docosahexaenoic acid (DHA, 22:6ω-3). The major FAAs of oyster were Taurine, Glutamicacid, Glycin, Alanine, Arginine and Proline. Taurine was the most abundant FAA with its content ranging from 603 mg (100g)-1 to 1139 mg(100g)-1. The high contents of glycogen, polyunsaturated fatty acid and FAA showed that oyster cultured along the eastern coast of Shandong Province was nutritionally good in January and March.

  12. Targeting hepatic glutaminase activity to ameliorate hyperglycemia.

    PubMed

    Miller, Russell A; Shi, Yuji; Lu, Wenyun; Pirman, David A; Jatkar, Aditi; Blatnik, Matthew; Wu, Hong; Cárdenas, César; Wan, Min; Foskett, J Kevin; Park, Junyoung O; Zhang, Yiyi; Holland, William L; Rabinowitz, Joshua D; Birnbaum, Morris J

    2018-05-01

    Glucagon levels increase under homeostatic, fasting conditions, promoting the release of glucose from the liver by accelerating the breakdown of glycogen (also known as glycogenolysis). Glucagon also enhances gluconeogenic flux, including from an increase in the hepatic consumption of amino acids. In type 2 diabetes, dysregulated glucagon signaling contributes to the elevated hepatic glucose output and fasting hyperglycemia that occur in this condition. Yet, the mechanism by which glucagon stimulates gluconeogenesis remains incompletely understood. Contrary to the prevailing belief that glucagon acts primarily on cytoplasmic and nuclear targets, we find glucagon-dependent stimulation of mitochondrial anaplerotic flux from glutamine that increases the contribution of this amino acid to the carbons of glucose generated during gluconeogenesis. This enhanced glucose production is dependent on protein kinase A (PKA) and is associated with glucagon-stimulated calcium release from the endoplasmic reticulum, activation of mitochondrial α-ketoglutarate dehydrogenase, and increased glutaminolysis. Mice with reduced levels of hepatic glutaminase 2 (GLS2), the enzyme that catalyzes the first step in glutamine metabolism, show lower glucagon-stimulated glutamine-to-glucose flux in vivo, and GLS2 knockout results in higher fasting plasma glucagon and glutamine levels with lower fasting blood glucose levels in insulin-resistant conditions. As found in genome-wide association studies (GWAS), human genetic variation in the region of GLS2 is associated with higher fasting plasma glucose; here we show in human cryopreserved primary hepatocytes in vitro that these natural gain-of-function missense mutations in GLS2 result in higher glutaminolysis and glucose production. These data emphasize the importance of gluconeogenesis from glutamine, particularly in pathological states of increased glucagon signaling, while suggesting a possible new therapeutic avenue to treat hyperglycemia.

  13. Energy utilization and gluconeogenesis in isolated leech segmental ganglia: Quantitative studies on the control and cellular localization of endogenous glycogen.

    PubMed

    Pennington, A J; Pentreath, V W

    1988-01-01

    The isolated segmental ganglia of the horse leech Haemopis sanguisuga were used as a model system to study the utilization and control of glycogen stores within nervous tissue. The glycogen in the ganglia was extracted and assayed fluorimentrically and its cellular localization and turnover studied by autoradiography in conjunction with [(3)H]glucose. We measured the glycogen after various periods of electrical stimulation and after incubation with K(+), Ca(2+), ouabain and glucose. The results for each experimental ganglion were compared to a paired control ganglion and the results analysed by paired t-tests. Electrical stimulation caused sequential changes in glycogen levels: a reduction of up to 67% (5-10 min); followed by an increase of up to 124% (between 15-50 min); followed by a reduction of up to 63% (60-90 min). Values were calculated for glucose utilization (e.g. 0.53 ?mol glucose/gm wet weight/min after 90 min) and estimates derived for glucose consumption per action potential per neuron (e.g. 0.12 fmol at 90 min). Glucose (1.5-10 mM) increased the amount of glycogen (1.5 mM by 30% at 60 min) and attenuated the effects of electrical stimulation. Ouabain (1 mM) blocked the effect of 5 min electrical stimulation. Nine millimolar K(+) increased glycogen by 27% after 10 min and decreased glycogen by 34% after 60 min; 3 mM Ca(2+) had no effect after 10 or 20 min and decreased glycogen by 29% after 60 min. Other concentrations of K(+) and Ca(2+) reduced glycogen after 60 min. Autoradiographic analysis demonstrated that the effects of elevated K(+) were principally within the glial cells. We conclude that (i) the glycogen stores in the glial cells of leech segmental ganglia provide an endogenous energy source which can support sustained neuronal activity, (ii) both electrical stimulation and elevated K(+) can induce gluconeogenesis within the ganglia, (iii) that electrical activation of neurons produces changes in the glycogen in the glial cells which are

  14. Manipulation of Muscle Glycogen Concentrations Using High and Low Carbohydrate Diets and Exercise

    DTIC Science & Technology

    1987-08-01

    high in carbohydrates in the form of simple sugars (i.e., sucrose, fructose , lactose) and complex carbohydrates (i.e., starches, dietary fiber...AD-A 187 732 REPORT NO T32-87 MANIPULATION OF MUSCLE GLYCOGEN CONCENTRATIONS USING HIGH AND LOW CARBOHYDRATE DIETS AND EXERCISE U S ARMY RESEARCH...Muscle Glycogen Concentrations Using High and Low Carbohydrate Diets and Exercise 12. PERSONAL AUTHOR(S) Buchbinder, J., Pocost, J., Hodgess, L., Roche

  15. Energy Metabolism of the Brain, Including the Cooperation between Astrocytes and Neurons, Especially in the Context of Glycogen Metabolism.

    PubMed

    Falkowska, Anna; Gutowska, Izabela; Goschorska, Marta; Nowacki, Przemysław; Chlubek, Dariusz; Baranowska-Bosiacka, Irena

    2015-10-29

    Glycogen metabolism has important implications for the functioning of the brain, especially the cooperation between astrocytes and neurons. According to various research data, in a glycogen deficiency (for example during hypoglycemia) glycogen supplies are used to generate lactate, which is then transported to neighboring neurons. Likewise, during periods of intense activity of the nervous system, when the energy demand exceeds supply, astrocyte glycogen is immediately converted to lactate, some of which is transported to the neurons. Thus, glycogen from astrocytes functions as a kind of protection against hypoglycemia, ensuring preservation of neuronal function. The neuroprotective effect of lactate during hypoglycemia or cerebral ischemia has been reported in literature. This review goes on to emphasize that while neurons and astrocytes differ in metabolic profile, they interact to form a common metabolic cooperation.

  16. Energy Metabolism of the Brain, Including the Cooperation between Astrocytes and Neurons, Especially in the Context of Glycogen Metabolism

    PubMed Central

    Falkowska, Anna; Gutowska, Izabela; Goschorska, Marta; Nowacki, Przemysław; Chlubek, Dariusz; Baranowska-Bosiacka, Irena

    2015-01-01

    Glycogen metabolism has important implications for the functioning of the brain, especially the cooperation between astrocytes and neurons. According to various research data, in a glycogen deficiency (for example during hypoglycemia) glycogen supplies are used to generate lactate, which is then transported to neighboring neurons. Likewise, during periods of intense activity of the nervous system, when the energy demand exceeds supply, astrocyte glycogen is immediately converted to lactate, some of which is transported to the neurons. Thus, glycogen from astrocytes functions as a kind of protection against hypoglycemia, ensuring preservation of neuronal function. The neuroprotective effect of lactate during hypoglycemia or cerebral ischemia has been reported in literature. This review goes on to emphasize that while neurons and astrocytes differ in metabolic profile, they interact to form a common metabolic cooperation. PMID:26528968

  17. Effects of dexamethasone treatment on insulin-stimulated rates of glycolysis and glycogen synthesis in isolated incubated skeletal muscles of the rat.

    PubMed Central

    Leighton, B; Challiss, R A; Lozeman, F J; Newsholme, E A

    1987-01-01

    1. Rats were treated with dexamethasone for 4 days before measurement of the rates of lactate formation [which is an index of hexose transport; see Challiss, Lozeman, Leighton & Newsholme (1986) Biochem. J. 233, 377-381] and glycogen synthesis in response to various concentrations of insulin in isolated incubated soleus and extensor digitorum longus muscle preparations. 2. The concentration of insulin required to stimulate these processes half-maximally in soleus and extensor digitorum longus muscles isolated from control rats was about 100 muunits/ml. 3. Dexamethasone increases the concentration of insulin required to stimulate glycolysis half-maximally in soleus and extensor digitorum longus preparations to 250 and 300 muunits/ml respectively. The respective insulin concentrations necessary to stimulate glycogen synthesis half-maximally were about 430 and 370 muunits/ml for soleus and extensor digitorum longus muscle preparations isolated from steroid-treated rats. 5. Dexamethasone treatment did not change the amount of insulin bound to soleus muscle. PMID:3318810

  18. Nature of alpha and beta particles in glycogen using molecular size distributions.

    PubMed

    Sullivan, Mitchell A; Vilaplana, Francisco; Cave, Richard A; Stapleton, David; Gray-Weale, Angus A; Gilbert, Robert G

    2010-04-12

    Glycogen is a randomly hyperbranched glucose polymer. Complex branched polymers have two structural levels: individual branches and the way these branches are linked. Liver glycogen has a third level: supramolecular clusters of beta particles which form larger clusters of alpha particles. Size distributions of native glycogen were characterized using size exclusion chromatography (SEC) to find the number and weight distributions and the size dependences of the number- and weight-average masses. These were fitted to two distinct randomly joined reference structures, constructed by random attachment of individual branches and as random aggregates of beta particles. The z-average size of the alpha particles in dimethylsulfoxide does not change significantly with high concentrations of LiBr, a solvent system that would disrupt hydrogen bonding. These data reveal that the beta particles are covalently bonded to form alpha particles through a hitherto unsuspected enzyme process, operative in the liver on particles above a certain size range.

  19. Cardioprotection by GSK-3 inhibition: role of enhanced glycogen synthesis and attenuation of calcium overload.

    PubMed

    Omar, Mohamed A; Wang, Lianguo; Clanachan, Alexander S

    2010-06-01

    Glycogen synthase kinase-3 (GSK-3) is a multi-functional kinase that regulates signalling pathways affecting glycogen metabolism, protein synthesis, mitosis, and apoptosis. GSK-3 inhibition limits cardiac ischaemia-reperfusion (IR) injury, but mechanisms are not clearly defined. This study tested the hypothesis that acute GSK-3 inhibition stimulates glycogen synthesis, repartitions glucose away from glycolysis, reduces proton (H+) production from glucose metabolism, and attenuates intracellular Ca2+ (Ca2+(i)) overload. In isolated perfused working rat hearts subjected to global ischaemia and reperfusion, the selective GSK-3 inhibitor, SB-216763 (SB, 3 micromol/L), when added either prior to ischaemia or at the onset of reperfusion, improved recovery of left-ventricular (LV) work. SB increased glycogen synthesis during reperfusion while glycolysis and H+ production were reduced. Rates of glucose and palmitate oxidation were improved by SB. Measurement of Ca2+(i) concentration by rapid acquisition indo-1 fluorescence imaging showed that SB, when added either prior to ischaemia or at the onset of reperfusion, reduced diastolic Ca2+(i) overload during reperfusion. In aerobic hearts depleted of glycogen by substrate-free perfusion to a level similar to that measured at the onset of reperfusion, SB accelerated glycogen synthesis and reduced glycolysis and H+ production independent of changes in LV work. Our study indicates that reduction in H+ production by GSK-3 inhibition is an early and upstream event that lessens Ca2+(i) overload during ischaemia and early reperfusion independent of LV work which enhances the recovery of post-ischaemic LV function and that may ultimately contribute to previously observed reductions in cell death and infarction.

  20. Effect of inhibition of glycogen synthase kinase-3 on cardiac hypertrophy during acute pressure overload.

    PubMed

    Tateishi, Atsushi; Matsushita, Masayuki; Asai, Tomohiro; Masuda, Zenichi; Kuriyama, Mitsuhito; Kanki, Kazushige; Ishino, Kozo; Kawada, Masaaki; Sano, Shunji; Matsui, Hideki

    2010-06-01

    A large number of diverse signaling molecules in cell and animal models participate in the stimulus-response pathway through which the hypertrophic growth of the myocardium is controlled. However, the mechanisms of signaling pathway including the influence of lithium, which is known as an inhibitor of glycogen synthase kinase-3beta, in pressure overload hypertrophy remain unclear. The aim of our study was to determine whether glycogen synthase kinase-3beta inhibition by lithium has acute effects on the myocyte growth mechanism in a pressure overload rat model. First, we created a rat model of acute pressure overload cardiac hypertrophy by abdominal aortic banding. Protein expression time courses for beta-catenin, glycogen synthase kinase-3beta, and phosphoserine9-glycogen synthase kinase-3beta were then examined. The rats were divided into four groups: normal rats with or without lithium administration and pressure-overloaded rats with or without lithium administration. Two days after surgery, Western blot analysis of beta-catenin, echo-cardiographic evaluation, left ventricular (LV) weight, and LV atrial natriuretic peptide mRNA levels were evaluated. We observed an increase in the level of glycogen synthase kinase-3beta phosphorylation on Ser 9. A significant enhancement of LV heart weight (P < 0.05) and interventricular septum and posterior wall thickness (P < 0.05) with pressure-overloaded hypertrophy in animals treated with lithium were also observed. Atrial natriuretic peptide mRNA levels were significantly increased with pressure overload hypertrophy in animals treated with lithium. We have shown in an animal model that inhibition of glycogen synthase kinase-3beta by lithium has an additive effect on pressure overload cardiac hypertrophy.

  1. Glycogen synthase kinase 3 alpha phosphorylates and regulates the osteogenic activity of Osterix.

    PubMed

    Li, Hongyan; Jeong, Hyung Min; Choi, You Hee; Lee, Sung Ho; Jeong, Hye Gwang; Jeong, Tae Cheon; Lee, Kwang Youl

    2013-05-10

    Osteoblast-specific transcription factor Osterix is a zinc-finger transcription factor that required for osteoblast differentiation and new bone formation. The function of Osterix can be modulated by post-translational modification. Glycogen synthase kinase 3 alpha (GSK3α) is a multifunctional serine/threonine protein kinase that plays a role in the Wnt signaling pathways and is implicated in the control of several regulatory proteins and transcription factors. In the present study, we investigated how GSK3α regulates Osterix during osteoblast differentiation. Wide type GSK3α up-regulated the protein level, protein stability and transcriptional activity of Osterix. These results suggest that GSK3α regulates osteogenic activity of Osterix. Copyright © 2013 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

  2. Pyruvate incubation enhances glycogen stores and sustains neuronal function during subsequent glucose deprivation.

    PubMed

    Shetty, Pavan K; Sadgrove, Matthew P; Galeffi, Francesca; Turner, Dennis A

    2012-01-01

    The use of energy substrates, such as lactate and pyruvate, has been shown to improve synaptic function when administered during glucose deprivation. In the present study, we investigated whether prolonged incubation with monocarboxylate (pyruvate or lactate) prior rather than during glucose deprivation can also sustain synaptic and metabolic function. Pyruvate pre-incubation(3-4h) significantly prolonged (>25 min) the tolerance of rat hippocampal slices to delayed glucose deprivation compared to control and lactate pre-incubated slices, as revealed by field excitatory post synaptic potentials (fEPSPs); pre-incubation with pyruvate also reduced the marked decrease in NAD(P)H fluorescence resulting from glucose deprivation. Moreover, pyruvate exposure led to the enhancement of glycogen stores with time, compared to glucose alone (12 μmol/g tissue at 4h vs. 3.5 μmol/g tissue). Prolonged resistance to glucose deprivation following exogenous pyruvate incubation was prevented by glycogenolysis inhibitors, suggesting that enhanced glycogen mediates the delay in synaptic activity failure. The application of an adenosine A1 receptor antagonist enhanced glycogen utilization and prolonged the time to synaptic failure, further confirming this hypothesis of the importance of glycogen. Moreover, tissue levels of ATP were also significantly maintained during glucose deprivation in pyruvate pretreated slices compared to control and lactate. In summary, these experiments indicate that pyruvate exposure prior to glucose deprivation significantly increased the energy buffering capacity of hippocampal slices, particularly by enhancing internal glycogen stores, delaying synaptic failure during glucose deprivation by maintaining ATP levels, and minimizing the decrease in the levels of NAD(P)H. Copyright © 2011 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

  3. Glycogen content in hepatocytes is related with their size in normal rat liver but not in cirrhotic one.

    PubMed

    Bezborodkina, Natalia N; Chestnova, Anna Yu; Vorobev, Mikhail L; Kudryavtsev, Boris N

    2016-04-01

    Hepatocytes differ from one another by the degree of the ploidy, size, position in the liver lobule, and level of the DNA-synthetic processes. It is believed, that the cell size exerts substantial influence on the metabolism of the hepatocytes and the glycogen content in them. The aim of the present study was to test this hypothesis. Dry weight of hepatocytes, their ploidy and glycogen content were determined in the normal and the cirrhotic rat liver. Liver cirrhosis in rats was produced by chronic inhalation of CCl4 vapours in the course of 6 months. A combined cytophotometric method was used. Dry weight of the cell, its glycogen and DNA content were successively measured on a mapped preparation. Hepatocytes of each ploidy class in the normal and the cirrhotic rat liver accumulated glycogen at the same rate. In the normal liver, there was a distinct correlation between the size of hepatocytes and glycogen content in them. This correlation was observed in each ploidy class, and was especially pronounced in the class of mononucleate tetraploid hepatocytes. In the cirrhotic liver, there was no correlation between the size of the cells and their glycogen content. The impairment of liver lobular structure probably explains the observed lack of correlation between hepatocyte size and their glycogen content in the cirrhotic liver. © 2016 International Society for Advancement of Cytometry. © 2016 International Society for Advancement of Cytometry.

  4. Glycogen Reduction in Myotubes of Late-Onset Pompe Disease Patients Using Antisense Technology.

    PubMed

    Goina, Elisa; Peruzzo, Paolo; Bembi, Bruno; Dardis, Andrea; Buratti, Emanuele

    2017-09-06

    Glycogen storage disease type II (GSDII) is a lysosomal disorder caused by the deficient activity of acid alpha-glucosidase (GAA) enzyme, leading to the accumulation of glycogen within the lysosomes. The disease has been classified in infantile and late-onset forms. Most late-onset patients share a splicing mutation c.-32-13T > G in intron 1 of the GAA gene that prevents efficient recognition of exon 2 by the spliceosome. In this study, we have mapped the splicing silencers of GAA exon 2 and developed antisense morpholino oligonucleotides (AMOs) to inhibit those regions and rescue normal splicing in the presence of the c.-32-13T > G mutation. Using a minigene approach and patient fibroblasts, we successfully increased inclusion of exon 2 in the mRNA and GAA enzyme production by targeting a specific silencer with a combination of AMOs. Most importantly, the use of these AMOs in patient myotubes results in a decreased accumulation of glycogen. To our knowledge, this is the only therapeutic approach resulting in a decrease of glycogen accumulation in patient tissues beside enzyme replacement therapy (ERT) and TFEB overexpression. As a result, it may represent a highly novel and promising therapeutic line for GSDII. Copyright © 2017 The Author(s). Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

  5. Actions of p-synephrine on hepatic enzyme activities linked to carbohydrate metabolism and ATP levels in vivo and in the perfused rat liver.

    PubMed

    Maldonado, Marcos Rodrigues; Bracht, Lívia; de Sá-Nakanishi, Anacharis Babeto; Corrêa, Rúbia Carvalho Gomes; Comar, Jurandir Fernando; Peralta, Rosane Marina; Bracht, Adelar

    2018-01-01

    p-Synephrine is one of the main active components of the fruit of Citrus aurantium (bitter orange). Extracts of the bitter orange and other preparations containing p-synephrine have been used worldwide to promote weight loss and for sports performance. The purpose of the study was to measure the action of p-synephrine on hepatic enzyme activities linked to carbohydrate and energy metabolism and the levels of adenine mononucleotides. Enzymes and adenine mononucleotides were measured in the isolated perfused rat liver and in vivo after oral administration of the drug (50 and 300 mg/kg) by using standard techniques. p-Synephrine increased the activity of glycogen phosphorylase in vivo and in the perfused liver. It decreased, however, the activities of pyruvate kinase and pyruvate dehydrogenase also in vivo and in the perfused liver. p-Synephrine increased the hepatic pools of adenosine diphosphate and adenosine triphosphate. Stimulation of glycogen phosphorylase is consistent with the reported increased glycogenolysis in the perfused liver and increased glycemia in rats. The decrease in the pyruvate dehydrogenase activity indicates that p-synephrine is potentially capable of inhibiting the transformation of carbohydrates into lipids. The capability of increasing the adenosine triphosphate-adenosine diphosphate pool indicates a beneficial effect of p-synephrine on the cellular energetics. Copyright © 2017 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.

