Acute effects of intraperitoneal administration of ammonium chloride (200 mg/kg) on Na(+),K(+)-ATPase and amino acid content of the glutamate family (glutamate, aspartate, alanine, glutamine, and GABA), as well as the enzymes involved in the metabolism of these amino acids, have been studied in the different regions of brain and liver in mice. A significant increase in the activity of Na(+),K(+)-ATPase was observed in the cerebellum, cerebral cortex, and brain stem. A similar increase in the activity of glutamate dehydrogenase was observed in the brain stem, while a moderate increase in the activity of this enzyme was observed in the cerebral cortex and liver in the mice treated with ammonium chloride. In all three regions of brain, a 50% decrease was observed in the activity of alanine aminotransferase, while the activity of aspartate aminotransferase significantly rose in the brain stem. The activity of glutamine synthetase did not change much in the three regions of brain, and a significant fall was registered in the liver. The activity of tyrosine aminotransferase showed a rise in the cerebellum, brain stem, and in liver. Not much change was observed in the protein content in either brain or liver, whereas there was a 1.5-fold increase in the total RNA content in the liver of the animals treated with ammonium chloride. Under the experimental conditions, there was an increase only in the content of glutamine, of all the amino acids tested, in the cerebral cortex and liver. Similar results were obtained with homogenates of tissues enriched with ammonium chloride (in vitro) for the enzyme systems studied. These results are discussed, and the probable metabolic and functional significance of ammonia in brain is indicated.
Expressed as pmol of y-glutamyl hydroxamate formed per g per h. t Expressed as p n o l of A-pyrroline-5-carboxylate formed per g per h % Intraperitoneally-injected animals. 3 Estimation of glutamine synthetase were as given in Methods except that in the assay mixture of 0.9 nil, 5 pmol Figures given in brackets are the number of observations made from the pooled regions from two animals. ~s . D .of citrulline were included besides other components.
Leucine aminotransferase (EC 2.6.1.6) and 2-oxoisocaproate dehydrogenase (EC 1.2.4.3) were studied in rat cerebral cortex, cerebellum, brain stem, liver, and muscle in normal and animals starved for 48 hours. In the brain, leucine aminotransferase, valine aminotransferase, and 2-oxoisocaproate dehydrogenase showed a significant increase in starvation only in cerebellum while there was increase in 2-oxoisocaproate dehydrogenase in cerebral cortex only. A significantly high increase in the activity of 2-oxoisocaproate dehydrogenase was observed in muscle in starvation. A significant decrease in the activity of leucine aminotransferase was observed in liver in starvation. The increase in the activity of 2-oxoisocaproate dehydrogenase in muscle and a decrease in the activity of leucine aminotransferase in liver in starvation indicate that the leucine is predominantly metabolized in extra hepatic tissues particularly in muscle. As a result of intraperitoneal administration of 2 ml of leucine (5 mM), a significant increase in 2-oxoisocaproate dehydrogenase occurred in cerebral cortex, liver, and muscle while a profound increase in the activity of glutamate dehydrogenase (EC 1.4.1.2) was observed in all the brain regions and liver under these conditions. A significant increase in the content of glutamic acid, alanine, and GABA was observed in all the three regions of the brain after the administration of leucine. A significant increase in the content of glutamine was observed only in the cerebellum and cerebral cortex after leucine administration. These results indicate that leucine in brain might contribute to the formation of glutamate, not only by transamination, but also by promoting glutamate dehydrogenase activity. Thus, there is a change in the metabolism of glutamate family of amino acids and energy depletion. These results are discussed in relation to the brain function.
Adenosine monophosphate (AMP) deaminase and 5'-nucleotidase, the two enzymes involved in the disposal of AMP, have been detected in different regions of normal rat brain and in animals subjected to heightened neuronal activity (leptazol-induced convulsions) and to depression of the central nervous system (CNS) by the administration of barbiturates. They have also been estimated in the CNS of animals subjected to anoxia or treated with lithium and ammonium salts. The AMP deaminase activity was found to be highest in cerebellum and lowest in cerebral cortex, while the 5'-nucleotidase activity was found to be highest in brain stem and lowest in cerebellum. The AMP deaminase activity was elevated in all the regions of brain during the preconvulsive and convulsive periods. The activity returned to normal during recovery. The activity of 5'-nucleotidase was found to be depressed in the preconvulsive and post-convulsive periods. The enzyme was also found to be depressed in all the three regions after the administration of barbiturates. Administration of lithium or ammonium salts of induction of anoxic states resulted in an increase in the activity of AMP deaminase in all the three regions of brain. These results are discussed in relation to the probable production of cyclic AMP and cyclic guanosine monophosphate (GMP) which may have depressive and excitatory roles, respectively, in brain. It appears that increased AMP deaminase activity is associated with increased neuronal activity while depression of 5'-nucleotidase activity is associated with conditions of decreased CNS excitability.
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