title: The valine catabolic pathway in human liver: effect of cirrhosis on enzyme activities.
abstract: The activities of key enzymes in the valine catabolic pathway--branched-chain aminotransferase, branched-chain alpha-keto acid dehydrogenase complex, methacrylyl (MC)-coenzyme A (CoA) hydratase (crotonase), and 3-hydroxyisobutyryl-CoA (HIB-CoA) hydrolase--were measured in normal and cirrhotic human livers. Unlike rat liver, which does not contain branched-chain aminotransferase, the aminotransferase activity in the normal liver was measurable and is increased somewhat in cirrhosis of the human liver. The total activity of branched-chain alpha-keto acid dehydrogenase complex in the normal human liver was approximately 1% of that in rat liver, and 20% to 30% of the complex was in the active form in both normal and cirrhotic livers. Only the actual activity of the enzyme was significantly decreased by cirrhosis. These results suggest that human liver is less active than rat liver in the catabolism of branched-chain amino and alpha-keto acids. Activities of MC-CoA hydratase and HIB-CoA hydrolase in human liver were very high compared with that of branched-chain alpha-keto acid dehydrogenase complex, suggesting an important role for these enzymes in catabolism of a potentially toxic compound, MC-CoA, formed as an intermediate in the catabolism of valine and isobutyrate. Cirrhosis resulted in a significant decrease in HIB-CoA hydrolase activity but had no effect on the citrate synthase activity, suggesting that the decrease in HIB-CoA hydrolase activity does not reflect a general decrease in mitochondria but that it may contribute to cellular damage that culminates in liver failure.
authors.affiliation: Department of Surgery II, Nagoya University School of Medicine, Japan.
authors.forename: K
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Taniguchi
authors.forename: T
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Nonami
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Nakao
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Harada
authors.forename: T
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Kurokawa
authors.forename: S
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Sugiyama
authors.forename: N
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Fujitsuka
authors.forename: Y
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Shimomura
authors.forename: S M
authors.initials: SM
authors.lastname: Hutson
authors.forename: R A
authors.initials: RA
authors.lastname: Harris
authors.forename: H
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Takagi
mesh_terms: D042942:3-Methyl-2-Oxobutanoate Dehydrogenase (Lipoamide); D000818:Animals; D006528:Carcinoma, Hepatocellular / Q000201:enzymology; D004746:Enoyl-CoA Hydratase / Q000378:metabolism; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007658:Ketone Oxidoreductases / Q000378:metabolism; D008099:Liver / Q000201:enzymology*; D008103:Liver Cirrhosis / Q000201:enzymology*; D008113:Liver Neoplasms / Q000201:enzymology; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009097:Multienzyme Complexes / Q000378:metabolism; D051381:Rats; D012016:Reference Values; D013045:Species Specificity; D013869:Thiolester Hydrolases / Q000378:metabolism; D000637:Transaminases / Q000378:metabolism; D014633:Valine / Q000378:metabolism*
chemical_list: D009097:Multienzyme Complexes; D007658:Ketone Oxidoreductases; D042942:3-Methyl-2-Oxobutanoate Dehydrogenase (Lipoamide); D000637:Transaminases; C019798:branched-chain-amino-acid transaminase; D013869:Thiolester Hydrolases; C035908:3-hydroxyisobutyryl-CoA hydrolase; D004746:Enoyl-CoA Hydratase; D014633:Valine