  6. Profiling of lipid and glycogen accumulations under different growth conditions in the sulfothermophilic red alga Galdieria sulphuraria.

    PubMed

    Sakurai, Toshihiro; Aoki, Motohide; Ju, Xiaohui; Ueda, Tatsuya; Nakamura, Yasunori; Fujiwara, Shoko; Umemura, Tomonari; Tsuzuki, Mikio; Minoda, Ayumi

    2016-01-01

    The unicellular red alga Galdieria sulphuraria grows efficiently and produces a large amount of biomass in acidic conditions at high temperatures. It has great potential to produce biofuels and other beneficial compounds without becoming contaminated with other organisms. In G. sulphuraria, biomass measurements and glycogen and lipid analyses demonstrated that the amounts and compositions of glycogen and lipids differed when cells were grown under autotrophic, mixotrophic, and heterotrophic conditions. Maximum biomass production was obtained in the mixotrophic culture. High amounts of glycogen were obtained in the mixotrophic cultures, while the amounts of neutral lipids were similar between mixotrophic and heterotrophic cultures. The amounts of neutral lipids were highest in red algae, including thermophiles. Glycogen structure and fatty acids compositions largely depended on the growth conditions. Copyright © 2015. Published by Elsevier Ltd.

  7. Muscle-Specific Deletion of Rictor Impairs Insulin-Stimulated Glucose Transport and Enhances Basal Glycogen Synthase Activity▿

    PubMed Central

    Kumar, Anil; Harris, Thurl E.; Keller, Susanna R.; Choi, Kin M.; Magnuson, Mark A.; Lawrence, John C.

    2008-01-01

    Rictor is an essential component of mTOR (mammalian target of rapamycin) complex 2 (mTORC2), a kinase complex that phosphorylates Akt at Ser473 upon activation of phosphatidylinositol 3-kinase (PI-3 kinase). Since little is known about the role of either rictor or mTORC2 in PI-3 kinase-mediated physiological processes in adult animals, we generated muscle-specific rictor knockout mice. Muscle from male rictor knockout mice exhibited decreased insulin-stimulated glucose uptake, and the mice showed glucose intolerance. In muscle lacking rictor, the phosphorylation of Akt at Ser473 was reduced dramatically in response to insulin. Furthermore, insulin-stimulated phosphorylation of the Akt substrate AS160 at Thr642 was reduced in rictor knockout muscle, indicating a defect in insulin signaling to stimulate glucose transport. However, the phosphorylation of Akt at Thr308 was normal and sufficient to mediate the phosphorylation of glycogen synthase kinase 3 (GSK-3). Basal glycogen synthase activity in muscle lacking rictor was increased to that of insulin-stimulated controls. Consistent with this, we observed a decrease in basal levels of phosphorylated glycogen synthase at a GSK-3/protein phosphatase 1 (PP1)-regulated site in rictor knockout muscle. This change in glycogen synthase phosphorylation was associated with an increase in the catalytic activity of glycogen-associated PP1 but not increased GSK-3 inactivation. Thus, rictor in muscle tissue contributes to glucose homeostasis by positively regulating insulin-stimulated glucose uptake and negatively regulating basal glycogen synthase activity. PMID:17967879

  8. Purification and characterization of the glycogen-bound protein phosphatase from rat liver.

    PubMed

    Wera, S; Bollen, M; Stalmans, W

    1991-01-05

    Glycogen-bound protein phosphatase G from rat liver was transferred from glycogen to beta-cyclodextrin (cycloheptaamylose) linked to Sepharose 6B. After removal of the catalytic subunit and of contaminating proteins with 2 M NaCl, elution with beta-cyclodextrin yielded a single protein on native polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis and two polypeptides (161 and 54 kDa) on sodium dodecyl sulfate-polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis. Several lines of evidence indicate that the latter polypeptides are subunits of the protein phosphatase G holoenzyme. First, these polypeptides were also present, together with the catalytic subunit, in the extensively purified holoenzyme. Also, polyclonal antibodies against these polypeptides were able to bind the holoenzyme. Further, while bound to cyclodextrin-Sepharose, the polypeptides were able to recombine with separately purified type-1 (AMD) catalytic subunit, but not with type-2A (PCS) catalytic subunit. The characteristics of the reconstituted enzyme resembled those of the nonpurified protein phosphatase G. At low dilutions, the spontaneous phosphorylase phosphatase activity of the reconstituted enzyme was about 10 times lower than that of the catalytic subunit, but it was about 1000-fold more resistant to inhibition by the modulator protein (inhibitor-2). In contrast with the free catalytic subunit, the reconstituted enzyme co-sedimented with glycogen, and it was able to activate purified liver glycogen synthase b. Also, the synthase phosphatase activity was synergistically increased by a cytosolic phosphatase and inhibited by physiological concentrations of phosphorylase alpha and of Ca2+.

  9. Glycogen Storage Disease Type Ia: Linkage of Glucose, Glycogen, Lactic Acid, Triglyceride, and Uric Acid Metabolism

    PubMed Central

    Sever, Sakine; Weinstein, David A.; Wolfsdorf, Joseph I.; Gedik, Reyhan; Schaefer, Ernst J.

    2013-01-01

    Case Summary A female presented in infancy with hypotonia, undetectable serum glucose, lactic acidosis, and triglycerides > 5,000 mg/dl. The diagnosis of type 1A glycogen storage disease (GSD) was made by liver biopsy that showed increased glycogen and absent glucose-6-phosphatase enzyme activity. She was treated with dextrose feeding, which was replaced by frequent cornstarch feeding, with improvement of her metabolic parameters. At age 18 years she had marked hypertriglyceridemia (3,860 mg/dl) and eruptive xanthomas, and was treated with fenofibrate, atorvastatin, and fish oil. At age 29 years she was noted to have multiple liver adenomas, severe anemia, and hyperuricemia. Aggressive cornstarch therapy was commenced with a goal of maintaining her blood glucose levels > 75 mg/dl and lactate levels < 2 mmol/L. After 15 months on this regimen, her lipids levels (measured in mg/dl) off all medications were: total cholesterol 222, triglycerides 179, high density lipoprotein cholesterol 32, and calculated low density lipoprotein cholesterol 154. Her weight was stable with a body mass index of 24.8 kg/m2. Her liver adenomas had decreased in size, and her anemia and hyperuricemia had improved. She was homozygous for the R83C missense mutation in G6PC. Our data indicate that optimized metabolic control to maintain blood glucose levels > 75 mg/dl is critical in the management of this disease. PMID:23312056

  10. Betaine improves nonalcoholic fatty liver and associated hepatic insulin resistance: a potential mechanism for hepatoprotection by betaine

    PubMed Central

    Kathirvel, Elango; Morgan, Kengathevy; Nandgiri, Ganesh; Sandoval, Brian C.; Caudill, Marie A.; Bottiglieri, Teodoro; French, Samuel W.

    2010-01-01

    Nonalcoholic fatty liver (NAFL) is a common liver disease, associated with insulin resistance. Betaine has been tested as a treatment for NAFL in animal models and in small clinical trials, with mixed results. The present study aims to determine whether betaine treatment would prevent or treat NAFL in mice and to understand how betaine reverses hepatic insulin resistance. Male mice were fed a moderate high-fat diet (mHF) containing 20% of calories from fat for 7 (mHF) or 8 (mHF8) mo without betaine, with betaine (mHFB), or with betaine for the last 6 wk (mHF8B). Control mice were fed standard chow containing 9% of calories from fat for 7 mo (SF) or 8 mo (SF8). HepG2 cells were made insulin resistant and then studied with or without betaine. mHF mice had higher body weight, fasting glucose, insulin, and triglycerides and greater hepatic fat than SF mice. Betaine reduced fasting glucose, insulin, triglycerides, and hepatic fat. In the mHF8B group, betaine treatment significantly improved insulin resistance and hepatic steatosis. Hepatic betaine content significantly decreased in mHF and increased significantly in mHFB. Betaine treatment reversed the inhibition of hepatic insulin signaling in mHF and in insulin-resistant HepG2 cells, including normalization of insulin receptor substrate 1 (IRS1) phosphorylation and of downstream signaling pathways for gluconeogenesis and glycogen synthesis. Betaine treatment prevents and treats fatty liver in a moderate high-dietary-fat model of NAFL in mice. Betaine also reverses hepatic insulin resistance in part by increasing the activation of IRS1, with resultant improvement in downstream signaling pathways. PMID:20724529

  11. Monoamines and glycogen levels in cerebral cortices of fast and slow methionine sulfoximine-inbred mice.

    PubMed

    Boissonnet, Arnaud; Hévor, Tobias; Landemarre, Ludovic; Cloix, Jean-François

    2013-05-01

    The experimental model of seizures which depends upon methionine sulfoximine (MSO) simulates the most striking form of human epilepsy. MSO generates epileptiform seizures in a large variety of animals, increases brain glycogen content and induces brain monoamines modifications. We selected two inbred lines of mice based upon their latency toward MSO-dependent seizures, named as MSO-Fast (sensitive), having short latency toward MSO, and MSO-Slow (resistant) with a long latency. We determined 13 monoamines and glycogen contents in brain cortices of the MSO-Fast and slow lines in order to determine the relationships with MSO-dependent seizures. The present data show that using these MSO-Fast and MSO-Slow inbred lines it could be demonstrated that: (1) in basal conditions the neurotransmitter 5-HT is significantly higher in MSO-Fast mice than in MSO-Slow ones; (2) MSO in both lines induced a significant increase in brain content of DOPAC (3,4-dihydroxyphenylacetic acid), HVA (homovanillic acid), MHPG (3-methoxy-4-hydroxyphenylglycol), and 5-HT (serotonin); a significant decrease in MSO-Slow mice in brain content of NME (normetepinephrine), and 5-HIAA (5-hydroxyindoleacetic acid) and the variation of other monoamines were not significant; (3) the brain glycogen content is significantly higher in MSO-Fast mice than in MSO-Slow ones, both in basal conditions and after MSO administration. From our data, we propose that brain glycogen content may constitute a defense against epileptic attack, as glycogen may be degraded down to glucose-6-phosphate that can be used to either postpone the epileptic attack or to provide neurons with energy when they needed it. Brain glycogen might therefore be considered as a molecule that can contribute to struggle seizures, at least in MSO-dependent seizure. The 5-HT content may constitute a defense against MSO-dependent epilepsy. Copyright © 2013 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

  12. Relationship between muscle water and glycogen recovery after prolonged exercise in the heat in humans.

    PubMed

    Fernández-Elías, Valentín E; Ortega, Juan F; Nelson, Rachael K; Mora-Rodriguez, Ricardo

    2015-09-01

    It is usually stated that glycogen is stored in human muscle bound to water in a proportion of 1:3 g. We investigated this proportion in biopsy samples during recovery from prolonged exercise. On two occasions, nine aerobically trained subjects ([Formula: see text] = 54.4 ± 1.05 mL kg(-1) min(-1); mean ± SD) dehydrated 4.6 ± 0.2 % by cycling 150 min at 65 % [Formula: see text] in a hot-dry environment (33 ± 4 °C). One hour after exercise subjects ingested 250 g of carbohydrates in 400 mL of water (REHLOW) or the same syrup plus water to match fluid losses (i.e., 3170 ± 190 mL; REHFULL). Muscle biopsies were obtained before, 1 and 4 h after exercise. In both trials muscle water decreased from pre-exercise similarly by 13 ± 6 % and muscle glycogen by 44 ± 10 % (P < 0.05). After recovery, glycogen levels were similar in both trials (79 ± 15 and 87 ± 18 g kg(-1) dry muscle; P = 0.20) while muscle water content was higher in REHFULL than in REHLOW (3814 ± 222 vs. 3459 ± 324 g kg(-1) dm, respectively; P < 0.05; ES = 1.06). Despite the insufficient water provided during REHLOW, per each gram of glycogen, 3 g of water was stored in muscle (recovery ratio 1:3) while during REHFULL this ratio was higher (1:17). Our findings agree with the long held notion that each gram of glycogen is stored in human muscle with at least 3 g of water. Higher ratios are possible (e.g., during REHFULL) likely due to water storage not bound to glycogen.

  13. Glycogen metabolism protects against metabolic insult to preserve carotid body function during glucose deprivation.

    PubMed

    Holmes, Andrew P; Turner, Philip J; Carter, Paul; Leadbeater, Wendy; Ray, Clare J; Hauton, David; Buckler, Keith J; Kumar, Prem

    2014-10-15

    The view that the carotid body (CB) type I cells are direct physiological sensors of hypoglycaemia is challenged by the finding that the basal sensory neuronal outflow from the whole organ is unchanged in response to low glucose. The reason for this difference in viewpoint and how the whole CB maintains its metabolic integrity when exposed to low glucose is unknown. Here we show that, in the intact superfused rat CB, basal sensory neuronal activity was sustained during glucose deprivation for 29.1 ± 1.2 min, before irreversible failure following a brief period of excitation. Graded increases in the basal discharge induced by reducing the superfusate PO2 led to proportional decreases in the time to the pre-failure excitation during glucose deprivation which was dependent on a complete run-down in glycolysis and a fall in cellular energy status. A similar ability to withstand prolonged glucose deprivation was observed in isolated type I cells. Electron micrographs and immunofluorescence staining of rat CB sections revealed the presence of glycogen granules and the glycogen conversion enzymes glycogen synthase I and glycogen phosphorylase BB, dispersed throughout the type I cell cytoplasm. Furthermore, pharmacological attenuation of glycogenolysis and functional depletion of glycogen both significantly reduced the time to glycolytic run-down by ∼33 and 65%, respectively. These findings suggest that type I cell glycogen metabolism allows for the continuation of glycolysis and the maintenance of CB sensory neuronal output in periods of restricted glucose delivery and this may act as a key protective mechanism for the organ during hypoglycaemia. The ability, or otherwise, to preserve energetic status may thus account for variation in the reported capacity of the CB to sense physiological glucose concentrations and may even underlie its function during pathological states associated with augmented CB discharge. © 2014 The Authors. The Journal of Physiology © 2014

  14. Identification of key regulators in glycogen utilization in E. coli based on the simulations from a hybrid functional Petri net model.

    PubMed

    Tian, Zhongyuan; Fauré, Adrien; Mori, Hirotada; Matsuno, Hiroshi

    2013-01-01

    Glycogen and glucose are two sugar sources available during the lag phase of E. coli, but the mechanism that regulates their utilization is still unclear. Attempting to unveil the relationship between glucose and glycogen, we propose an integrated hybrid functional Petri net (HFPN) model including glycolysis, PTS, glycogen metabolic pathway, and their internal regulatory systems. By comparing known biological results to this model, basic necessary regulatory mechanism for utilizing glucose and glycogen were identified as a feedback circuit in which HPr and EIIAGlc play key roles. Based on this regulatory HFPN model, we discuss the process of glycogen utilization in E. coli in the context of a systematic understanding of carbohydrate metabolism.

  15. Relationship between pseudoaneurysm formation and biloma after successful transarterial embolization for severe hepatic injury: permanent embolization using stainless steel coils prevents pseudoaneurysm formation.

    PubMed

    Hagiwara, Akiyoshi; Tarui, Takehiko; Murata, Atsuo; Matsuda, Takeaki; Yamaguti, Yoshihiro; Shimazaki, Shuji

    2005-07-01

    The purpose of this study was to determine the association between bilomas and pseudoaneurysm complications after severe hepatic injury. Angiography was performed in patients with American Association for the Surgery of Trauma grade > or = III hepatic injury on contrast-enhanced computed tomographic scanning. When contrast extravasation was observed, transarterial embolization (TAE) was performed. After TAE, technetium-99m pyridoxyl-5-methyl-tryptophan cholescintigraphy was performed to detect the coexistence of bilomas. Follow-up angiography was performed when a biloma was detected. Eighty consecutive patients underwent angiography; after angiography, five patients died. The remaining 75 patients who underwent cholescintigraphy were included in this study. All 11 patients who had bilomas had angiographic evidence of contrast extravasation. The biloma frequency was higher in patients with grades IV and V injuries than in those with grade III injury (p = 0.024). Follow-up angiography revealed pseudoaneurysms in 7 of these 11 patients. All six patients in whom only gelatin sponge pledget injection was used to embolize had pseudoaneurysms. Among them, two patients had computed tomographic evidence of massive intra-abdominal fluid collection. In contrast, only one of five patients who received the combination of gelatin sponge pledget injection and stainless steel coils to permanently embolize injured arteries had a pseudoaneurysm. In this patient, the pseudoaneurysm was found in the peripheral part of the collateral vessels. All patients with pseudoaneurysms underwent repeat TAE and were discharged from the hospital uneventfully. In patients with high-grade hepatic injury and arterial bleeding who developed biloma, use of a gelatin sponge, an absorbable embolic material, is associated with a risk of pseudoaneurysm formation. Permanent arterial embolization using stainless steel coils is indicated to decrease this risk.

  16. Genetics Home Reference: glycogen storage disease type I

    MedlinePlus

    ... Bird TD, Ledbetter N, Mefford HC, Smith RJH, Stephens K, editors. GeneReviews® [Internet]. Seattle (WA): University of Washington, Seattle; 1993-2017. Available from http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/books/NBK1312/ Citation on PubMed Chou JY, Jun HS, Mansfield BC. Neutropenia in type Ib glycogen storage ...

  17. Astrocyte-neuron lactate transport is required for long-term memory formation.

    PubMed

    Suzuki, Akinobu; Stern, Sarah A; Bozdagi, Ozlem; Huntley, George W; Walker, Ruth H; Magistretti, Pierre J; Alberini, Cristina M

    2011-03-04

    We report that, in the rat hippocampus, learning leads to a significant increase in extracellular lactate levels that derive from glycogen, an energy reserve selectively localized in astrocytes. Astrocytic glycogen breakdown and lactate release are essential for long-term but not short-term memory formation, and for the maintenance of long-term potentiation (LTP) of synaptic strength elicited in vivo. Disrupting the expression of the astrocytic lactate transporters monocarboxylate transporter 4 (MCT4) or MCT1 causes amnesia, which, like LTP impairment, is rescued by L-lactate but not equicaloric glucose. Disrupting the expression of the neuronal lactate transporter MCT2 also leads to amnesia that is unaffected by either L-lactate or glucose, suggesting that lactate import into neurons is necessary for long-term memory. Glycogenolysis and astrocytic lactate transporters are also critical for the induction of molecular changes required for memory formation, including the induction of phospho-CREB, Arc, and phospho-cofilin. We conclude that astrocyte-neuron lactate transport is required for long-term memory formation. Copyright © 2011 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

  18. Astrocyte-neuron lactate transport is required for long-term memory formation

    PubMed Central

    Suzuki, Akinobu; Stern, Sarah A.; Bozdagi, Ozlem; Huntley, George W.; Walker, Ruth H.; Magistretti, Pierre J.; Alberini, Cristina M.

    2011-01-01

    SUMMARY We report that in the rat hippocampus learning leads to a significant increase in extracellular lactate levels, which derive from glycogen, an energy reserve selectively localized in astrocytes. Astrocytic glycogen breakdown and lactate release are essential for long-term but not short-term memory formation, and for the maintenance of long-term potentiation (LTP) of synaptic strength elicited in-vivo. Disrupting the expression of the astrocytic lactate transporters monocarboxylate transporter 4 (MCT4) or MCT1 causes amnesia, which, like LTP impairment, is rescued by lactate but not equicaloric glucose. Disrupting the expression of the neuronal lactate transporter MCT2 also leads to amnesia that is unaffected by either L-lactate or glucose, suggesting that lactate import into neurons is necessary for long-term memory. Glycogenolysis and astrocytic lactate transporters are also critical for the induction of molecular changes required for memory formation, including the induction of phospho-CREB, Arc and phospho-cofilin. We conclude that astrocyte-neuron lactate transport is required for long-term memory formation. PMID:21376239

  19. Epidermal growth factor administration decreases liver glycogen and causes mild hyperglycaemia in mice.

    PubMed

    Grau, M; Tebar, F; Ramírez, I; Soley, M

    1996-04-01

    Several laboratories report different effects of epidermal growth factor (EGF) on glycogen metabolism in hepatocytes. The discrepancies may be attributed to differences in the experimental conditions. It is therefore important to establish the actual effect of EGF in vivo. Because large physiological variations of EGF concentration in plasma occur in mice, we used this species to address this question. In freshly isolated mouse hepatocytes, EGF increased glycogen degradation in a dose-dependent manner. The maximal effect (36% increase over basal glycogenolysis) was smaller than maximal effects of classical glycogenolytic hormones like adrenaline or glucagon (more than 150% increase over basal). This is in keeping with the smaller effect of EGF on phosphorylase a activity. In contrast with these hormones, EGF did not inhibit glycolysis. Thus these effects of EGF in mouse hepatocytes are similar to those recently described by us in rat hepatocytes [Quintana, Grau, Moreno, Soler, Ramirez and Soley (1995) Biochem J 308, 889-894]. When administered to whole animals, EGF increased phosphorylase a activity, decreased the glycogen content in the liver and caused mild hyperglycaemia. Taking together the results obtained for isolated cells and for whole animals, we suggest that the glucosyl residues released from glycogen are used mostly by the liver rather than released to the circulation. This would be different from the action of the classical glycogenolytic hormones, adrenaline and glucagon.

