Effects of Insulin, Glucose, and Amino Acids on Protein Turnover in Rat Diaphragm.

摘要

A simple method is described for measuring rates of protein synthesis and degradation in isolated rat diaphragm. Muscles incubated in Krebs-Ringer bicarbonate buffer showed a linear rate of synthesis for 3 hours. At the same time, the muscle released tyrosine and ninhydrin-positive material, primarily amino acids, at a linear rate. This release was not a nonspecific leakage of material from the intracellular pools, but reflected net protein degradation. Tyrosine was chosen for studies of protein turnover, since it rapidly equilibrates between intracellular pools and the medium, it can be measured fluorometrically, and it is neither synthesized nor degraded by this tissue. To follow protein degradation independently of synthesis, muscles were incubated in the presence of cycloheximide. Under these conditions, the amount of tyrosine in the intracellular pools was constant, while the muscle released tyrosine at a linear rate. This tyrosine release was used as a measure of degradation. The addition of amino acids at plasma concentrations both promoted protein synthesis and inhibited degradation in the diaphragm.