title: A model of skeletal muscle leucine kinetics measured across the human forearm.
abstract: We propose a new six-compartment model of intracellular muscle kinetics of leucine and of its transamination product alpha-ketoisocaproic acid (KIC) by combining systemic tracer infusions of [14C]- and [15N]leucine with the arterial-deep venous catheterization of the human forearm. Venous [14C]KIC specific activity (SA) is taken as representative of intracellular [14C]leucine SA, whereas net [15N]leucine disposal is used to calculate leucine inflow and outflow across forearm cell membrane(s). In post-absorptive normal subjects, model-derived rates of intracellular leucine release from and incorporation into protein were approximately 32% (P = 0.03) and approximately 37% greater (P = 0.025), respectively, than those calculated using a conventional arteriovenous approach. Forearm fasting proteolysis exceeded protein synthesis (P < 0.025), whereas leucine oxidation was greater than zero (P < 0.01), suggesting a net negative leucine (i.e., protein) balance. Leucine inflow from blood to cell represented approximately 30% of arterial leucine delivery; therefore approximately 70% of arterial leucine bypassed intracellular metabolism. This model provides a comprehensive description of regional leucine and KIC kinetics and new estimates of protein degradation and synthesis across the human forearm.
authors.affiliation: Department of Metabolism, University of Padova, Italy.
authors.forename: P
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Tessari
authors.forename: S
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Inchiostro
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Zanetti
authors.forename: R
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Barazzoni
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D005542:Forearm; D006801:Humans; D007930:Leucine / Q000493:pharmacokinetics*; D008297:Male; D008954:Models, Biological; D018482:Muscle, Skeletal / Q000378:metabolism*
chemical_list: D007930:Leucine