  20. Characterization of 1,4-dideoxy-1,4-imino-d-arabinitol (DAB) as an inhibitor of brain glycogen shunt activity.

    PubMed

    Walls, Anne B; Sickmann, Helle M; Brown, Angus; Bouman, Stephan D; Ransom, Bruce; Schousboe, Arne; Waagepetersen, Helle S

    2008-05-01

    The pharmacological properties of 1,4-dideoxy-1,4-imino-d-arabinitol (DAB), a potent inhibitor of glycogen phosphorylase and synthase activity in liver preparations, were characterized in different brain tissue preparations as a prerequisite for using it as a tool to investigate brain glycogen metabolism. Its inhibitory effect on glycogen phosphorylase was studied in homogenates of brain tissue and astrocytes and IC50-values close to 400 nM were found. However, the concentration of DAB needed for inhibition of glycogen shunt activity, i.e. glucose metabolism via glycogen, in intact astrocytes was almost three orders of magnitude higher. Additionally, such complete inhibition required a pre-incubation period, a finding possibly reflecting a limited permeability of the astrocytic membrane. DAB did not affect the accumulation of 2-deoxyglucose-6-phosphate indicating that the transport of DAB is not mediated by the glucose transporter. DAB had no effect on enzymes involving glucose-6-phosphate, i.e. glucose-6-phosphate dehydrogenase, phosphoglucoisomerase and hexokinase. Furthermore, DAB was evaluated in a functional preparation of the isolated mouse optic nerve, in which its presence severely reduced the ability to sustain evoked compound action potentials in the absence of glucose, a condition in which glycogen serves as an important energy substrate. Based on the experimental findings, DAB can be used to evaluate glycogen shunt activity and its functional importance in intact brain tissue and cells at a concentration of 300-1000 muM and a pre-incubation period of 1 h.

  1. Hepatic OATP Transporter and Thyroid Hormone Receptor Interplay Determines Cholesterol and Glucose Homeostasis

    PubMed Central

    Meyer zu Schwabedissen, Henriette E.; Ware, Joseph A.; Finkelstein, David; Chaudhry, Amarjit S.; Lemay, Sara; Leon-Ponte, Matilde; Strom, Stephen C.; Zaher, Hani; Schwarz, Ute I.; Freeman, David J.; Schuetz, Erin G.; Tirona, Rommel G.; Kim, Richard B.

    2011-01-01

    The role of Organic Anion Transporting Polypeptides (OATPs), particularly the members of OATP1B-subfamily, in hepatocellular handling of endogenous and exogenous compounds is an important and emerging area of research. Using a mouse model lacking Slco1b2, the murine ortholog of the OATP1B-subfamily, we previously demonstrated that genetic ablation causes reduced hepatic clearance capacity for substrates. In this report we focused on the physiological function of the hepatic OATP1B transporters. First we studied the influence of the Oatp1b2 deletion on bile acid metabolism showing that lack of the transporter results in a significantly reduced expression of Cyp7a1 the key enzyme of bile acid synthesis, resulting in elevated cholesterol levels after high dietary fat challenge. Furthermore, Slco1b2−/− mice exhibited delayed clearance after oral glucose challenge resulting from reduced hepatic glucose uptake. In addition to increased hepatic glycogen content, Slco1b2−/−exhibited reduced glucose output after pyruvate challenge. This is in accordance with reduced hepatic expression of PEPCK in knockout mice. We show this phenotype is due to the loss of liver-specific Oatp1b2-mediated hepatocellular thyroid hormone entry, which then leads to reduced transcriptional activation of target genes of hepatic thyroid hormone receptor (TR) including the prior mentioned Cyp7a1 and Pepck, but also Dio1 and Glut2. Importantly, we assessed human relevance using a cohort of archived human livers where OATP1B1 expression was noted to be highly associated with TR target genes, especially for GLUT2. Furthermore, GLUT2 expression was significantly decreased in livers harboring a common genetic polymorphism in SLCO1B1. Conclusion Our findings reveal that OATP1B-mediated hepatic thyroid hormone entry is a key determinant of cholesterol and glucose homeostasis. PMID:21538436

  2. Nonlethal evaluation of the physiological health of unionid mussels: Method for biopsy and glycogen analysis

    USGS Publications Warehouse

    Naimo, T.J.; Damschen, E.D.; Rada, R.G.; Monroe, E.M.

    1998-01-01

    In long-lived unionid mussels, many short-term measures of growth are of limited value. Changes in physiological condition may be an early indication of stress, because the increased energy demand associated with stress often results in a depletion of glycogen reserves, the principal storage form of carbohydrates in unionid mussels. Our goal was to nonlethally extract tissue from freshwater mussels and then to develop a rapid and dependable method for the analysis of glycogen in the tissue extracts. A biopsy technique was developed to remove between 5 and 10 mg of food tissue in Amblema plicata plicata. The survival rate did not differ between biopsied and non-biopsied mussels during a 581-d observation period, demonstrating that the biopsy technique will allow nonlethal evaluation of the physiological condition of individual mussels through measurement of changes in contaminant, genetic, and biochemical indicators in tissue. We also modified the standard alkaline digestion and phenol-sulfuric acid analysis of glycogen for use on the small samples of biopsied tissue and to reduce analysis time and cost. We present quality control data, including method detection limits and estimates of precision and bias. The modified analytical method is rapid and accurate and has a method detection limit of 0.014 mg glycogen. Glycogen content in the biopsied samples was well above the method detection limit; it ranged from 0.09 to 0.36 mg, indicating that the method should be applicable to native mussels.

  3. Anti-obesity effects of 3-hydroxychromone derivative, a novel small-molecule inhibitor of glycogen synthase kinase-3.

    PubMed

    Lee, Sooho; Yang, Woo Kyeom; Song, Ji Ho; Ra, Young Min; Jeong, Jin-Hyun; Choe, Wonchae; Kang, Insug; Kim, Sung-Soo; Ha, Joohun

    2013-04-01

    Glycogen synthase kinase 3 (GSK-3) plays a central role in cellular energy metabolism, and dysregulation of GSK-3 activity is implicated in a variety of metabolic disorders, including obesity, type 2 diabetes, and cancer. Hence, GSK-3 has emerged as an attractive target molecule for the treatment of metabolic disorders. Therefore, this research focused on identification and characterization of a novel small-molecule GSK-3 inhibitor. Compound 1a, a structure based on 3-hydroxychromone bearing isothiazolidine-1,1-dione, was identified from chemical library as a highly potent GSK-3 inhibitor. An in vitro kinase assay utilizing a panel of kinases demonstrated that compound 1a strongly inhibits GSK-3β. The potential effects of compound 1a on the inactivation of GSK-3 were confirmed in human liver HepG2 and human embryonic kidney HEK293 cells. Stabilization of glycogen synthase and β-catenin, which are direct targets of GSK-3, by compound 1a was assessed in comparison with two other GSK-3 inhibitors: LiCl and SB-415286. In mouse 3T3-L1 preadipocytes, compound 1a markedly blocked adipocyte differentiation. Consistently, intraperitoneal administration of compound 1a to diet-induced obese mice significantly ameliorated their key symptoms such as body weight gain, increased adiposity, dyslipidemia, and hepatic steatosis due to the marked reduction of whole-body lipid level. In vitro and in vivo effects were accompanied by upregulation of β-catenin stability and downregulation of the expression of several critical genes related to lipid metabolism. From these results, it can be concluded that compound 1a, a novel small-molecule inhibitor of GSK-3, has potential as a new class of therapeutic agent for obesity treatment. Copyright © 2013 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

  4. A fermented soy permeate improves the skeletal muscle glucose level without restoring the glycogen content in streptozotocin-induced diabetic rats.

    PubMed

    Malardé, Ludivine; Vincent, Sophie; Lefeuvre-Orfila, Luz; Efstathiou, Théo; Groussard, Carole; Gratas-Delamarche, Arlette

    2013-02-01

    Exercise is essential into the therapeutic management of diabetic patients, but their level of exercise tolerance is lowered due to alterations of glucose metabolism. As soy isoflavones have been shown to improve glucose metabolism, this study aimed to assess the effects of a dietary supplement containing soy isoflavones and alpha-galactooligosaccharides on muscular glucose, glycogen synthase (GSase), and glycogen content in a type 1 diabetic animal model. The dietary supplement tested was a patented compound, Fermented Soy Permeate (FSP), developed by the French Company Sojasun Technologies. Forty male Wistar rats were randomly assigned to control or diabetic groups (streptozotocin, 45 mg/kg). Each group was then divided into placebo or FSP-supplemented groups. Both groups received by oral gavage, respectively, water or diluted FSP (0.1 g/day), daily for a period of 3 weeks. At the end of the protocol, glycemia was noticed after a 24-h fasting period. Glucose, total GSase, and the glycogen content were determined in the skeletal muscle (gastrocnemius). Diabetic animals showed a higher blood glucose concentration, but a lower glucose and glycogen muscle content than controls. Three weeks of FSP consumption allowed to restore the muscle glucose concentration, but failed to reduce glycemia and to normalize the glycogen content in diabetic rats. Furthermore, the glycogen content was increased in FSP-supplemented controls compared to placebo controls. Our results demonstrated that diabetic rats exhibited a depleted muscle glycogen content (-25%). FSP-supplementation normalized the muscle glucose level without restoring the glycogen content in diabetic rats. However, it succeeded to increase it in the control group (+20%).

  5. Effects of diabetes on brain metabolism--is brain glycogen a significant player?

    PubMed

    Sickmann, Helle M; Waagepetersen, Helle S

    2015-02-01

    Brain glycogen, being an intracellular glucose reservoir, contributes to maintain energy and neurotransmitter homeostasis under physiological as well as pathological conditions. Under conditions with a disturbance in systemic glucose metabolism such as in diabetes, the supply of glucose to the brain may be affected and have important impacts on brain metabolism and neurotransmission. This also implies that brain glycogen may serve an essential role in the diabetic state to sustain appropriate brain function. There are two main types of diabetes; type 1 and type 2 diabetes and both types may be associated with brain impairments e.g. cognitive decline and dementia. It is however, not clear how these impairments on brain function are linked to alterations in brain energy and neurotransmitter metabolism. In this review, we will illuminate how rodent diabetes models have contributed to a better understanding of how brain energy and neurotransmitter metabolism is affected in diabetes. There will be a particular focus on the role of brain glycogen to support glycolytic and TCA cycle activity as well as glutamate-glutamine cycle in type 1 and type 2 diabetes.

  6. Hepatic inclusions during interferon therapy in chronic viral hepatitis.

    PubMed

    Schaff, Z; Hoofnagle, J H; Grimley, P M

    1986-01-01

    Two types of cytomembranous abnormalities were identified for the first time in liver biopsies from patients with chronic active type B hepatitis during treatment with recombinant alpha-interferon. Tubuloreticular inclusions were present in the hepatic endothelial cells, Kupffer cells and perisinusoidal cells of liver biopsies from both patients, and they were absent in liver biopsies obtained before treatment. Cylindrical confronting lamellae, having "test tube" or "ring-shape" forms were observed in the cytoplasm both of Kupffer cells and macrophages in the second liver biopsy of one of the patients. The findings suggest that interferon can be involved in the pathogenesis of both cytomembranous abnormalities, but that additional biological factors may play a role in formation of the cylindrical confronting lamellae.

  7. Usefulness of chemical-shift MRI in discriminating increased liver echogenicity in glycogenosis.

    PubMed

    Pozzato, C; Dall'asta, C; Radaelli, G; Torcoletti, M; Formenti, A; Riva, E; Cornalba, G; Pontiroli, A E

    2007-11-01

    Glycogen storage diseases are inherited defects which cause accumulation of glycogen in the tissues. Hepatic steatosis is defined as accumulation of fat within hepatocytes. On sonography, liver shows increased echogenicity both in glycogen storage diseases and steatosis. Liver hyperechogenicity in glycogen storage diseases may depend on accumulation of glycogen and/or fat. Chemical-shift magnetic resonance imaging can discriminate tissues only containing water from those containing both fat and water. The primary aim of the present study was to evaluate the usefulness of liver chemical-shift magnetic resonance imaging for detecting liver steatosis in patients with metabolic impairment due to glycogen storage diseases. Twelve patients with type I (n=8) or type III (n=4) glycogen storage diseases were studied and compared to 12 obese-overweight subjects with known liver steatosis. As control group 12 lean normal voluntary subjects were recruited. Liver was evaluated by sonography and chemical-shift magnetic resonance imaging to calculate hepatic fat fraction. A significant difference in echogenicity between patients with glycogen storage diseases and normal subjects was observed (p<0.05), while this difference was not present between overweight-obese and glycogen storage diseases patients. On the contrary, fat fraction was similar between glycogen storage diseases patients and normal subjects and different between glycogen storage diseases patients and overweight-obese (p<0.05). The present data suggest that chemical-shift magnetic resonance imaging may exclude fat deposition as a cause of liver hyperechogenicity in subjects with glycogen storage diseases.

  8. Involvement of glycogen synthase kinase-3β in liver ischemic conditioning induced cardioprotection against myocardial ischemia and reperfusion injury in rats

    PubMed Central

    Yang, Shuai; Abbott, Geoffrey W.; Gao, Wei Dong; Liu, Jin; Luo, Chaozhi

    2017-01-01

    Remote ischemic conditioning has been convincingly shown to render the myocardium resistant to a subsequent more severe sustained episode of ischemia. Compared with other organs, little is known regarding the effect of transient liver ischemic conditioning. We proposed the existence of cardioprotection induced by remote liver conditioning. Male Sprague-Dawley rats were divided into sham-operated control (no further hepatic intervention) and remote liver ischemic conditioning groups. For liver ischemic conditioning, three cycles of 5 min of liver ischemia-reperfusion stimuli were conducted before-(liver preconditioning), post-myocardial ischemia (liver postconditioning), or in combination of both (liver preconditioning + liver postconditioning). Rats were exposed to 45 min of left anterior descending coronary artery occlusion, followed by 3 h of reperfusion thereafter. ECG and hemodynamics were measured throughout the experiment. The coronary artery was reoccluded at the end of reperfusion for infarct size determination. Blood samples were taken for serum lactate dehydrogenase and creatine kinase-MB test. Heart tissues were taken for apoptosis measurements and Western blotting. Our data demonstrate that liver ischemic preconditioning, postconditioning, or a combination of both, offered strong cardioprotection, as evidenced by reduction in infarct size and cardiac tissue damage, recovery of cardiac function, and inhibition of apoptosis after ischemia-reperfusion. Moreover, liver ischemic conditioning increased cardiac (not hepatic) glycogen synthase kinase-3β (GSK-3β) phosphorylation. Accordingly, inhibition of GSK-3β mimicked the cardioprotective action of liver conditioning. These results demonstrate that remote liver ischemic conditioning protected the heart against ischemia and reperfusion injury via GSK-3β-dependent cell-survival signaling pathway. NEW & NOTEWORTHY Remote ischemic conditioning protects hearts against ischemia and reperfusion (I/R) injury

  9. Glycogenic hepatopathy: A narrative review.

    PubMed

    Sherigar, Jagannath M; Castro, Joline De; Yin, Yong Mei; Guss, Debra; Mohanty, Smruti R

    2018-02-27

    Glycogenic hepatopathy (GH) is a rare complication of the poorly controlled diabetes mellitus characterized by the transient liver dysfunction with elevated liver enzymes and associated hepatomegaly caused by the reversible accumulation of excess glycogen in the hepatocytes. It is predominantly seen in patients with longstanding type 1 diabetes mellitus and rarely reported in association with type 2 diabetes mellitus. Although it was first observed in the pediatric population, since then, it has been reported in adolescents and adults with or without ketoacidosis. The association of GH with hyperglycemia in diabetes has not been well established. One of the essential elements in the pathophysiology of development of GH is the wide fluctuation in both glucose and insulin levels. GH and non-alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) are clinically indistinguishable, and latter is more prevalent in diabetic patients and can progress to advanced liver disease and cirrhosis. Gradient dual-echo MRI can distinguish GH from NAFLD; however, GH can reliably be diagnosed only by liver biopsy. Adequate glycemic control can result in complete remission of clinical, laboratory and histological abnormalities. There has been a recent report of varying degree of liver fibrosis identified in patients with GH. Future studies are required to understand the biochemical defects underlying GH, noninvasive, rapid diagnostic tests for GH, and to assess the consequence of the fibrosis identified as severe fibrosis may progress to cirrhosis. Awareness of this entity in the medical community including specialists is low. Here we briefly reviewed the English literature on pathogenesis involved, recent progress in the evaluation, differential diagnosis, and management.

  10. Glycogen metabolism in brain and neurons - astrocytes metabolic cooperation can be altered by pre- and neonatal lead (Pb) exposure.

    PubMed

    Baranowska-Bosiacka, Irena; Falkowska, Anna; Gutowska, Izabela; Gąssowska, Magdalena; Kolasa-Wołosiuk, Agnieszka; Tarnowski, Maciej; Chibowska, Karina; Goschorska, Marta; Lubkowska, Anna; Chlubek, Dariusz

    2017-09-01

    Lead (Pb) is an environmental neurotoxin which particularly affects the developing brain but the molecular mechanism of its neurotoxicity still needs clarification. The aim of this paper was to examine whether pre- and neonatal exposure to Pb (concentration of Pb in rat offspring blood below the "threshold level") may affect the brain's energy metabolism in neurons and astrocytes via the amount of available glycogen. We investigated the glycogen concentration in the brain, as well as the expression of the key enzymes involved in glycogen metabolism in brain: glycogen synthase 1 (Gys1), glycogen phosphorylase (PYGM, an isoform active in astrocytes; and PYGB, an isoform active in neurons) and phosphorylase kinase β (PHKB). Moreover, the expression of connexin 43 (Cx43) was evaluated to analyze whether Pb poisoning during the early phase of life may affect the neuron-astrocytes' metabolic cooperation. This work shows for the first time that exposure to Pb in early life can impair brain energy metabolism by reducing the amount of glycogen and decreasing the rate of its metabolism. This reduction in brain glycogen level was accompanied by a decrease in Gys1 expression. We noted a reduction in the immunoreactivity and the gene expression of both PYGB and PYGM isoform, as well as an increase in the expression of PHKB in Pb-treated rats. Moreover, exposure to Pb induced decrease in connexin 43 immunoexpression in all the brain structures analyzed, both in astrocytes as well as in neurons. Our data suggests that exposure to Pb in the pre- and neonatal periods results in a decrease in the level of brain glycogen and a reduction in the rate of its metabolism, thereby reducing glucose availability, which as a further consequence may lead to the impairment of brain energy metabolism and the metabolic cooperation between neurons and astrocytes. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

  11. A glycogene mutation map for discovery of diseases of glycosylation

    PubMed Central

    Hansen, Lars; Lind-Thomsen, Allan; Joshi, Hiren J; Pedersen, Nis Borbye; Have, Christian Theil; Kong, Yun; Wang, Shengjun; Sparso, Thomas; Grarup, Niels; Vester-Christensen, Malene Bech; Schjoldager, Katrine; Freeze, Hudson H; Hansen, Torben; Pedersen, Oluf; Henrissat, Bernard; Mandel, Ulla; Clausen, Henrik; Wandall, Hans H; Bennett, Eric P

    2015-01-01

    Glycosylation of proteins and lipids involves over 200 known glycosyltransferases (GTs), and deleterious defects in many of the genes encoding these enzymes cause disorders collectively classified as congenital disorders of glycosylation (CDGs). Most known CDGs are caused by defects in glycogenes that affect glycosylation globally. Many GTs are members of homologous isoenzyme families and deficiencies in individual isoenzymes may not affect glycosylation globally. In line with this, there appears to be an underrepresentation of disease-causing glycogenes among these larger isoenzyme homologous families. However, genome-wide association studies have identified such isoenzyme genes as candidates for different diseases, but validation is not straightforward without biomarkers. Large-scale whole-exome sequencing (WES) provides access to mutations in, for example, GT genes in populations, which can be used to predict and/or analyze functional deleterious mutations. Here, we constructed a draft of a functional mutational map of glycogenes, GlyMAP, from WES of a rather homogenous population of 2000 Danes. We cataloged all missense mutations and used prediction algorithms, manual inspection and in case of carbohydrate-active enzymes family GT27 experimental analysis of mutations to map deleterious mutations. GlyMAP (http://glymap.glycomics.ku.dk) provides a first global view of the genetic stability of the glycogenome and should serve as a tool for discovery of novel CDGs. PMID:25267602

  12. CHEMICAL CHARACTERIZATION OF A HYPOGLYCEMIC EXTRACT FROM CUCURBITA FICIFOLIA BOUCHE THAT INDUCES LIVER GLYCOGEN ACCUMULATION IN DIABETIC MICE

    PubMed Central

    Jessica, Garcia Gonzalez; Mario, Garcia Lorenzana; Alejandro, Zamilpa; Cesar, Almanza Perez Julio; Ivan, Jasso Villagomez E; Ruben, Roman Ramos; Javier, Alarcon-Aguilar Francisco

    2017-01-01

    Background: The aqueous extract of Cucurbita ficifolia (C. ficifolia) fruit has demonstrated hypoglycemic effect, which may be attributed to some components in the extract. However, the major secondary metabolites in this fruit have not yet been identified and little is known about its extra-pancreatic action, in particular, on liver carbohydrate metabolism. Therefore, in addition to the isolation and structural elucidation of the principal components in the aqueous extract of C. ficifolia, the aim of this study was to determine whether or not the hypoglycemic effect of the aqueous extract of Cucurbita ficifolia (C. ficifolia) fruit is due to accumulation of liver glycogen in diabetic mice. Materials and Methods: The aqueous extract from fruit of C. ficifolia was fractionated and its main secondary metabolites were purified and chemically characterized (NMR and GC-MS). Alloxan-induced diabetic mice received daily by gavage the aqueous extract (30 days). The liver glycogen content was quantified by spectroscopic method and by PAS stain; ALT and AST by spectrometric method; glycogen synthase, glycogen phosphorylase and GLUT2 by Western blot; the mRNA expression of GLUT2 and glucagon-receptor by RT-PCR; while serum insulin was quantified by ELISA method. A liver histological analysis was also performed by H&E stain. Results: Chemical fingerprint showed five majoritarian compounds in the aqueous extract of C. ficifolia: p-coumaric acid, p-hydroxybenzoic acid, salicin, stigmast-7,2,2-dien-3-ol and stigmast-7-en-3-ol. The histological analysis showed accumulation of liver glycogen. Also, increased glycogen synthase and decreased glycogen phosphorylase were observed. Interestingly, the histological architecture evidenced a liver-protective effect due the extract. Conclusion: Five compounds were identified in C. ficifolia aqueous extract. The hypoglycemic effect of this extract may be partially explained by liver glycogen accumulation. The bioactive compound responsible

  13. Regulation of Muscle Glycogen Metabolism during Exercise: Implications for Endurance Performance and Training Adaptations

    PubMed Central

    Hearris, Mark A.; Hammond, Kelly M.; Fell, J. Marc; Morton, James P.

