In isolated rabbit renal kidney-cortex tubules 2 mM glycerol, which is a poor gluconeogenic substrate, does not induce glucose formation in the presence of alanine, while it activates gluconeogenesis on substitution of alanine by aspartate, glutamate or proline. The addition of either 5 mM 3-hydroxybutyrate or 5 mM acetoacetate to renal tubules incubated with alanine + glycerol causes a marked induction of glucose production associated with inhibition of glutamine synthesis. In contrast, the rate of the latter process is not altered by ketones in the presence of glycerol and either aspartate, glutamine or proline despite the stimulation of glucose formation. Acceleration of gluconeogenesis by ketone bodies in the presence of amino acids and glycerol is probably due to (i) stimulation of pyruvate carboxylase activity, (ii) activation of malate-aspartate shuttle as concluded from elevated intracellular levels of malate, aspartate and glutamate, as well as (iii) diminished supply of ammonium for glutamine synthesis from alanine resulting from a decrease in glutamate dehydrogenase activity.
In isolated rabbit renal cortical tubules, glucose synthesis from 1 mM alanine is negligible, while the amino acid is metabolized to glutamine and glutamate. The addition of 0.5 mM octanoate plus 2 mM glycerol induces incorporation of [U-14C]alanine into glucose and decreases glutamine synthesis, whereas oleate and palmitate in the presence of glycerol are less potent than octanoate. Gluconeogenesis is also significantly accelerated when glycerol is substituted by lactate. In view of an increase in 14CO2 fixation and elevation of both cytosolic and mitochondrial NADH/NAD+ ratios, the activation of glucose formation from alanine upon the addition of glycerol and octanoate is likely due to (i) stimulation of pyruvate carboxylation, (ii) increased availability of NADH for glyceraldehyde-3-phosphate dehydrogenase and (iii) elevation of mitochondrial redox state causing a diminished provision of ammonium for glutamine synthesis. The induction of gluconeogenesis in the presence of alanine, glycerol and octanoate is not related to cell volume changes. The results presented in this paper show the importance of free fatty acids and glycerol for regulation of renal gluconeogenesis from alanine. The possible physiological significance of the data is discussed.
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