    2018-01-01

    Since the introduction of the muscle biopsy technique in the late 1960s, our understanding of the regulation of muscle glycogen storage and metabolism has advanced considerably. Muscle glycogenolysis and rates of carbohydrate (CHO) oxidation are affected by factors such as exercise intensity, duration, training status and substrate availability. Such changes to the global exercise stimulus exert regulatory effects on key enzymes and transport proteins via both hormonal control and local allosteric regulation. Given the well-documented effects of high CHO availability on promoting exercise performance, elite endurance athletes are typically advised to ensure high CHO availability before, during and after high-intensity training sessions or competition. Nonetheless, in recognition that the glycogen granule is more than a simple fuel store, it is now also accepted that glycogen is a potent regulator of the molecular cell signaling pathways that regulate the oxidative phenotype. Accordingly, the concept of deliberately training with low CHO availability has now gained increased popularity amongst athletic circles. In this review, we present an overview of the regulatory control of CHO metabolism during exercise (with a specific emphasis on muscle glycogen utilization) in order to discuss the effects of both high and low CHO availability on modulating exercise performance and training adaptations, respectively. PMID:29498691

  14. Long-term safety and efficacy of AAV gene therapy in the canine model of glycogen storage disease type Ia.

    PubMed

    Lee, Young Mok; Conlon, Thomas J; Specht, Andrew; Coleman, Kirsten E; Brown, Laurie M; Estrella, Ana M; Dambska, Monika; Dahlberg, Kathryn R; Weinstein, David A

    2018-05-25

    Viral mediated gene therapy has progressed after overcoming early failures, and gene therapy has now been approved for several conditions in Europe and the USA. Glycogen storage disease (GSD) type Ia, caused by a deficiency of glucose-6-phosphatase-α, has been viewed as an outstanding candidate for gene therapy. This follow-up report describes the long-term outcome for the naturally occurring GSD-Ia dogs treated with rAAV-GPE-hG6PC-mediated gene therapy. A total of seven dogs were treated with rAAV-GPE-hG6PC-mediated gene therapy. The first four dogs were treated at birth, and three dogs were treated between 2 and 6 months of age to assess the efficacy and safety in animals with mature livers. Blood and urine samples, radiographic studies, histological evaluation, and biodistribution were assessed. Gene therapy improved survival in the GSD-Ia dogs. With treatment, the biochemical studies normalized for the duration of the study (up to 7 years). None of the rAAV-GPE-hG6PC-treated dogs had focal hepatic lesions or renal abnormalities. Dogs treated at birth required a second dose of rAAV after 2-4 months; gene therapy after hepatic maturation resulted in improved efficacy after a single dose. rAAV-GPE-hG6PC treatment in GSD-Ia dogs was found to be safe and efficacious. GSD-Ia is an attractive target for human gene therapy since it is a monogenic disorder with limited tissue involvement. Blood glucose and lactate monitoring can be used to assess effectiveness and as a biomarker of success. GSD-Ia can also serve as a model for other hepatic monogenic disorders.

  15. Aquaporins-2 and -4 regulate glycogen metabolism and survival during hyposmotic-anoxic stress in Caenorhabditis elegans

    PubMed Central

    LaMacchia, John C.

    2015-01-01

    Periods of oxygen deprivation can lead to ion and water imbalances in affected tissues that manifest as swelling (edema). Although oxygen deprivation-induced edema is a major contributor to injury in clinical ischemic diseases such as heart attack and stroke, the pathophysiology of this process is incompletely understood. In the present study we investigate the impact of aquaporin-mediated water transport on survival in a Caenorhabditis elegans model of edema formation during complete oxygen deprivation (anoxia). We find that nematodes lacking aquaporin water channels in tissues that interface with the surrounding environment display decreased edema formation and improved survival rates in anoxia. We also find that these animals have significantly reduced demand for glycogen as an energetic substrate during anoxia. Together, our data suggest that reductions in membrane water permeability may be sufficient to induce a hypometabolic state during oxygen deprivation that reduces injury and extends survival limits. PMID:26017147

  16. "Fast" and "slow" skeleto-fusimotor innervation in cat tenuissimus spindles; a study with the glycogen-depletion method.

    PubMed

    Jami, L; Lan-Couton, D; Malmgren, K; Petit, J

    1978-07-01

    The glycogen-depletion method was used to investigate the motor supply to tenuissimus with respect to the presence of fast beta axons and to assess the total proportion of both fast and slow beta-innervated spindles in this muscle. In a first series of 5 expts., groups of motor axons with conduction velocities higher than 85 m/s were repetitively stimulated so as to produce glycogen depletion in the muscle fibres they innervated. The whole muscle was then quick-frozen, serially cut, stained to demonstrate glycogen and examined for intrafusal glycogen depletion. Zones of glycogen depletion were found in 16 of the 46 examined spindles; they were most frequently located in the longest of the chain intrafusal muscle fibres. Since it is known that there are no purely fusimotor axons to tenuissimus with conduction velocities above 50 m/s, it was concluded that beta axons are present among the fastest axons to this muscle. In a second series of 5 expts. as many motor axons as possible with conduction velocities above 60 m/s were stimulated. Zones of glycogen depletion were found in 19 of the 47 examined spindles. They affected chain fibres in about half of the instances and bag1 fibers in the others. As this latter location is characteristic of slow dynamic beta axons, it was concluded that both slow and fast beta axons occur regularly in the motor supply to tenuissimus. beta-innervation is present in at least 40% of tenuissimus spindles with almost no convergence of fast and slow beta axons onto the same spindle.

  17. Loss of Par-1a/MARK3/C-TAK1 kinase leads to reduced adiposity, resistance to hepatic steatosis, and defective gluconeogenesis.

    PubMed

    Lennerz, Jochen K; Hurov, Jonathan B; White, Lynn S; Lewandowski, Katherine T; Prior, Julie L; Planer, G James; Gereau, Robert W; Piwnica-Worms, David; Schmidt, Robert E; Piwnica-Worms, Helen

    2010-11-01

    Par-1 is an evolutionarily conserved protein kinase required for polarity in worms, flies, frogs, and mammals. The mammalian Par-1 family consists of four members. Knockout studies of mice implicate Par-1b/MARK2/EMK in regulating fertility, immune homeostasis, learning, and memory as well as adiposity, insulin hypersensitivity, and glucose metabolism. Here, we report phenotypes of mice null for a second family member (Par-1a/MARK3/C-TAK1) that exhibit increased energy expenditure, reduced adiposity with unaltered glucose handling, and normal insulin sensitivity. Knockout mice were protected against high-fat diet-induced obesity and displayed attenuated weight gain, complete resistance to hepatic steatosis, and improved glucose handling with decreased insulin secretion. Overnight starvation led to complete hepatic glycogen depletion, associated hypoketotic hypoglycemia, increased hepatocellular autophagy, and increased glycogen synthase levels in Par-1a(-/-) but not in control or Par-1b(-/-) mice. The intercrossing of Par-1a(-/-) with Par-1b(-/-) mice revealed that at least one of the four alleles is necessary for embryonic survival. The severity of phenotypes followed a rank order, whereby the loss of one Par-1b allele in Par-1a(-/-) mice conveyed milder phenotypes than the loss of one Par-1a allele in Par-1b(-/-) mice. Thus, although Par-1a and Par-1b can compensate for one another during embryogenesis, their individual disruption gives rise to distinct metabolic phenotypes in adult mice.

  18. Amphipathic α-helices in apolipoproteins are crucial to the formation of infectious hepatitis C virus particles.

    PubMed

    Fukuhara, Takasuke; Wada, Masami; Nakamura, Shota; Ono, Chikako; Shiokawa, Mai; Yamamoto, Satomi; Motomura, Takashi; Okamoto, Toru; Okuzaki, Daisuke; Yamamoto, Masahiro; Saito, Izumu; Wakita, Takaji; Koike, Kazuhiko; Matsuura, Yoshiharu

    2014-12-01

    Apolipoprotein B (ApoB) and ApoE have been shown to participate in the particle formation and the tissue tropism of hepatitis C virus (HCV), but their precise roles remain uncertain. Here we show that amphipathic α-helices in the apolipoproteins participate in the HCV particle formation by using zinc finger nucleases-mediated apolipoprotein B (ApoB) and/or ApoE gene knockout Huh7 cells. Although Huh7 cells deficient in either ApoB or ApoE gene exhibited slight reduction of particles formation, knockout of both ApoB and ApoE genes in Huh7 (DKO) cells severely impaired the formation of infectious HCV particles, suggesting that ApoB and ApoE have redundant roles in the formation of infectious HCV particles. cDNA microarray analyses revealed that ApoB and ApoE are dominantly expressed in Huh7 cells, in contrast to the high level expression of all of the exchangeable apolipoproteins, including ApoA1, ApoA2, ApoC1, ApoC2 and ApoC3 in human liver tissues. The exogenous expression of not only ApoE, but also other exchangeable apolipoproteins rescued the infectious particle formation of HCV in DKO cells. In addition, expression of these apolipoproteins facilitated the formation of infectious particles of genotype 1b and 3a chimeric viruses. Furthermore, expression of amphipathic α-helices in the exchangeable apolipoproteins facilitated the particle formation in DKO cells through an interaction with viral particles. These results suggest that amphipathic α-helices in the exchangeable apolipoproteins play crucial roles in the infectious particle formation of HCV and provide clues to the understanding of life cycle of HCV and the development of novel anti-HCV therapeutics targeting for viral assembly.

  19. Amphipathic α-Helices in Apolipoproteins Are Crucial to the Formation of Infectious Hepatitis C Virus Particles

    PubMed Central

    Nakamura, Shota; Ono, Chikako; Shiokawa, Mai; Yamamoto, Satomi; Motomura, Takashi; Okamoto, Toru; Okuzaki, Daisuke; Yamamoto, Masahiro; Saito, Izumu; Wakita, Takaji; Koike, Kazuhiko; Matsuura, Yoshiharu

    2014-01-01

    Apolipoprotein B (ApoB) and ApoE have been shown to participate in the particle formation and the tissue tropism of hepatitis C virus (HCV), but their precise roles remain uncertain. Here we show that amphipathic α-helices in the apolipoproteins participate in the HCV particle formation by using zinc finger nucleases-mediated apolipoprotein B (ApoB) and/or ApoE gene knockout Huh7 cells. Although Huh7 cells deficient in either ApoB or ApoE gene exhibited slight reduction of particles formation, knockout of both ApoB and ApoE genes in Huh7 (DKO) cells severely impaired the formation of infectious HCV particles, suggesting that ApoB and ApoE have redundant roles in the formation of infectious HCV particles. cDNA microarray analyses revealed that ApoB and ApoE are dominantly expressed in Huh7 cells, in contrast to the high level expression of all of the exchangeable apolipoproteins, including ApoA1, ApoA2, ApoC1, ApoC2 and ApoC3 in human liver tissues. The exogenous expression of not only ApoE, but also other exchangeable apolipoproteins rescued the infectious particle formation of HCV in DKO cells. In addition, expression of these apolipoproteins facilitated the formation of infectious particles of genotype 1b and 3a chimeric viruses. Furthermore, expression of amphipathic α-helices in the exchangeable apolipoproteins facilitated the particle formation in DKO cells through an interaction with viral particles. These results suggest that amphipathic α-helices in the exchangeable apolipoproteins play crucial roles in the infectious particle formation of HCV and provide clues to the understanding of life cycle of HCV and the development of novel anti-HCV therapeutics targeting for viral assembly. PMID:25502789

  20. Increasing the carbohydrate storage capacity of plants by engineering a glycogen-like polymer pool in the cytosol.

    PubMed

    Eicke, Simona; Seung, David; Egli, Barbara; Devers, Emanuel A; Streb, Sebastian

    2017-03-01

    Global demand for higher crop yields and for more efficient utilization of agricultural products will grow over the next decades. Here, we present a new concept for boosting the carbohydrate content of plants, by channeling photosynthetically fixed carbon into a newly engineered glucose polymer pool. We transiently expressed the starch/glycogen synthases from either Saccharomyces cerevisiae or Cyanidioschyzon merolae, together with the starch branching enzyme from C. merolae, in the cytosol of Nicotiana benthamiana leaves. This effectively built a UDP-glucose-dependent glycogen biosynthesis pathway. Glycogen synthesis was observed with Transmission Electron Microscopy, and the polymer structure was further analyzed. Within three days of enzyme expression, glycogen content of the leaf was 5-10 times higher than the starch levels of the control. Further, the leaves produced less starch and sucrose, which are normally the carbohydrate end-products of photosynthesis. We conclude that after enzyme expression, the newly fixed carbohydrates were routed into the new glycogen sink and trapped. Our approach allows carbohydrates to be efficiently stored in a new subcellular compartment, thus increasing the value of vegetative crop tissues for biofuel production or animal feed. The method also opens new potential for increasing the sink strength of heterotrophic tissues. Copyright © 2017 International Metabolic Engineering Society. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

  1. Postexercise Glycogen Recovery and Exercise Performance is Not Significantly Different Between Fast Food and Sport Supplements.

    PubMed

    Cramer, Michael J; Dumke, Charles L; Hailes, Walter S; Cuddy, John S; Ruby, Brent C

    2015-10-01

    A variety of dietary choices are marketed to enhance glycogen recovery after physical activity. Past research informs recommendations regarding the timing, dose, and nutrient compositions to facilitate glycogen recovery. This study examined the effects of isoenergetic sport supplements (SS) vs. fast food (FF) on glycogen recovery and exercise performance. Eleven males completed two experimental trials in a randomized, counterbalanced order. Each trial included a 90-min glycogen depletion ride followed by a 4-hr recovery period. Absolute amounts of macronutrients (1.54 ± 0.27 g·kg-1 carbohydrate, 0.24 ± 0.04 g·kg fat-1, and 0.18 ±0.03g·kg protein-1) as either SS or FF were provided at 0 and 2 hr. Muscle biopsies were collected from the vastus lateralis at 0 and 4 hr post exercise. Blood samples were analyzed at 0, 30, 60, 120, 150, 180, and 240 min post exercise for insulin and glucose, with blood lipids analyzed at 0 and 240 min. A 20k time-trial (TT) was completed following the final muscle biopsy. There were no differences in the blood glucose and insulin responses. Similarly, rates of glycogen recovery were not different across the diets (6.9 ± 1.7 and 7.9 ± 2.4 mmol·kg wet weight- 1·hr-1 for SS and FF, respectively). There was also no difference across the diets for TT performance (34.1 ± 1.8 and 34.3 ± 1.7 min for SS and FF, respectively. These data indicate that short-term food options to initiate glycogen resynthesis can include dietary options not typically marketed as sports nutrition products such as fast food menu items.

  2. Comparison of methods for glycogen analysis of in vitro fermentation pellets produced with strained ruminal inoculum.

    PubMed

    Hall, Mary Beth; Hatfield, Ronald D

    2015-11-01

    Microbial glycogen measurement is used to account for fates of carbohydrate substrates. It is commonly applied to washed cells or pure cultures which can be accurately subsampled, allowing the use of smaller sample sizes. However, the nonhomogeneous fermentation pellets produced with strained rumen inoculum cannot be accurately subsampled, requiring analysis of the entire pellet. In this study, two microbial glycogen methods were compared for analysis of such fermentation pellets: boiling samples for 3h in 30% KOH (KOH) or for 15min in 0.2M NaOH (NaOH), followed by enzymatic hydrolysis with α-amylase and amyloglucosidase, and detection of released glucose. Total α-glucan was calculated as glucose×0.9. KOH and NaOH did not differ in the α-glucan detected in fermentation pellets (29.9 and 29.6mg, respectively; P=0.61). Recovery of different control α-glucans was also tested using KOH, NaOH, and a method employing 45min of bead beating (BB). For purified beef liver glycogen (water-soluble) recovery, BB (95.0%)>KOH (91.4%)>NaOH (87.4%; P<0.05), and for wheat starch (water-insoluble granules) recovery, NaOH (96.9%)>BB (93.8%)>KOH (91.0%; P<0.05). Recovery of isolated protozoal glycogen (water-insoluble granules) did not differ among KOH (87.0%), NaOH (87.6%), and BB (86.0%; P=0.81), but recoveries for all were below 90%. Differences among substrates in the need for gelatinization and susceptibility to destruction by alkali likely affected the results. In conclusion, KOH and NaOH glycogen methods provided comparable determinations of fermentation pellet α-glucan. The tests on purified α-glucans indicated that assessment of recovery in glycogen methods can differ by the control α-glucan selected. Published by Elsevier B.V.

  3. Effect of Alpha-Particle Irradiation on Brain Glycogen in the Rat

    NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

    Wolfe, L. S.; Klatzo, Igor; Miquel, Jaime; Tobias, Cornelius; Haymaker, Webb

    1962-01-01

    The studies of Klatzo, Miquel, Tobias and Haymaker (1961) have shown that one of the earliest and most sensitive indications of the effects of alpha-particle irradiation on rat bran is the appearance of glycogen granules mainly in the neuroglia of the exposed area of the brain. Periodic acid-Schiff (PAS) positive, alpha-amylase soluble granules were demonstrated within 12 hr after irradiation, preceding by approximately 36 hr the first microscopically detectable vascular permeability disturbances, as shown by the fluorescein labeled serum protein technique. These studies suggested that the injurious effects of alpha-particle energy were on cellular elements primarily, according to the physical properties and distribution of the radiation in the tissue, and that the vascular permeability disturbances played a secondary role in pathogenesis. The purpose of this study was to correlate the histochemical observations on glycogen with a quantitative assessment of the glycogen in the irradiated brain tissue. It is felt that such a study may contribute to the understanding of radiation injury at the molecular level. A practical aspect of this problem is that the information on biological radiation effects due to accelerated particles from the cyclotron source, is employed in this study, is applicable to radiation from cosmic particles both in free space and entrapped in the Van Allen belts.

  4. Preparation of insulin-containing microcapsules by a layer-by-layer deposition of concanavalin A and glycogen.

    PubMed

    Sato, Katsuhiko; Kodama, Daisuke; Endo, Yoshihiro; Anzai, Jun-ichi

    2009-01-01

    The sugar sensitive microcapsules were prepared by a layer-by-layer deposition of concanavalin A (Con A) and glycogen on a calcium carbonate particle containing fluorescein-labeled insulin (F-insulin). The Con A/glycogen multilayer capsules were formed through sugar-lectin interactions by using inner and outer poly(ethyleneimine)/poly(vinyl sulfate) multilayers as supports, while without the supports the microcapsules could not be formed. Fluorescent microscope observations revealed that the capsules thus prepared are spherical in shape with 3-10 microm diameter. The microcapsules released encapsulated F-insulin upon addition of sugars. This is because the added sugars replace glycogen in the binding site of Con A, resulting in the enhanced permeability of the microcapsules to insulin.

  5. Identification of Intermediate in Hepatitis B Virus CCC DNA Formation and Sensitive and Selective CCC DNA Detection.

    PubMed

    Luo, Jun; Cui, Xiuji; Gao, Lu; Hu, Jianming

    2017-06-21

    The hepatitis B virus (HBV) covalently closed circular (CCC) DNA functions as the only viral template capable of coding for all the viral RNA species and is thus essential to initiate and sustain viral replication. CCC DNA is converted, in a multi-step and ill-understood process, from a relaxed circular (RC) DNA, in which neither of the two DNA strands is covalently closed. To detect putative intermediates during RC to CCC DNA conversion, two 3' exonucleases Exo I and Exo III, in combination were used to degrade all DNA strands with a free 3' end, which would nevertheless preserve closed circular DNA, either single-stranded (SS) or double-stranded (DS). Indeed, a RC DNA species with a covalently closed minus strand but an open plus strand (closed minus-strand RC DNA or cM-RC DNA) was detected by this approach. Further analyses indicated that at least some of the plus strands in such a putative intermediate likely still retained the RNA primer that is attached to the 5' end of the plus strand in RC DNA, suggesting that minus strand closing can occur before plus strand processing. Furthermore, the same nuclease treatment proved to be useful for sensitive and specific detection of CCC DNA by removing all DNA species other than closed circular DNA. Application of these and similar approaches may allow the identification of additional intermediates during CCC DNA formation and facilitate specific and sensitive detection of CCC DNA, which should help elucidate the pathways of CCC DNA formation and factors involved. IMPORTANCE The hepatitis B virus (HBV) covalently closed circular (CCC) DNA is the molecular basis of viral persistence, by serving as the viral transcriptional template. CCC DNA is converted, in a multi-step and ill-understood process, from a relaxed circular (RC) DNA. Little is currently understood about the pathways or factors involved in CCC DNA formation. We have now detected a likely intermediate during the conversion of RC to CCC DNA, thus providing

  6. Nutrient storage cells isolation from mantle tissue of Mytilus galloprovincialis: glucose release and glycogen content.

    PubMed

    Crespo, C A; Espinosa, J

    1990-09-01

    A method for obtaining isolated mantle nutrient storage cells and purifying vesicular (VC) and adipogranular (ADG) cells from mantle tissue of Mytilus galloprovincialis is reported. Tissue digestion is partly mechanical (stirring) and partly enzymatic (collagenase + dispase). Purification is carried out through continuous and discontinuous Percoll gradients. VC appears in fraction 3 (d = 1.05-1.08 g/ml) and ADG in fraction 2 (d = 1.09 g/ml). Intracellular glycogen and free-glucose content in September-April period is studied. When glycogen is detectable it is always accompanied by intracellular free-glucose pool in a concentration relationship glycogen/glucose 10:1. Furthermore, a glucose releasing activity elicited by the Ca2(+)-ionophore A23187 was found in isolated cells, which reproduce the former behaviour found with mantle tissue fragments in our laboratory.

  7. Metabolic demands and replenishment of muscle glycogen after a rugby league match simulation protocol.

    PubMed

    Bradley, Warren J; Hannon, Marcus P; Benford, Victoria; Morehen, James C; Twist, Craig; Shepherd, Sam; Cocks, Matthew; Impey, Samuel G; Cooper, Robert G; Morton, James P; Close, Graeme L

    2017-09-01

    The metabolic requirements of a rugby league match simulation protocol and the timing of carbohydrate provision on glycogen re-synthesis in damaged muscle were examined. Fifteen (mean±SD: age 20.9±2.9 year, body-mass 87.3±14.1kg, height 177.4±6.0cm) rugby league (RL) players consumed a 6gkgday-1 CHO diet for 7-days, completed a time to exhaustion test (TTE) and a glycogen depletion protocol on day-3, a RL simulated-match protocol (RLMSP) on day-5 and a TTE on day-7. Players were prescribed an immediate or delayed (2-h-post) re-feed post-simulation. Muscle biopsies and blood samples were obtained post-depletion, before and after simulated match-play, and 48-h after match-play with PlayerLoad and heart-rate collected throughout the simulation. Data were analysed using effects sizes±90% CI and magnitude-based inferences. PlayerLoad (8.0±0.7 AUmin-1) and %HRpeak (83±4.9%) during the simulation were similar to values reported for RL match-play. Muscle glycogen very likely increased from immediately after to 48-h post-simulation (272±97 cf. 416±162mmolkg-1d.w.; ES±90%CI) after immediate re-feed, but changes were unclear (283±68 cf. 361±144mmolkg-1d.w.; ES±90%CI) after delayed re-feed. CK almost certainly increased by 77.9±25.4% (0.75±0.19) post-simulation for all players. The RLMSP presents a replication of the internal loads associated with professional RL match-play, although difficulties in replicating the collision reduced the metabolic demands and glycogen utilisation. Further, it is possible to replete muscle glycogen in damaged muscle employing an immediate re-feed strategy. Copyright © 2017 Sports Medicine Australia. Published by Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

  8. Effect of eccentric exercise with reduced muscle glycogen on plasma interleukin-6 and neuromuscular responses of musculus quadriceps femoris.

    PubMed

    Gavin, James P; Myers, Stephen D; Willems, Mark E T

    2016-07-01

    Eccentric exercise can result in muscle damage and interleukin-6 (IL-6) secretion. Glycogen availability is a potent stimulator of IL-6 secretion. We examined effects of eccentric exercise in a low-glycogen state on neuromuscular function and plasma IL-6 secretion. Twelve active men (23 ± 4 yr, 179 ± 5 cm, 77 ± 10 kg, means ± SD) completed two downhill treadmill runs (gradient, -12%, 5 × 8 min; speed, 12.1 ± 1.1 km/h) with normal (NG) and reduced muscle glycogen (RG) in randomized order and at least 6 wk apart. Muscle glycogen was reduced using an established cycling protocol until exhaustion and dietary manipulation the evening before the morning run. Physiological responses were measured up to 48 h after the downhill runs. During recovery, force deficits of musculus quadriceps femoris by maximal isometric contractions were similar. Changes in low-frequency fatigue were larger with RG. Voluntary activation and plasma IL-6 levels were similar in recovery between conditions. It is concluded that unaccustomed, damaging eccentric exercise with low muscle glycogen of the m. quadriceps femoris 1) exacerbated low-frequency fatigue but 2) had no additional effect on IL-6 secretion. Neuromuscular impairment after eccentric exercise with low muscle glycogen appears to have a greater peripheral component in early recovery. Copyright © 2016 the American Physiological Society.

  9. Early alterations in soleus GLUT-4, glucose transport, and glycogen in voluntary running rats

    NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

    Henriksen, Erik J.; Halseth, Amy E.

    1994-01-01

    Voluntary wheel running (WR) by juvenile female rats was used as a noninterventional model of soleus muscle functional overload to study the regulation of insulin-stimulated glucose transport activity by the glucose transporter (GLUT-4 isoform) protein level and glycogen concentration. Soleus total protein content was significantly greater (+18%;P greater than 0.05) than in age-matched controls after 1 wk of WR, and this hypertrophic response continued in weeks 2-4 (+24-32%). GLUT-4 protein was 39% greater than in controls in 1-wk WR soleus, and this adaptation was accompanied by a similar increase in in vitro insulin-stimulated glucose transport activity(+29%). After 2 and 4 wk of WR, however, insulin-stimulated glucose transport activity had returned to control levels, despite a continued elevation (+25-28%) of GLUT-4 protein. At these two time points, glycogen concentration was significantly enhanced in WR soleus (+21-42%), which coincided with significant reductions in glycogen synthase activity ratios (-23 to-41%). These results indicate that, in this model of soleus muscle functional overload, the GLUT-4 protein level may initially regulate insulin-stimulated glucose transport activity in the absence of changes in other modifying factors. However,this regulation of glucose transport activity by GLUT-4 protein may be subsequently overridden by elevated glycogen concentration.

  10. Glycogen synthase kinase-3 (GSK-3) inhibitors for the treatment of Alzheimer's disease.

    PubMed

    Medina, Miguel; Avila, Jesús

    2010-01-01

    Originally discovered because of its role in the regulation of glucose metabolism, Glycogen Synthase Kinase-3 (GSK-3) it is now recognised as a crucial player in a diverse series of cellular processes involved in Alzheimer's disease (AD) pathology. Besides having been identified as the major tau protein kinase, GSK-3 mediates Aβ neurotoxicity, plays an essential role in synaptic plasticity and memory, might be involved in Aβ formation, and it has an important role in inflammation and neuronal survival, all key features of AD neuropathology. Moreover, AD was one of the earliest disorders linked to GSK-3 dysfunction. Thus, the discovery of small molecule GSK-3 inhibitors has attracted significant attention to the protein both as therapeutic target for the therapeutic intervention in neurodegenerative diseases as well as a means to understand the molecular basis of these disorders.

  11. Human dental pulp stem cells derived from cryopreserved dental pulp tissues of vital extracted teeth with disease demonstrate hepatic-like differentiation.

    PubMed

    Chen, Y K; Huang, Anderson H C; Chan, Anthony W S; Lin, L M

    2016-06-01

    Reviewing the literature, hepatic differentiation of human dental pulp stem cells (hDPSCs) from cryopreserved dental pulp tissues of vital extracted teeth with disease has not been studied. This study is aimed to evaluate the hypothesis that hDPSCs from cryopreserved dental pulp tissues of vital extracted teeth with disease could possess potential hepatic differentiation. Forty vital extracted teeth with disease recruited for hDPSCs isolation, stem cell characterization and hepatic differentiation were randomly and equally divided into group A (liquid nitrogen-stored dental pulp tissues) and group B (freshly derived dental pulp tissues). Samples of hDPSCs isolated from groups A and B but without hepatic growth factors formed negative controls. A well-differentiated hepatocellular carcinoma cell line was employed as a positive control. All the isolated hDPSCs from groups A and B showed hepatic-like differentiation with morphological change from a spindle-shaped to a polygonal shape and normal karyotype. Differentiated hDPSCs and the positive control expressed hepatic metabolic function genes and liver-specific genes. Glycogen storage of differentiated hDPSCs was noted from day 7 of differentiation-medium culture. Positive immunofluorescence staining of low-density lipoprotein and albumin was observed from day 14 of differentiation-medium culture; urea production in the medium was noted from week 6. No hepatic differentiation was observed for any of the samples of the negative controls. We not only demonstrated the feasibility of hepatic-like differentiation of hDPSCs from cryopreserved dental pulp tissues of vital extracted teeth with disease but also indicated that the differentiated cells possessed normal karyotype and were functionally close to normal hepatic-like cells. Copyright © 2013 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd. Copyright © 2016 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.

  12. Modulation of glycogen and breast meat processing ability by nutrition in chickens: effect of crude protein level in 2 chicken genotypes.

    PubMed

    Jlali, M; Gigaud, V; Métayer-Coustard, S; Sellier, N; Tesseraud, S; Le Bihan-Duval, E; Berri, C

    2012-02-01

    The aim of the study was to evaluate the impact of 2 isoenergetic growing diets with different CP (17 vs. 23%) on the performance and breast meat quality of 2 lines of chicken divergently selected for abdominal fatness [i.e., fat and lean (LL) lines]. Growth performance, breast and abdominal fat yields, breast meat quality parameters (pH, color, drip loss), and muscle glycogen storage at death were measured. Increased dietary CP resulted in increased BW, increased breast meat yield, and reduced abdominal fatness at slaughter regardless of genotype (P < 0.001). By contrast, dietary CP affected glycogen storage and the related meat quality parameters only in the LL chickens. Giving LL chickens the low-CP diet led to reduced concentration of muscle glycogen (P < 0.01), and as a result, breast meat with a higher (P < 0.001) ultimate pH, decreased (P < 0.001) lightness, and reduced (P < 0.001) drip loss during storage. The decreased muscle glycogen content observed in LL receiving the low-CP diet compared with the high-CP diet occurred concomitantly with greater phosphorylation amount for the α-catalytic subunit of adenosine monophosphate-activated protein kinase and glycogen synthase. This was consistent with the reduced muscle glycogen content observed in LL fed the low-CP diet because adenosine monophosphate-activated protein kinase inhibits glycogen synthesis through its action on glycogen synthase. Our results demonstrated that nutrition is an effective means of modulating breast meat properties in the chicken. The results also highlighted the need to take into account interaction with the genetic background of the animal to select nutritional strategies to improve meat quality traits in poultry.

  13. Hexokinase 2 drives glycogen accumulation in equine endometrium at day 12 of diestrus and pregnancy.

    PubMed

    Bramer, Sarah A; Macedo, Alysson; Klein, Claudia

    2017-01-05

    Secretion of histotroph during the prolonged pre-implantation phase in mares is crucial to pregnancy maintenance, manifested as increased embryonic loss in mares with age-related endometrial degeneration. Glycogen content of uterine histotroph is higher during the progesterone-dominated phase of the estrous cycle in mares, but regulatory mechanisms are not well understood. mRNA expression of glycogen-metabolizing enzymes (HK1, HK2, GSK3B, GYS1, PEPCK, PKM, PYGM) in endometrial samples were compared among mares in anestrus, estrus, and at Day 12 of diestrus and pregnancy. In addition, hexokinase 2 (HK2) activity was assessed using a colorimetric assay. HK2 was the key regulator of glycogen accumulation during diestrus and pregnancy; hexokinase transcript abundance and enzyme activity were significantly higher during diestrus and pregnancy than estrus and anestrus. In addition, despite similar relative transcript abundance, hexokinase activity was significantly greater in the pregnant versus diestrous endometrium. Therefore, we inferred there was regulation of hexokinase activity through phosphorylation, in addition to its regulation at the transcriptional level during early pregnancy. Based on immunohistochemistry, HK2 was localized primarily in luminal and glandular epithelial cells, with weaker staining in stromal cells. Among glycogen metabolizing enzymes identified, expression of HK2 was significantly greater during the progesterone-dominated phase of the cycle.

  14. Glycogen storage disease type Ia: linkage of glucose, glycogen, lactic acid, triglyceride, and uric acid metabolism.

    PubMed

    Sever, Sakine; Weinstein, David A; Wolfsdorf, Joseph I; Gedik, Reyhan; Schaefer, Ernst J

    2012-01-01

    A female presented in infancy with hypotonia, undetectable serum glucose, lactic acidosis, and triglycerides >5000 mg/dL. The diagnosis of type 1A glycogen storage disease was made via the result of a liver biopsy, which showed increased glycogen and absent glucose-6-phosphatase enzyme activity. The patient was treated with dextrose administered orally, which was replaced by frequent feedings of cornstarch, which resulted in an improvement of her metabolic parameters. At age 18 years of age, she had marked hypertriglyceridemia (3860 mg/dL) and eruptive xanthomas and was treated with fenofibrate, atorvastatin, and fish oil. At age 29 years she was noted to have multiple liver adenomas, severe anemia, and hyperuricemia. Aggressive cornstarch therapy was commenced with a goal of maintaining her blood glucose levels >75 mg/dL and lactate levels <2 mmol/L. After 15 months on this regimen, her lipids levels (measured in mg/dL) off all medications were as follows: total cholesterol 222, triglycerides 179, high-density lipoprotein cholesterol 32, and calculated low-density lipoprotein cholesterol 154. Her weight was stable with a body mass index of 24.8 kg/m(2). Her liver adenomas had decreased in size, and her anemia and hyperuricemia had improved. She was homozygous for the R83C missense mutation in G6PC. Our data indicate that optimized metabolic control to maintain blood glucose levels >75 mg/dL is critical in the management of this disease. Copyright © 2012. Published by Elsevier Inc.

  15. Free Fatty Acid-Induced PP2A Hyperactivity Selectively Impairs Hepatic Insulin Action on Glucose Metabolism

    PubMed Central

    Galbo, Thomas; Olsen, Grith Skytte; Quistorff, Bjørn; Nishimura, Erica

    2011-01-01

    In type 2 Diabetes (T2D) free fatty acids (FFAs) in plasma are increased and hepatic insulin resistance is “selective”, in the sense that the insulin-mediated decrease of glucose production is blunted while insulin's effect on stimulating lipogenesis is maintained. We investigated the molecular mechanisms underlying this pathogenic paradox. Primary rat hepatocytes were exposed to palmitate for twenty hours. To establish the physiological relevance of the in vitro findings, we also studied insulin-resistant Zucker Diabetic Fatty (ZDF) rats. While insulin-receptor phosphorylation was unaffected, activation of Akt and inactivation of the downstream targets Glycogen synthase kinase 3α (Gsk3α and Forkhead box O1 (FoxO1) was inhibited in palmitate-exposed cells. Accordingly, dose-response curves for insulin-mediated suppression of the FoxO1-induced gluconeogenic genes and for de novo glucose production were right shifted, and insulin-stimulated glucose oxidation and glycogen synthesis were impaired. In contrast, similar to findings in human T2D, the ability of insulin to induce triglyceride (TG) accumulation and transcription of the enzymes that catalyze de novo lipogenesis and TG assembly was unaffected. Insulin-induction of these genes could, however, be blocked by inhibition of the atypical PKCs (aPKCs). The activity of the Akt-inactivating Protein Phosphatase 2A (PP2A) was increased in the insulin-resistant cells. Furthermore, inhibition of PP2A by specific inhibitors increased insulin-stimulated activation of Akt and phosphorylation of FoxO1 and Gsk3α. Finally, PP2A mRNA levels were increased in liver, muscle and adipose tissue, while PP2A activity was increased in liver and muscle tissue in insulin-resistant ZDF rats. In conclusion, our findings indicate that FFAs may cause a selective impairment of insulin action upon hepatic glucose metabolism by increasing PP2A activity. PMID:22087313

  16. Glycogen catabolism enzymes and protein fractions in the third and fourth larval stages of Anisakis simplex.

    PubMed

    Łopieńska-Biernat, E; Zółtowska, K; Rokicki, J

    2008-03-01

    Extracts of Anisakis simplex third (L3) and fourth (L4) larval stages were assayed for protein content and activity and properties of alpha-amylase, glucoamylase and glycogen phosphorylase. Protein content in L4 was twice that in L3. SDS-PAGE applied to both larval stages revealed 22 protein fractions in each, including five stage-specific fractions in each larval stage. The L3 extracts contained three amylase isoenzymes: alpha 1, alpha 2 and alpha 3; their molecular weights were 64, 29 and 21 kDa, respectively. Only one amylase isoenzyme (64 kDa) was found in the L4 extracts. Glycogen in L3 was found to be broken down mostly by hydrolysis because of low glycogen phosphorylase activity. The alpha-amylase activity in L4 was higher than that in L3 by half and the glycogen phosphorylase activity was ten times higher. In addition, the same enzymes isolated from L3 and L4 were found to differ in their properties. These differences could be manifestations of metabolic adaptations of A. simplex larvae to host switch from fish (L3) to mammals (L4), i.e. adaptations to a new habitat.

  17. Whole-Body Vibration Partially Reverses Aging-Induced Increases in Visceral Adiposity and Hepatic Lipid Storage in Mice

    PubMed Central

    van Dijk, Theo H.; Havinga, Rick; van der Zee, Eddy A.; Groen, Albert K.; Reijngoud, Dirk-Jan; Bakker, Barbara M.; van Dijk, Gertjan

    2016-01-01

    At old age, humans generally have declining muscle mass and increased fat deposition, which can increase the risk of developing cardiometabolic diseases. While regular physical activity postpones these age-related derangements, this is not always possible in the elderly because of disabilities or risk of injury. Whole-body vibration (WBV) training may be considered as an alternative to physical activity particularly in the frail population. To explore this possibility, we characterized whole-body and organ-specific metabolic processes in 6-month and 25-month old mice, over a period of 14 weeks of WBV versus sham training. WBV training tended to increase blood glucose turnover rates and stimulated hepatic glycogen utilization during fasting irrespective of age. WBV was effective in reducing white fat mass and hepatic triglyceride content only in old but not in young mice and these reductions were related to upregulation of hepatic mitochondrial uncoupling of metabolism (assessed by high-resolution respirometry) and increased expression of uncoupling protein 2. Because these changes occurred independent of changes in food intake and whole-body metabolic rate (assessed by indirect calorimetry), the liver-specific effects of WBV may be a primary mechanism to improve metabolic health during aging, rather than that it is a consequence of alterations in energy balance. PMID:26886917

  18. Sucrose ingestion after exhaustive exercise accelerates liver, but not muscle glycogen repletion compared with glucose ingestion in trained athletes.

    PubMed

    Fuchs, Cas J; Gonzalez, Javier T; Beelen, Milou; Cermak, Naomi M; Smith, Fiona E; Thelwall, Pete E; Taylor, Roy; Trenell, Michael I; Stevenson, Emma J; van Loon, Luc J C

    2016-06-01

    The purpose of this study was to assess the effects of sucrose vs. glucose ingestion on postexercise liver and muscle glycogen repletion. Fifteen well-trained male cyclists completed two test days. Each test day started with glycogen-depleting exercise, followed by 5 h of recovery, during which subjects ingested 1.5 g·kg(-1)·h(-1) sucrose or glucose. Blood was sampled frequently and (13)C magnetic resonance spectroscopy and imaging were employed 0, 120, and 300 min postexercise to determine liver and muscle glycogen concentrations and liver volume. Results were as follows: Postexercise muscle glycogen concentrations increased significantly from 85 ± 27 (SD) vs. 86 ± 35 mmol/l to 140 ± 23 vs. 136 ± 26 mmol/l following sucrose and glucose ingestion, respectively (no differences between treatments: P = 0.673). Postexercise liver glycogen concentrations increased significantly from 183 ± 47 vs. 167 ± 65 mmol/l to 280 ± 72 vs. 234 ± 81 mmol/l following sucrose and glucose ingestion, respectively (time × treatment, P = 0.051). Liver volume increased significantly over the 300-min period after sucrose ingestion only (time × treatment, P = 0.001). As a result, total liver glycogen content increased during postexercise recovery to a greater extent in the sucrose treatment (from 53.6 ± 16.2 to 86.8 ± 29.0 g) compared with the glucose treatment (49.3 ± 25.5 to 65.7 ± 27.1 g; time × treatment, P < 0.001), equating to a 3.4 g/h (95% confidence interval: 1.6-5.1 g/h) greater repletion rate with sucrose vs. glucose ingestion. In conclusion, sucrose ingestion (1.5 g·kg(-1)·h(-1)) further accelerates postexercise liver, but not muscle glycogen repletion compared with glucose ingestion in trained athletes. Copyright © 2016 the American Physiological Society.

  19. Hepatic stellate cells in liver development, regeneration, and cancer

    PubMed Central

    Yin, Chunyue; Evason, Kimberley J.; Asahina, Kinji; Stainier, Didier Y.R.

    2013-01-01

    Hepatic stellate cells are liver-specific mesenchymal cells that play vital roles in liver physiology and fibrogenesis. They are located in the space of Disse and maintain close interactions with sinusoidal endothelial cells and hepatic epithelial cells. It is becoming increasingly clear that hepatic stellate cells have a profound impact on the differentiation, proliferation, and morphogenesis of other hepatic cell types during liver development and regeneration. In this Review, we summarize and evaluate the recent advances in our understanding of the formation and characteristics of hepatic stellate cells, as well as their function in liver development, regeneration, and cancer. We also discuss how improved knowledge of these processes offers new perspectives for the treatment of patients with liver diseases. PMID:23635788

  20. Eupatilin, isolated from Artemisia princeps Pampanini, enhances hepatic glucose metabolism and pancreatic beta-cell function in type 2 diabetic mice.

    PubMed

    Kang, Young-Jin; Jung, Un Ju; Lee, Mi-Kyung; Kim, Hye-Jin; Jeon, Seon-Min; Park, Yong Bok; Chung, Hae-Gon; Baek, Nam-In; Lee, Kyung Tae; Jeong, Tae-Sook; Choi, Myung-Sook

    2008-10-01

    Eupatilin (5,7-dihydroxy-3',4',6-trimethoxyflavone) was isolated from Artemisia princeps to investigate the dose-response effects on blood glucose regulation and pancreatic beta-cell function in type 2 diabetic mice. Db/db mice were divided into control (eupatilin-free, AIN-76 standard diet), low-Eupa (0.005g/100g diet) and high-Eupa (0.02g/100g diet) groups. The supplementation of eupatilin for 6 weeks significantly lowered fasting blood glucose concentration while it increased hepatic glycogen content. In particular, high-Eupa reduced hemoglobin A(1c) and plasma glucagon levels along with a simultaneous increase in plasma insulin and adiponectin levels. The supplementation of eupatilin significantly lowered hepatic glucose-6-phosphatase and phosphoenolpyruvate carboxykinase activities, while it increased glucokinase activity in the liver. The pancreatic insulin concentration was higher in the eupatilin-supplemented groups. Also the pancreatic insulin concentration of eupatilin groups was higher than the control group. These results suggest that eupatilin played the role of an antidiabetic functional component in A. princeps by enhancing hepatic and plasma glucose metabolism as well as by increasing insulin secretion in type 2 diabetic mice.

  1. Hepatic focal nodular hyperplasia with congenital portosystemic shunt.

    PubMed

    Cho, Yuki; Shimono, Taro; Morikawa, Hiroyasu; Shintaku, Haruo; Tokuhara, Daisuke

    2014-12-01

    Hepatic focal nodular hyperplasia (FNH) is a rare benign tumor in children. Vascular anomalies have been identified as pathological features of FNH, but the etiology remains unclear. We describe a rare case including the time course of formation of hepatic FNH in response to congenital portosystemic shunt (PSS). A 4-month-old girl was identified on newborn mass screening to have hypergalactosemia, but no inherited deficiencies in galactose-metabolizing enzymes were found. Ultrasonography and per-rectal portal scintigraphy showed intrahepatic PSS of the right lobe as a cause of the hypergalactosemia. At age 12 months, the patient had elevated hepatic enzymes and small hypoechoic hepatic lesions around the shunt. On abdominal contrast-enhanced ultrasonography spoke-wheel sign and central stellate scar were seen, which are typical features of hepatic FNH without biopsy. Congenital intrahepatic PSS should be evaluated on abdominal contrast-enhanced ultrasonography and observed over time because of its potential to develop into hepatic FNH. © 2014 Japan Pediatric Society.

  2. Elucidation of metabolic pathways in glycogen-accumulating organisms with in vivo 13C nuclear magnetic resonance.

    PubMed

    Lemos, Paulo C; Dai, Yu; Yuan, Zhiguo; Keller, Jurg; Santos, Helena; Reis, Maria A M

    2007-11-01

    Glycogen-accumulating organisms (GAOs) are found in enhanced biological phosphorus removal systems where they compete with polyphosphate-accumulating organisms for external carbon substrates. (13)C nuclear magnetic resonance ((13)C-NMR) was used to elucidate the metabolic pathways operating in an enriched GAO culture dominated by two known GAOs (81.2%). The experiments consisted of adding (13)C-acetate (labelled on position 1 or 2) to the culture under anaerobic conditions, and operating the culture through a cycle consisting of an anaerobic, an aerobic and a further anaerobic phase. The carbon transformations over the cycle were monitored using in vivo(13)C-NMR. The two-carbon moieties in hydroxybutyrate and hydroxyvalerate were derived from acetate, while the propionyl precursor of hydroxyvalerate was primarily derived from glycogen, with only a small fraction originating from acetate. Comparison of the labelling patterns in hydroxyvalerate at the end of the first and the second anaerobic periods in pulse experiments with 2-(13)C-acetate showed that the Entner-Doudoroff (ED) pathway was used for the breakdown of glycogen. This conclusion was further supported by the labelling pattern on glycogen observed in the pulse experiments with 1-(13)C-acetate, which can only be explained by the operation of ED with recycling of pyruvate and glyceraldehyde 3-phosphate via gluconeogenesis. The activity of the ED pathway for glycogen degradation by GAOs is demonstrated here for the first time. In addition, the decarboxylating part of the tricarboxylic acid cycle was confirmed to operate also under anaerobic conditions.

  3. [A case of anti-LKM 1 positive autoimmune hepatitis accompanied by systemic lupus erythematosus].

    PubMed

    Choi, Dae Han; Kim, Hae Kyung; Park, Tae Il; John, Byung Min; Kang, Sung Hwan; Lee, Yoon Serk; Kim, Tae Hyun; Lee, Uh Joo; Lee, Tae Seung; Yoon, Gwi Ok

    2008-03-01

    Overlap of autoimmune hepatitis and systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) is a comparatively rare condition. Although both autoimmune hepatitis and SLE can share common autoimmune features such as polyarthralgia, hypergammaglobulinemia and positive ANA, it has been considered as two different entities. We report a case of anti-LKM1 positive autoimmune hepatitis who developed SLE two years later. The presence of interface hepatitis with lymphoplasma cell infiltrates and rosette formation points to the autoimmune hepatitis rather than SLE hepatitis. Autoimmune hepatitis is infrequently accompanied by SLE, therefore, it could be recommended to investigate for SLE in patients with autoimmune hepatitis.

  4. Muscle glycogen storage postexercise: effect of mode of carbohydrate administration.

    PubMed

    Reed, M J; Brozinick, J T; Lee, M C; Ivy, J L

    1989-02-01

    The primary purpose of this study was to determine whether gastric emptying limits the rate of muscle glycogen storage during the initial 4 h after exercise when a carbohydrate supplement is provided. A secondary purpose was to determine whether liquid (L) and solid (S) carbohydrate (CHO) feedings result in different rates of muscle glycogen storage after exercise. Eight subjects cycled for 2 h on three separate occasions to deplete their muscle glycogen stores. After each exercise bout they received 3 g CHO/kg body wt in L (50% glucose polymer) or S (rice/banana cake) form or by intravenous infusion (I; 20% sterile glucose). The L and S supplements were divided into two equal doses and administered immediately after and 120 min after exercise, whereas the I supplement was administered continuously during the first 235 min of the 240-min recovery period. Blood samples were drawn from an antecubital vein before exercise, during exercise, and throughout recovery. Muscle biopsies were taken from the vastus lateralis immediately after and 120 and 240 min after exercise. Blood glucose and insulin declined during exercise and increased significantly above preexercise levels during recovery in all treatments. The increase in blood glucose during the I treatment, however, was three times greater than during the L or S treatments. The average insulin response of the L treatment (61.7 +/- 4.9 microU/ml) was significantly greater than that of the S treatment (47.5 +/- 4.2 microU/ml) but not that of the I (55.3 +/- 4.5 microU/ml) treatment.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)

  5. Incorporation of metabolites into glycogen and lipids of the oyster, crassostrea virginica

    DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

    Swift, M.L.; Humphrey, C.L.

    1987-05-01

    Groups of oysters, either fed or unfed, were exposed to U-{sup 14}C labelled D-glucose, L-asp, L-leu, L-ala or acetate for 6 hrs. Except for the glucose trials, the disappearance of radioactivity from the saline of the unfed oysters was greater (83%) than for the fed animals (65%). With glucose, 88% of the radioactivity disappeared in each trial. The specific radioactivity of glycogen isolated from oysters exposed to labelled glucose, asp and ala was 1283, 468 and 8.22 dpm/mg glycogen respectively. Radioactivity was found primarily in the triacylglycerols and phospholipids (PL) in fed oysters and in PL only in unfed oysters.more » Phosphatidyl choline, phosphatidyl ethanolamine, and a fraction containing phosphatidyl serine and phosphatidyl inositol, had 32%, 25% and 35-40% of the radioactivity respectively. Incorporation of total radioactivity into PL was 70% lower in unfed vs. fed trials, but the distribution of counts among the phospholipids classes was unchanged. Glycogenesis does not appear to be a significant pathway in the oyster. Apparently well-fed oysters are able to store excess dietary calories as lipid. During periods of starvation exogenous small metabolites along with glucose from glycogen are catabolized.« less

  6. Systemic Correction of Murine Glycogen Storage Disease Type IV by an AAV-Mediated Gene Therapy.

    PubMed

    Yi, Haiqing; Zhang, Quan; Brooks, Elizabeth D; Yang, Chunyu; Thurberg, Beth L; Kishnani, Priya S; Sun, Baodong

    2017-03-01

    Deficiency of glycogen branching enzyme (GBE) causes glycogen storage disease type IV (GSD IV), which is characterized by the accumulation of a less branched, poorly soluble form of glycogen called polyglucosan (PG) in multiple tissues. This study evaluates the efficacy of gene therapy with an adeno-associated viral (AAV) vector in a mouse model of adult form of GSD IV (Gbe1 ys/ys ). An AAV serotype 9 (AAV9) vector containing a human GBE expression cassette (AAV-GBE) was intravenously injected into 14-day-old Gbe1 ys/ys mice at a dose of 5 × 10 11 vector genomes per mouse. Mice were euthanized at 3 and 9 months of age. In the AAV-treated mice at 3 months of age, GBE enzyme activity was highly elevated in heart, which is consistent with the high copy number of the viral vector genome detected. GBE activity also increased significantly in skeletal muscles and the brain, but not in the liver. The glycogen content was reduced to wild-type levels in muscles and significantly reduced in the liver and brain. At 9 months of age, though GBE activity was only significantly elevated in the heart, glycogen levels were significantly reduced in the liver, brain, and skeletal muscles of the AAV-treated mice. In addition, the AAV treatment resulted in an overall decrease in plasma activities of alanine transaminase, aspartate transaminase, and creatine kinase, and a significant increase in fasting plasma glucose concentration at 9 months of age. This suggests an alleviation of damage and improvement of function in the liver and muscles by the AAV treatment. This study demonstrated a long-term benefit of a systemic injection of an AAV-GBE vector in Gbe1 ys/ys mice.

  7. Glycogen Metabolic Genes Are Involved in Trehalose-6-Phosphate Synthase-Mediated Regulation of Pathogenicity by the Rice Blast Fungus Magnaporthe oryzae

    PubMed Central

    Wilson, Richard A.; Wang, Zheng-Yi; Kershaw, Michael J.; Talbot, Nicholas J.

    2013-01-01

    The filamentous fungus Magnaporthe oryzae is the causal agent of rice blast disease. Here we show that glycogen metabolic genes play an important role in plant infection by M. oryzae. Targeted deletion of AGL1 and GPH1, which encode amyloglucosidase and glycogen phosphorylase, respectively, prevented mobilisation of glycogen stores during appressorium development and caused a significant reduction in the ability of M. oryzae to cause rice blast disease. By contrast, targeted mutation of GSN1, which encodes glycogen synthase, significantly reduced the synthesis of intracellular glycogen, but had no effect on fungal pathogenicity. We found that loss of AGL1 and GPH1 led to a reduction in expression of TPS1 and TPS3, which encode components of the trehalose-6-phosphate synthase complex, that acts as a genetic switch in M. oryzae. Tps1 responds to glucose-6-phosphate levels and the balance of NADP/NADPH to regulate virulence-associated gene expression, in association with Nmr transcriptional inhibitors. We show that deletion of the NMR3 transcriptional inhibitor gene partially restores virulence to a Δagl1Δgph1 mutant, suggesting that glycogen metabolic genes are necessary for operation of the NADPH-dependent genetic switch in M. oryzae. PMID:24098112

  8. Glycogen depletion according to muscle and fibre types in response to dyadic encounters in pigs (Sus scrofa domesticus)--relationships with plasma epinephrine and aggressive behaviour.

    PubMed

    Fernandez, X; Meunier-Salaün, M C; Ecolan, P

    1994-12-01

    Changes in glycogen content according to fibre type were assessed in a predominantly white (Longissimus) and a predominantly red (Semispinalis) pig muscle, in response to dyadic encounters involving aggressive interactions. Tested animals showed significantly lower glycogen levels than the control in the Semispinalis, but not in the Longissimus muscle. Histological treatment of muscle serial cuts followed by computerized image analysis showed that the observed decrease in muscle Semispinalis glycogen level occurred only in fast-twitch fibres. Total glycogen and glycogen contents in fast-twitch fibres of the Semispinalis muscle were closely and negatively related to aggressive behaviour, but not with plasma epinephrine levels during and at the end of the encounters. The present results provide indirect evidences suggesting a major influence of fighting-induced physical activity on muscle glycogen depletion in response to aggressive interactions in pigs.

  9. State-of-the-Art Methods for Skeletal Muscle Glycogen Analysis in Athletes-The Need for Novel Non-Invasive Techniques.

    PubMed

    Greene, Jacob; Louis, Julien; Korostynska, Olga; Mason, Alex

    2017-02-23

    Muscle glycogen levels have a profound impact on an athlete's sporting performance, thus measurement is vital. Carbohydrate manipulation is a fundamental component in an athlete's lifestyle and is a critical part of elite performance, since it can provide necessary training adaptations. This paper provides a critical review of the current invasive and non-invasive methods for measuring skeletal muscle glycogen levels. These include the gold standard muscle biopsy, histochemical analysis, magnetic resonance spectroscopy, and musculoskeletal high frequency ultrasound, as well as pursuing future application of electromagnetic sensors in the pursuit of portable non-invasive quantification of muscle glycogen. This paper will be of interest to researchers who wish to understand the current and most appropriate techniques in measuring skeletal muscle glycogen. This will have applications both in the lab and in the field by improving the accuracy of research protocols and following the physiological adaptations to exercise.

  10. State-of-the-Art Methods for Skeletal Muscle Glycogen Analysis in Athletes—The Need for Novel Non-Invasive Techniques

    PubMed Central

    Greene, Jacob; Louis, Julien; Korostynska, Olga; Mason, Alex

    2017-01-01

    Muscle glycogen levels have a profound impact on an athlete’s sporting performance, thus measurement is vital. Carbohydrate manipulation is a fundamental component in an athlete’s lifestyle and is a critical part of elite performance, since it can provide necessary training adaptations. This paper provides a critical review of the current invasive and non-invasive methods for measuring skeletal muscle glycogen levels. These include the gold standard muscle biopsy, histochemical analysis, magnetic resonance spectroscopy, and musculoskeletal high frequency ultrasound, as well as pursuing future application of electromagnetic sensors in the pursuit of portable non-invasive quantification of muscle glycogen. This paper will be of interest to researchers who wish to understand the current and most appropriate techniques in measuring skeletal muscle glycogen. This will have applications both in the lab and in the field by improving the accuracy of research protocols and following the physiological adaptations to exercise. PMID:28241495

  11. Enzymatic Regulation of Glycogenolysis in a Subarctic Population of the Wood Frog: Implications for Extreme Freeze Tolerance

    PubMed Central

    do Amaral, M. Clara F.; Lee, Richard E.; Costanzo, Jon P.

    2013-01-01

    The wood frog, Rana sylvatica, from Interior Alaska survives freezing at –16°C, a temperature 10–13°C below that tolerated by its southern conspecifics. We investigated the hepatic freezing response in this northern phenotype to determine if its profound freeze tolerance is associated with an enhanced glucosic cryoprotectant system. Alaskan frogs had a larger liver glycogen reserve that was mobilized faster during early freezing as compared to conspecifics from a cool-temperate region (southern Ohio, USA). In Alaskan frogs the rapid glucose production in the first hours of freezing was associated with a 7-fold increase in glycogen phosphorylase activity above unfrozen frog levels, and the activity of this enzyme was higher than that of frozen Ohioan frogs. Freezing of Ohioan frogs induced a more modest (4-fold) increase in glycogen phosphorylase activity above unfrozen frog values. Relative to the Ohioan frogs, Alaskan frogs maintained a higher total protein kinase A activity throughout an experimental freezing/thawing time course, and this may have potentiated glycogenolysis during early freezing. We found populational variation in the activity and protein level of protein kinase A which suggested that the Alaskan population had a more efficient form of this enzyme. Alaskan frogs modulated their glycogenolytic response by decreasing the activity of glycogen phosphorylase after cryoprotectant mobilization was well under way, thereby conserving their hepatic glycogen reserve. Ohioan frogs, however, sustained high glycogen phosphorylase activity until early thawing and consumed nearly all their liver glycogen. These unique hepatic responses of Alaskan R. sylvatica likely contribute to this phenotype’s exceptional freeze tolerance, which is necessary for their survival in a subarctic climate. PMID:24236105

  12. Hepatitis C virus infection inhibits P-body granule formation in human livers.

    PubMed

    Pérez-Vilaró, Gemma; Fernández-Carrillo, Carlos; Mensa, Laura; Miquel, Rosa; Sanjuan, Xavier; Forns, Xavier; Pérez-del-Pulgar, Sofía; Díez, Juana

    2015-04-01

    Decoding the myriad of interactions that hepatitis C virus (HCV) establishes with infected cells is mandatory to obtain a complete understanding of HCV biology and its associated pathogenesis. We and others have previously found that HCV infection disrupts the formation of P-bodies in cell culture. These are cytoplasmic RNA granules with key roles in post-transcriptional regulation of gene expression. Therefore, P-body disruption might have consequences beyond viral propagation. However, whether P-body disruption occurs also in vivo is unknown. Aim of this study was to address this important issue. Formalin-fixed paraffin-embedded liver biopsies from four groups of patients (healthy donors, patients with non-virus related liver inflammation, HCV- and HBV-infected patients) were immunostained to detect DDX6 and Dcp1, two core P-body components. Changes in the localization of these proteins were assessed by confocal microscopy. HCV specifically inhibited P-body formation in hepatocytes from human livers regardless of viral genotype, inflammation grade or whether the infection was recent or long established. Importantly, this alteration was reversed once HCV was eliminated by therapy. Furthermore, we observed in vivo an unexpected heterogeneity in P-body composition, which might reflect functional specializations. This is the first comprehensive in vivo P-body analysis that links a pathogenic condition to P-body alterations. Because of their role in gene expression, the alteration of P-bodies should be further studied to understand fully complex HCV-associated pathologies. Copyright © 2014 European Association for the Study of the Liver. Published by Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

  13. Comparative studies on fatty acid synthesis, glycogen metabolism, and gluconeogenesis by hepatocytes isolated from lean and obese Zucker rats.

    PubMed

    McCune, S A; Durant, P J; Jenkins, P A; Harris, R A

    1981-12-01

    Hepatocytes isolated from genetically obese female Zucker rats and lean female Zucker rats were compared. Hepatocytes from fed obese rats exhibited greater rates of fatty acid synthesis, more extensive accumulation of lactate and pyruvate from their glycogen stores, increased rates of net glucose utilization but produced less ketone bodies from exogenous fatty acids and had lower citrate levels than hepatocytes from lean rats. Lipogenesis was not as sensitive to dibutyryl cyclic AMP (DBcAMP) inhibition in hepatocytes from obese rats but glycogenolysis was stimulated to the same extent by this nucleotide in both preparations. Ketogenesis was less sensitive to stimulation by DBcAMP in hepatocytes from obese rats. A difference in sensitivity of lipogenesis to DBcAMP was not found when lactate plus pyruvate was added to the incubation medium, suggesting that a greater rate of glycolysis by hepatocytes from obese rats accounts for their relative insensitivity to DBcAMP. Citrate levels were elevated by DBcAMP to a greater extent in hepatocytes from obese rats. Hepatocytes prepared from lean rats starved for 48 hr were glycogen depleted and lacked significant capacity for lipogenesis and glycogen synthesis. In contrast, hepatocytes isolated from starved obese rats retained considerable amounts of liver glycogen and exhibited detectable rates of lipogenesis and glycogen synthesis. Hepatocytes prepared from starved lean rats gave faster apparent rates of lactate gluconeogenesis than hepatocytes prepared from starved obese rats. Thus, hepatocytes prepared from obese Zucker rats are more glycogenic, glycolytic, and lipogenic but less ketogenic and glucogenic than hepatocytes prepared from lean rats.

  14. Expression of Escherichia coli glycogen branching enzyme in an Arabidopsis mutant devoid of endogenous starch branching enzymes induces the synthesis of starch-like polyglucans.

    PubMed

    Boyer, Laura; Roussel, Xavier; Courseaux, Adeline; Ndjindji, Ofilia M; Lancelon-Pin, Christine; Putaux, Jean-Luc; Tetlow, Ian J; Emes, Michael J; Pontoire, Bruno; D' Hulst, Christophe; Wattebled, Fabrice

    2016-07-01

    Starch synthesis requires several enzymatic activities including branching enzymes (BEs) responsible for the formation of α(1 → 6) linkages. Distribution and number of these linkages are further controlled by debranching enzymes that cleave some of them, rendering the polyglucan water-insoluble and semi-crystalline. Although the activity of BEs and debranching enzymes is mandatory to sustain normal starch synthesis, the relative importance of each in the establishment of the plant storage polyglucan (i.e. water insolubility, crystallinity and presence of amylose) is still debated. Here, we have substituted the activity of BEs in Arabidopsis with that of the Escherichia coli glycogen BE (GlgB). The latter is the BE counterpart in the metabolism of glycogen, a highly branched water-soluble and amorphous storage polyglucan. GlgB was expressed in the be2 be3 double mutant of Arabidopsis, which is devoid of BE activity and consequently free of starch. The synthesis of a water-insoluble, partly crystalline, amylose-containing starch-like polyglucan was restored in GlgB-expressing plants, suggesting that BEs' origin only has a limited impact on establishing essential characteristics of starch. Moreover, the balance between branching and debranching is crucial for the synthesis of starch, as an excess of branching activity results in the formation of highly branched, water-soluble, poorly crystalline polyglucan. © 2015 John Wiley & Sons Ltd.

  15. Analysis of hepatic gene transcription in mice expressing insulin-insensitive GSK3

    PubMed Central

    2005-01-01

    GSK3 (glycogen synthase kinase-3) regulation is proposed to play a key role in the hormonal control of many cellular processes. Inhibition of GSK3 in animal models of diabetes leads to normalization of blood glucose levels, while high GSK3 activity has been reported in Type II diabetes. Insulin inhibits GSK3 by promoting phosphorylation of a serine residue (Ser-21 in GSK3α, Ser-9 in GSK3β), thereby relieving GSK3 inhibition of glycogen synthesis in muscle. GSK3 inhibition in liver reduces expression of the gluconeogenic genes PEPCK (phosphoenolpyruvate carboxykinase), G6Pase (glucose-6-phosphatase), as well as IGFBP1 (insulin-like growth factor binding protein-1). Overexpression of GSK3 in cells antagonizes insulin regulation of these genes. In the present study we demonstrate that regulation of these three genes by feeding is normal in mice that express insulin-insensitive GSK3. Therefore inactivation of GSK3 is not a prerequisite for insulin repression of these genes, despite the previous finding that GSK3 activity is absolutely required for maintaining their expression. Interestingly, insulin injection of wild-type mice, which activates PKB (protein kinase B) and inhibits GSK3 to a greater degree than feeding (50% versus 25%), does not repress these genes. We suggest for the first time that although pharmacological inhibition of GSK3 reduces hepatic glucose production even in insulin-resistant states, feeding can repress the gluconeogenic genes without inhibiting GSK3. PMID:16176184

  16. "Know More Hepatitis:" CDC's National Education Campaign to Increase Hepatitis C Testing Among People Born Between 1945 and 1965.

    PubMed

    Jorgensen, Cynthia; Carnes, C Amanda; Downs, Alycia

    2016-01-01

    In 2012, CDC issued recommendations calling for those born between 1945 and 1965, or baby boomers, to get tested for the hepatitis C virus. To help implement this recommendation, CDC developed "Know More Hepatitis," a multimedia national education campaign. Guided by behavioral science theories and formative research, the campaign used multiple strategies to reach baby boomers and health-care providers with messages encouraging baby boomers to get tested for hepatitis C. With a limited campaign budget, the "Know More Hepatitis" campaign relied mostly on donated time and space from broadcast and print outlets. Donated placements totaled approximately $14.7 million, which reflected a more than 12-to-1 return on the campaign investment. This effort was supplemented with a small, paid digital advertising campaign. Combining audience impressions from both paid and donated campaign efforts resulted in more than 1.2 billion audience impressions.

  17. Ingestion of glucose or sucrose prevents liver but not muscle glycogen depletion during prolonged endurance-type exercise in trained cyclists.

    PubMed

    Gonzalez, Javier T; Fuchs, Cas J; Smith, Fiona E; Thelwall, Pete E; Taylor, Roy; Stevenson, Emma J; Trenell, Michael I; Cermak, Naomi M; van Loon, Luc J C

    2015-12-15

    The purpose of this study was to define the effect of glucose ingestion compared with sucrose ingestion on liver and muscle glycogen depletion during prolonged endurance-type exercise. Fourteen cyclists completed two 3-h bouts of cycling at 50% of peak power output while ingesting either glucose or sucrose at a rate of 1.7 g/min (102 g/h). Four cyclists performed an additional third test for reference in which only water was consumed. We employed (13)C magnetic resonance spectroscopy to determine liver and muscle glycogen concentrations before and after exercise. Expired breath was sampled during exercise to estimate whole body substrate use. After glucose and sucrose ingestion, liver glycogen levels did not show a significant decline after exercise (from 325 ± 168 to 345 ± 205 and 321 ± 177 to 348 ± 170 mmol/l, respectively; P > 0.05), with no differences between treatments. Muscle glycogen concentrations declined (from 101 ± 49 to 60 ± 34 and 114 ± 48 to 67 ± 34 mmol/l, respectively; P < 0.05), with no differences between treatments. Whole body carbohydrate utilization was greater with sucrose (2.03 ± 0.43 g/min) vs. glucose (1.66 ± 0.36 g/min; P < 0.05) ingestion. Both liver (from 454 ± 33 to 283 ± 82 mmol/l; P < 0.05) and muscle (from 111 ± 46 to 67 ± 31 mmol/l; P < 0.01) glycogen concentrations declined during exercise when only water was ingested. Both glucose and sucrose ingestion prevent liver glycogen depletion during prolonged endurance-type exercise. Sucrose ingestion does not preserve liver glycogen concentrations more than glucose ingestion. However, sucrose ingestion does increase whole body carbohydrate utilization compared with glucose ingestion. This trial was registered at https://www.clinicaltrials.gov as NCT02110836. Copyright © 2015 the American Physiological Society.

  18. Improvement of the classical assay method for liver glycogen fractions: ASG is the main and metabolic active fraction.

    PubMed

    Shokri-Afra, H; Ostovar-Ravari, A; Rasouli, M

    2016-10-01

    Acid digestion of animal tissues yields two fractions of glycogen, acid soluble (ASG) and insoluble (AIG). The current study was performed to improve the assay method for glycogen fractions in rat liver in different physiological states. All steps of the assay were manipulated and optimized to measure the content of ASG and AIG in fed and starved rat liver. In postmortem liver tissue, total glycogen was decreased slowly at 4°C and rapidly at 25°C but was well stabilized at -20°C and -70°C. At room temperature, ASG underwent autolysis at the rate of 1.3% and decreased by half at 35 min, while AIG increased slightly. The yield of the recovery of ASG during four successive extractions depends on the tissue concentration, and at the ratio of 50 mg tissue per 2 mL perchloric acid (PCA) was about 93.2%, 6.3%, 0.3% and 0.05% respectively. The increase in the time and extent of homogenization of the tissue with cold PCA and using ultrasonication had not any significant effect on the extraction yield of ASG. The time of centrifugation of the tissue extract could be reduced from 15 to 7.5 minutes with no significant decrease in the recovery of ASG. On extraction with ethanol, the yield of recovery of ASG reached the maximal level of 97.5% at a final ethanol concentration of 60%. The recovery of ASG was not improved in the presence of KCl. During 24 starvation, total glycogen depleted completely and the change occurred entirely in ASG, while AIG did not change significantly. The CV% was less than 5% for the optimized assays of glycogen fractions. ASG is the main and metabolically active portion of glycogen in rat liver.

  19. Loss of Par-1a/MARK3/C-TAK1 Kinase Leads to Reduced Adiposity, Resistance to Hepatic Steatosis, and Defective Gluconeogenesis ▿

    PubMed Central

    Lennerz, Jochen K.; Hurov, Jonathan B.; White, Lynn S.; Lewandowski, Katherine T.; Prior, Julie L.; Planer, G. James; Gereau, Robert W.; Piwnica-Worms, David; Schmidt, Robert E.; Piwnica-Worms, Helen

    2010-01-01

    Par-1 is an evolutionarily conserved protein kinase required for polarity in worms, flies, frogs, and mammals. The mammalian Par-1 family consists of four members. Knockout studies of mice implicate Par-1b/MARK2/EMK in regulating fertility, immune homeostasis, learning, and memory as well as adiposity, insulin hypersensitivity, and glucose metabolism. Here, we report phenotypes of mice null for a second family member (Par-1a/MARK3/C-TAK1) that exhibit increased energy expenditure, reduced adiposity with unaltered glucose handling, and normal insulin sensitivity. Knockout mice were protected against high-fat diet-induced obesity and displayed attenuated weight gain, complete resistance to hepatic steatosis, and improved glucose handling with decreased insulin secretion. Overnight starvation led to complete hepatic glycogen depletion, associated hypoketotic hypoglycemia, increased hepatocellular autophagy, and increased glycogen synthase levels in Par-1a−/− but not in control or Par-1b−/− mice. The intercrossing of Par-1a−/− with Par-1b−/− mice revealed that at least one of the four alleles is necessary for embryonic survival. The severity of phenotypes followed a rank order, whereby the loss of one Par-1b allele in Par-1a−/− mice conveyed milder phenotypes than the loss of one Par-1a allele in Par-1b−/− mice. Thus, although Par-1a and Par-1b can compensate for one another during embryogenesis, their individual disruption gives rise to distinct metabolic phenotypes in adult mice. PMID:20733003

  20. Effects of in ovo administration of L-carnitine on hatchability performance, glycogen status and insulin-like growth factor-1 of broiler chickens.

    PubMed

    Shafey, T M; Al-Batshan, H A; Al-Owaimer, A N; Al-Samawei, K A

    2010-02-01

    1. Eggs from a meat-type breeder flock (Ross) were used in two trials to study the effects of in ovo administration of L-carnitine (carnitine) on hatchability traits (hatchability percentage, embryo deaths, pipped with live or dead embryo), chick weight at hatch as an absolute value (CWT) or expressed as a percentage of egg weight (CWT%), hatching period, glycogen status (liver and pectoral muscle) and plasma insulin-like growth factor-1 (IGF-1) of hatched chicks were investigated. There were 9 treatments with three replicates of each. Treatments were non-injected control (negative control), or injection with sterilised saline (09%, positive control), or sterilised saline with carnitine at 25, 50, 100, 200, 300, 400, and 500 microg/egg. 2. In ovo carnitine treatment increased CWT, CWT%, glycogen in the liver and pectoral muscle, glycogen index and plasma IGF-1 of hatched chicks, and did not influence hatchability traits and hatching period. The glycogen index of hatched chicks of the in ovo carnitine treatments with values (500 > 400 = 300 > 200) was higher than that of the control and in ovo carnitine at 25, 50, and 100 microg/egg treatments. The nature of response to carnitine was cubic for CWT and CWT%, and linear for glycogen in the liver and pectoral muscle, glycogen index of hatched chicks when the negative control or positive control treatment was used as base line. 3. It was concluded that in ovo administration of carnitine at 25-500 microg/egg increased chick weight at hatch and IGF-1, and did not influence hatchability traits and hatching period of eggs. The linear relationship between in ovo administration of carnitine and glycogen status of hatched chicks indicated that increasing in ovo doses improved glycogen status of hatched chicks.

  1. Traumatic common hepatic artery injury causing isolated right hepatic ischemia due to a left accessory artery. A case report.

    PubMed

    Fernandes, Eduardo; Pedrazzani, Corrado; Gerena, Marielia; Omi, Ellen

    2017-01-01

    Hepatic arterial liver flow is renowned for its redundancy. Previous studies have demonstrated that the common hepatic artery is not essential for liver survival. We present a case of a 31year-old involved in a high-speed motor vehicle accident whose liver survived thanks to the presence of an accessory hepatic artery. We present the case of a 31year-old male who sustained a traumatic injury of the proper hepatic artery following a motor vehicle accident. The patient suffered temporary right liver lobe ischemia due to the presence of an accessory left hepatic artery. This resulted in the selective formation of 'biliary lakes' distinctively within the territory of the right hepatic artery supply. Simultaneously the patient developed a pseudo-aneurysm of the proper hepatic artery which required radiology intervention. At the time of pseudo-aneurysm embolisation, a rich network of arterial collaterals had formed between the accessory left hepatic and the inferior phrenic artery. On follow up the biliary lakes to the right lobe had resolved, but a small area at the periphery of the right lobe had encountered atrophy. This case report is an 'in vivo' demonstration of liver resilience to arterial flow re-distribution and demonstrates the ability of the biliary epithelium to recover from and ischemic injury. Parenchymal liver survival is mostly independent from flow within the common hepatic artery. Acute and chronic liver parenchyma changes following interruption of hepatic artery flow can still occur. Copyright © 2017 The Authors. Published by Elsevier Ltd.. All rights reserved.

  2. The role of exogenous insulin in the complex of hepatic lipidosis and ketosis associated with insulin resistance phenomenon in postpartum dairy cattle.

    PubMed

    Hayirli, A

    2006-10-01

    As a result of a marked decline in dry matter intake (DMI) prior to parturition and a slow rate of increase in DMI relative to milk production after parturition, dairy cattle experience a negative energy balance. Changes in nutritional and metabolic status during the periparturient period predispose dairy cattle to develop hepatic lipidosis and ketosis. The metabolic profile during early lactation includes low concentrations of serum insulin, plasma glucose, and liver glycogen and high concentrations of serum glucagon, adrenaline, growth hormone, plasma beta-hydroxybutyrate and non-esterified fatty acids, and liver triglyceride. Moreover, during late gestation and early lactation, flow of nutrients to fetus and mammary tissues are accorded a high degree of metabolic priority. This priority coincides with lowered responsiveness and sensitivity of extrahepatic tissues to insulin, which presumably plays a key role in development of hepatic lipidosis and ketosis. Hepatic lipidosis and ketosis compromise production, immune function, and fertility. Cows with hepatic lipidosis and ketosis have low tissue responsiveness to insulin owing to ketoacidosis. Insulin has numerous roles in metabolism of carbohydrates, lipids and proteins. Insulin is an anabolic hormone and acts to preserve nutrients as well as being a potent feed intake regulator. In addition to the major replacement therapy to alleviate severity of negative energy balance, administration of insulin with concomitant delivery of dextrose increases efficiency of treatment for hepatic lipidosis and ketosis. However, data on use of insulin to prevent these lipid-related metabolic disorders are limited and it should be investigated.

  3. GNIP1 E3 ubiquitin ligase is a novel player in regulating glycogen metabolism in skeletal muscle.

    PubMed

    Montori-Grau, Marta; Pedreira-Casahuga, Robert; Boyer-Díaz, Zoé; Lassot, Iréna; García-Martínez, Celia; Orozco, Anna; Cebrià, Judith; Osorio-Conles, Oscar; Chacón, Matilde R; Vendrell, Joan; Vázquez-Carrera, Manuel; Desagher, Solange; Jiménez-Chillarón, Josep Carles; Gómez-Foix, Anna Ma

    2018-06-01

    Glycogenin-interacting protein 1 (GNIP1) is a tripartite motif (TRIM) protein with E3 ubiquitin ligase activity that interacts with glycogenin. These data suggest that GNIP1 could play a major role in the control of glycogen metabolism. However, direct evidence based on functional analysis remains to be obtained. The aim of this study was 1) to define the expression pattern of glycogenin-interacting protein/Tripartite motif containing protein 7 (GNIP/TRIM7) isoforms in humans, 2) to test their ubiquitin E3 ligase activity, and 3) to analyze the functional effects of GNIP1 on muscle glucose/glycogen metabolism both in human cultured cells and in vivo in mice. We show that GNIP1 was the most abundant GNIP/TRIM7 isoform in human skeletal muscle, whereas in cardiac muscle only TRIM7 was expressed. GNIP1 and TRIM7 had autoubiquitination activity in vitro and were localized in the Golgi apparatus and cytosol respectively in LHCN-M2 myoblasts. GNIP1 overexpression increased glucose uptake in LHCN-M2 myotubes. Overexpression of GNIP1 in mouse muscle in vivo increased glycogen content, glycogen synthase (GS) activity and phospho-GSK-3α/β (Ser21/9) and phospho-Akt (Ser473) content, whereas decreased GS phosphorylation in Ser640. These modifications led to decreased blood glucose levels, lactate levels and body weight, without changing whole-body insulin or glucose tolerance in mouse. GNIP1 is an ubiquitin ligase with a markedly glycogenic effect in skeletal muscle. Copyright © 2018 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

  4. Hepatitis

    MedlinePlus

    ... Staying Safe Videos for Educators Search English Español Hepatitis KidsHealth / For Teens / Hepatitis Print en español Hepatitis What Is Hepatitis? Hepatitis (pronounced: hep-uh-TIE-tiss) is an ...

  5. Flurbiprofen, a Cyclooxygenase Inhibitor, Protects Mice from Hepatic Ischemia/Reperfusion Injury by Inhibiting GSK-3β Signaling and Mitochondrial Permeability Transition

    PubMed Central

    Fu, Hailong; Chen, Huan; Wang, Chengcai; Xu, Haitao; Liu, Fang; Guo, Meng; Wang, Quanxing; Shi, Xueyin

    2012-01-01

    Flurbiprofen acts as a nonselective inhibitor for cyclooxygenases (COX-1 and COX-2), but its impact on hepatic ischemia/reperfusion (I/R) injury remains unclear. Mice were randomized into sham, I/R and flurbiprofen (Flurb) groups. The hepatic artery and portal vein to the left and median liver lobes were occluded for 90 min and unclamped for reperfusion to establish a model of segmental (70%) warm hepatic ischemia. Pretreatment of animals with flurbiprofen prior to I/R insult significantly decreased serum alanine aminotransferase (ALT), aspartate aminotransferase (AST) and lactate dehydrogenase (LDH), and prevented hepatocytes from I/R-induced apoptosis/necrosis. Moreover, flurbiprofen dramatically inhibited mitochondrial permeability transition (MPT) pore opening, and thus prevented mitochondrial-related cell death and apoptosis. Mechanistic studies revealed that flurbiprofen markedly inhibited glycogen synthase kinase (GSK)-3β activity and increased phosphorylation of GSK-3β at Ser9, which, consequently, could modulate the adenine nucleotide translocase (ANT)–cyclophilin D (CyP-D) complex and the susceptibility to MPT induction. Therefore, administration of flurbiprofen prior to hepatic I/R ameliorates mitochondrial and hepatocellular damage through inhibition of MPT and inactivation of GSK-3β, and provides experimental evidence for clinical use of flurbiprofen to protect liver function in surgical settings in addition to its conventional use for pain relief. PMID:22714712

  6. Chromatin remodeling agent trichostatin A: a key-factor in the hepatic differentiation of human mesenchymal stem cells derived of adult bone marrow

    PubMed Central

    Snykers, Sarah; Vanhaecke, Tamara; De Becker, Ann; Papeleu, Peggy; Vinken, Mathieu; Van Riet, Ivan; Rogiers, Vera

    2007-01-01

    Background The capability of human mesenchymal stem cells (hMSC) derived of adult bone marrow to undergo in vitro hepatic differentiation was investigated. Results Exposure of hMSC to a cocktail of hepatogenic factors [(fibroblast growth factor-4 (FGF-4), hepatocyte growth factor (HGF), insulin-transferrin-sodium-selenite (ITS) and dexamethasone)] failed to induce hepatic differentiation. Sequential exposure to these factors (FGF-4, followed by HGF, followed by HGF+ITS+dexamethasone), however, resembling the order of secretion during liver embryogenesis, induced both glycogen-storage and cytokeratin (CK)18 expression. Additional exposure of the cells to trichostatin A (TSA) considerably improved endodermal differentiation, as evidenced by acquisition of an epithelial morphology, chronological expression of hepatic proteins, including hepatocyte-nuclear factor (HNF)-3β, alpha-fetoprotein (AFP), CK18, albumin (ALB), HNF1α, multidrug resistance-associated protein (MRP)2 and CCAAT-enhancer binding protein (C/EBP)α, and functional maturation, i.e. upregulated ALB secretion, urea production and inducible cytochrome P450 (CYP)-dependent activity. Conclusion hMSC are able to undergo mesenchymal-to-epithelial transition. TSA is hereby essential to promote differentiation of hMSC towards functional hepatocyte-like cells. PMID:17407549

  7. Prevention of complications in glycogen storage disease type Ia with optimization of metabolic control.

    PubMed

    Dambska, M; Labrador, E B; Kuo, C L; Weinstein, D A

    2017-08-01

    Prior to 1971, type Ia glycogen storage disease was marked by life-threatening hypoglycemia, lactic acidosis, severe failure to thrive, and developmental delay. With the introduction of continuous feeds in the 1970s and cornstarch in the 1980s, the prognosis improved, but complications almost universally developed. Changes in the management of type Ia glycogen storage disease have resulted in improved metabolic control, and this manuscript reviews the increasing evidence that complications can be delayed or prevented with optimal metabolic control as previously was seen in diabetes. © 2017 John Wiley & Sons A/S. Published by John Wiley & Sons Ltd.

  8. Pathogenesis of growth failure and partial reversal with gene therapy in murine and canine Glycogen Storage Disease type Ia.

    PubMed

    Brooks, Elizabeth Drake; Little, Dianne; Arumugam, Ramamani; Sun, Baodong; Curtis, Sarah; Demaster, Amanda; Maranzano, Michael; Jackson, Mark W; Kishnani, Priya; Freemark, Michael S; Koeberl, Dwight D

    2013-06-01

    Glycogen Storage Disease type Ia (GSD-Ia) in humans frequently causes delayed bone maturation, decrease in final adult height, and decreased growth velocity. This study evaluates the pathogenesis of growth failure and the effect of gene therapy on growth in GSD-Ia affected dogs and mice. Here we found that homozygous G6pase (-/-) mice with GSD-Ia have normal growth hormone (GH) levels in response to hypoglycemia, decreased insulin-like growth factor (IGF) 1 levels, and attenuated weight gain following administration of GH. Expression of hepatic GH receptor and IGF 1 mRNAs and hepatic STAT5 (phospho Y694) protein levels are reduced prior to and after GH administration, indicating GH resistance. However, restoration of G6Pase expression in the liver by treatment with adeno-associated virus 8 pseudotyped vector expressing G6Pase (AAV2/8-G6Pase) corrected body weight, but failed to normalize plasma IGF 1 in G6pase (-/-) mice. Untreated G6pase (-/-) mice also demonstrated severe delay of growth plate ossification at 12 days of age; those treated with AAV2/8-G6Pase at 14 days of age demonstrated skeletal dysplasia and limb shortening when analyzed radiographically at 6 months of age, in spite of apparent metabolic correction. Moreover, gene therapy with AAV2/9-G6Pase only partially corrected growth in GSD-Ia affected dogs as detected by weight and bone measurements and serum IGF 1 concentrations were persistently low in treated dogs. We also found that heterozygous GSD-Ia carrier dogs had decreased serum IGF 1, adult body weights and bone dimensions compared to wild-type littermates. In sum, these findings suggest that growth failure in GSD-Ia results, at least in part, from hepatic GH resistance. In addition, gene therapy improved growth in addition to promoting long-term survival in dogs and mice with GSD-Ia. Copyright © 2013 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

  9. Pathogenesis of growth failure and partial reversal with gene therapy in murine and canine Glycogen Storage Disease type Ia

    PubMed Central

    Brooks, Elizabeth Drake; Little, Dianne; Arumugam, Ramamani; Sun, Baodong; Curtis, Sarah; DeMaster, Amanda; Maranzano, Michael; Jackson, Mark W.; Kishnani, Priya; Freemark, Michael S.; Koeberl, Dwight D.

    2013-01-01

    Glycogen Storage Disease type Ia (GSD-Ia) in humans frequently causes delayed bone maturation, decrease in final adult height, and decreased growth velocity. This study evaluates the pathogenesis of growth failure and the effect of gene therapy on growth in GSD-Ia affected dogs and mice. Here we found that homozygous G6pase (−/−) mice with GSD-Ia have normal growth hormone (GH) levels in response to hypoglycemia, decreased insulin-like growth factor (IGF) 1 levels, and attenuated weight gain following administration of GH. Expression of hepatic GH receptor and IGF 1 mRNAs and hepatic STAT5 (phospho Y694) protein levels are reduced prior to and after GH administration, indicating GH resistance. However, restoration of G6Pase expression in the liver by treatment with adeno-associated virus 8 pseudotyped vector expressing G6Pase (AAV2/8-G6Pase) corrected body weight, but failed to normalize plasma IGF 1 in G6pase (−/−) mice. Untreated G6pase (−/−) mice also demonstrated severe delay of growth plate ossification at 12 days of age; those treated with AAV2/8-G6Pase at 14 days of age demonstrated skeletal dysplasia and limb shortening when analyzed radiographically at 6 months of age, in spite of apparent metabolic correction. Moreover, gene therapy with AAV2/9-G6Pase only partially corrected growth in GSD-Ia affected dogs as detected by weight and bone measurements and serum IGF 1 concentrations were persistently low in treated dogs. We also found that heterozygous GSD-Ia carrier dogs had decreased serum IGF 1, adult body weights and bone dimensions compared to wild-type littermates. In sum, these findings suggest that growth failure in GSD-Ia results, at least in part, from hepatic GH resistance. In addition, gene therapy improved growth in addition to promoting long-term survival in dogs and mice with GSD-Ia. PMID:23623482

  10. ON CHANGES OF GLYCOGEN CONTENT IN THE SPLEEN LEUKOCYTES DUE TO IRRADIATION AND ANTIGEN EFFECTS (in Russian)

    DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

    Akopova, V.A.

    1961-01-01

    An investigation was made on 90 white mice subject to x irradiation, using a dose of 335 r (Series I), to vaccination with a brucellosis vaccine (Series II), and to a combined action of these factors (Series III and IV). When the mice received a total irradiation with a dose of 335 r, the leukocytes in the spleen imprints contained a moderate amount of glycogen varying considerably during a fortnight. The x irradiation of the same dose, followed by the action of the brucellosis vaccine, gave rise to an abrupt drop in the glycogen contert of the leukocytes. Under themore » influence of antigen, followed by x irradiation, a considerable amount of glycogen in the leukocytes and the presence of antibodies in the blood were observed. (auth)« less

  11. Oxidative stress and hepatic Nox proteins in chronic hepatitis C and hepatocellular carcinoma

    PubMed Central

    Choi, Jinah; Corder, Nicole L. B.; Koduru, Bhargav; Wang, Yiyan

    2014-01-01

    Hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) is the most common liver cancer and a leading cause of cancer-related mortality in the world. Hepatitis C virus (HCV) is a major etiologic agent of HCC. A majority of HCV infections lead to chronic infection that can progress to cirrhosis and eventually, HCC and liver failure. A common pathogenic feature present in HCV infection, and other conditions leading to HCC, is oxidative stress. HCV directly increases superoxide and H2O2 formation in hepatocytes by elevating Nox protein expression and sensitizing mitochondria to reactive oxygen species generation while decreasing glutathione. Nitric oxide synthesis and hepatic iron are also elevated. Furthermore, activation of phagocytic NADPH oxidase 2 (Nox2) of host immune cells is likely to exacerbate oxidative stress in HCV-infected patients. Key mechanisms of HCC include: genome instability, epigenetic regulation, inflammation with chronic tissue injury and sustained cell proliferation, and modulation of cell growth and death. Oxidative stress, or Nox proteins, plays various roles in these mechanisms. Nox proteins also function in hepatic fibrosis, which commonly precedes HCC, and Nox4 elevation by HCV was mediated by transforming growth factor beta. This review summarizes mechanisms of oncogenesis by HCV, highlighting the role of oxidative stress and hepatic Nox enzymes in HCC. PMID:24816297

  12. Hepatitis B

    MedlinePlus

    ... Bình Dương Hepatitis C Hepatitis D Hepatitis E Hepatitis B What is hepatitis B? Hepatitis B is a viral infection that ... to prevent spreading hepatitis B to others . Acute hepatitis B Acute hepatitis B is a short-term ...

  13. Feature Hepatitis: Hepatitis Can Strike Anyone

    MedlinePlus

    ... Navigation Bar Home Current Issue Past Issues Feature Hepatitis Hepatitis Can Strike Anyone Past Issues / Spring 2009 Table ... from all walks of life are affected by hepatitis, especially hepatitis C, the most common form of ...

  14. Use of Prophylactic Antibiotics to Prevent Abscess Formation Following Hepatic Ablation in Patients with Prior Enterobiliary Manipulation

    PubMed Central

    Richter, Michael; Aloia, Thomas A.; Conrad, Claudius; Ahrar, Kamran; Gupta, Sanjay; Vauthey, Jean-Nicolas; Huang, Steven Y.

    2016-01-01

    Introduction Prior enterobiliary manipulation confers a high risk for liver abscess formation after hepatic ablation. We aimed to determine if prophylactic antibiotics could prevent post-ablation abscess in patients with a history of hepaticojejunostomy. Materials and Methods This single-institution retrospective study identified 262 patients who underwent 307 percutaneous liver ablation sessions between January 2010 and August 2014. Twelve (4.6%) patients with prior hepaticojejunostomy were included in this analysis. Ten (83>%) had received an aggressive prophylactic antibiotic regimen consisting of levofloxacin, metronidazole, neomycin, and erythromycin base. Two (16.6%) had received other antibiotic regimens. Clinical, laboratory, and imaging findings were used to identify abscess formation and antibiotic-related side effects. Results Twelve ablation sessions were performed during the period studied. During a mean follow-up period of 440 days (range, 77–1784 days), post-ablation abscesses had developed in 2 (16.6 %) patients, who both received the alternative antibiotic regimens. None of the 10 patients who received the aggressive prophylactic antibiotic regimen developed liver abscess. One of the 10 patients who received the aggressive prophylactic antibiotic regimen developed grade 2 antibiotic-related diarrhea and arthralgia. Conclusion An aggressive regimen of prophylactic antibiotics may be effective in preventing liver abscess formation after liver ablation in patients with prior hepaticojejunostomy. PMID:26984694

  15. Use of Prophylactic Antibiotics to Prevent Abscess Formation Following Hepatic Ablation in Patients with Prior Enterobiliary Manipulation.

    PubMed

    Odisio, Bruno C; Richter, Michael; Aloia, Thomas A; Conrad, Claudius; Ahrar, Kamran; Gupta, Sanjay; Vauthey, Jean-Nicolas; Huang, Steven Y

    2016-08-01

    Prior enterobiliary manipulation confers a high risk for liver abscess formation after hepatic ablation. We aimed to determine if prophylactic antibiotics could prevent post-ablation abscess in patients with a history of hepaticojejunostomy. This single-institution retrospective study identified 262 patients who underwent 307 percutaneous liver ablation sessions between January 2010 and August 2014. Twelve (4.6 %) patients with prior hepaticojejunostomy were included in this analysis. Ten (83> %) had received an aggressive prophylactic antibiotic regimen consisting of levofloxacin, metronidazole, neomycin, and erythromycin base. Two (16.6 %) had received other antibiotic regimens. Clinical, laboratory, and imaging findings were used to identify abscess formation and antibiotic-related side effects. Twelve ablation sessions were performed during the period studied. During a mean follow-up period of 440 days (range, 77-1784 days), post-ablation abscesses had developed in 2 (16.6 %) patients, who both received the alternative antibiotic regimens. None of the 10 patients who received the aggressive prophylactic antibiotic regimen developed liver abscess. One of the 10 patients who received the aggressive prophylactic antibiotic regimen developed grade 2 antibiotic-related diarrhea and arthralgia. An aggressive regimen of prophylactic antibiotics may be effective in preventing liver abscess formation after liver ablation in patients with prior hepaticojejunostomy.

  16. Glycogen synthase kinase-3 regulation of urinary concentrating ability

    PubMed Central

    Rao, Reena

    2013-01-01

    Purpose of review Glycogen synthase kinase-3 (GSK3) is an enzyme that is gaining prominence as a critical signaling molecule in the epithelial cells of renal tubules. This review will focus on recent findings exploring the role of GSK3 in renal collecting ducts, especially its role in urine concentration involving vasopressin signaling. Recent findings Recent studies using inhibition or tissue-specific gene deletion of GSK3 revealed the mechanism by which GSK3 regulates aquaporin 2 water channels via adenylate cyclase or the prostaglandin-E2 pathway. In other studies, postnatal treatment with lithium, an inhibitor of GSK3, increased cell proliferation and led to microcyst formation in rat kidneys. These studies suggest that loss of GSK3 activity could interfere with renal water transport at two levels. In the short term, it could disrupt vasopressin signaling in collecting duct cells and in the long term it could alter the structure of the collecting ducts, making them less responsive to the hydro-osmotic effects of vasopressin. Summary Ongoing studies reveal the crucial role played by GSK3 in the regulation of vasopressin action in the renal collecting ducts and suggest a possible use of GSK3 inhibitors in disease conditions associated with disrupted vasopressin signaling. PMID:22691876

  17. Glycogen synthase kinase-3 regulation of urinary concentrating ability.

    PubMed

    Rao, Reena

    2012-09-01

    Glycogen synthase kinase-3 (GSK3) is an enzyme that is gaining prominence as a critical signaling molecule in the epithelial cells of renal tubules. This review will focus on recent findings exploring the role of GSK3 in renal collecting ducts, especially its role in urine concentration involving vasopressin signaling. Recent studies using inhibition or tissue-specific gene deletion of GSK3 revealed the mechanism by which GSK3 regulates aquaporin 2 water channels via adenylate cyclase or the prostaglandin-E2 pathway. In other studies, postnatal treatment with lithium, an inhibitor of GSK3, increased cell proliferation and led to microcyst formation in rat kidneys. These studies suggest that loss of GSK3 activity could interfere with renal water transport at two levels. In the short term, it could disrupt vasopressin signaling in collecting duct cells and in the long term it could alter the structure of the collecting ducts, making them less responsive to the hydro-osmotic effects of vasopressin. Ongoing studies reveal the crucial role played by GSK3 in the regulation of vasopressin action in the renal collecting ducts and suggest a possible use of GSK3 inhibitors in disease conditions associated with disrupted vasopressin signaling.

  18. Betaine Supplementation in Maternal Diet Modulates the Epigenetic Regulation of Hepatic Gluconeogenic Genes in Neonatal Piglets

    PubMed Central

    Cai, Demin; Jia, Yimin; Song, Haogang; Sui, Shiyan; Lu, Jingyu; Jiang, Zheng; Zhao, Ruqian

    2014-01-01

    In this study, gestational sows were fed control or betaine-supplemented diets (3 g/kg) throughout the pregnancy, and the newborn piglets were used to elucidate whether maternal dietary betaine affected offspring hepatic gluconeogenic genes through epigenetic mechanisms. Neonatal piglets born to betaine-supplemented sows had significantly higher serum and hepatic betaine contents, together with significantly greater expression of methionine metabolic enzymes in the liver. Interestingly, significantly higher serum concentrations of lactic acid and glucogenic amino acids, including serine, glutamate, methionine and histidine, were detected in the piglets born to betaine-supplemented sows, which were coincident with higher hepatic glycogen content and PEPCK1 enzyme activity, as well as greater protein expression of gluconeogenic enzymes, pyruvate carboxylase (PC), cytoplasmic phosphoenolpyruvate carboxykinase (PEPCK1), mitochondrional phosphoenolpyruvate carboxykinase (PEPCK2) and fructose-1, 6-bisphosphatase (FBP1). Moreover, maternal betaine significantly changed the methylation status of both CpGs and histones on the promoter of gluconeogenic genes. The lower PEPCK1 mRNA was associated with DNA hypermethylation and more enriched repression histone mark H3K27me3, while the up-regulated PEPCK2 and FBP1 mRNA was associated with DNA hypomethylation and more enriched activation histone mark H3K4me3. Furthermore, the expression of two miRNAs predicted to target PC and 6 miRNAs predicted to target PEPCK1 was dramatically suppressed in the liver of piglets born to betaine-supplemented sows. Our results provide the first evidence that maternal betaine supplementation affects hepatic gluconeogenic genes expression in newborn piglets through enhanced hepatic methionine metabolism and epigenetic regulations, which involve DNA and histone methylations, and possibly miRNAs-mediated post-transcriptional mechanism. PMID:25153319

  19. Glycogenolysis in astrocytes supports blood-borne glucose channeling not glycogen-derived lactate shuttling to neurons: evidence from mathematical modeling.

    PubMed

    DiNuzzo, Mauro; Mangia, Silvia; Maraviglia, Bruno; Giove, Federico

    2010-12-01

    In this article, we examined theoretically the role of human cerebral glycogen in buffering the metabolic requirement of a 360-second brain stimulation, expanding our previous modeling study of neurometabolic coupling. We found that glycogen synthesis and degradation affects the relative amount of glucose taken up by neurons versus astrocytes. Under conditions of 175:115 mmol/L (∼1.5:1) neuronal versus astrocytic activation-induced Na(+) influx ratio, ∼12% of astrocytic glycogen is mobilized. This results in the rapid increase of intracellular glucose-6-phosphate level on stimulation and nearly 40% mean decrease of glucose flow through hexokinase (HK) in astrocytes via product inhibition. The suppression of astrocytic glucose phosphorylation, in turn, favors the channeling of glucose from interstitium to nearby activated neurons, without a critical effect on the concurrent intercellular lactate trafficking. Under conditions of increased neuronal versus astrocytic activation-induced Na(+) influx ratio to 190:65 mmol/L (∼3:1), glycogen is not significantly degraded and blood glucose is primarily taken up by neurons. These results support a role for astrocytic glycogen in preserving extracellular glucose for neuronal utilization, rather than providing lactate to neurons as is commonly accepted by the current 'thinking paradigm'. This might be critical in subcellular domains during functional conditions associated with fast energetic demands.

  20. Glycogenolysis in astrocytes supports blood-borne glucose channeling not glycogen-derived lactate shuttling to neurons: evidence from mathematical modeling

    PubMed Central

    DiNuzzo, Mauro; Mangia, Silvia; Maraviglia, Bruno; Giove, Federico

    2010-01-01

    In this article, we examined theoretically the role of human cerebral glycogen in buffering the metabolic requirement of a 360-second brain stimulation, expanding our previous modeling study of neurometabolic coupling. We found that glycogen synthesis and degradation affects the relative amount of glucose taken up by neurons versus astrocytes. Under conditions of 175:115 mmol/L (∼1.5:1) neuronal versus astrocytic activation-induced Na+ influx ratio, ∼12% of astrocytic glycogen is mobilized. This results in the rapid increase of intracellular glucose-6-phosphate level on stimulation and nearly 40% mean decrease of glucose flow through hexokinase (HK) in astrocytes via product inhibition. The suppression of astrocytic glucose phosphorylation, in turn, favors the channeling of glucose from interstitium to nearby activated neurons, without a critical effect on the concurrent intercellular lactate trafficking. Under conditions of increased neuronal versus astrocytic activation-induced Na+ influx ratio to 190:65 mmol/L (∼3:1), glycogen is not significantly degraded and blood glucose is primarily taken up by neurons. These results support a role for astrocytic glycogen in preserving extracellular glucose for neuronal utilization, rather than providing lactate to neurons as is commonly accepted by the current ‘thinking paradigm'. This might be critical in subcellular domains during functional conditions associated with fast energetic demands. PMID:20827264