Amino acid metabolism in the kidneys of genetic and nutritionally obese rats.
The ability of the kidney to take up and/or release amino acids has been determined in two models of obesity in Zucker rats, one genetic and the other nutritional (diet-obese). There was a noticeable increase in gluconeogenic amino acids in the arterial blood of diet-obese animals whereas the genetically obese rats showed small variations in the levels of these amino acids. There were significant decreases in renal Gly and Ser, only in the genetically obese rats. Genetically obese animals showed an increase in Glutamine synthetase activity. The uptake and/or release of amino acids showed important variations between the groups. The diet-obese group exhibited greater variation, since this group took up Glu, Ala, Gy, Phe and Citrulline and released Gln, Ser, Arg and Tyr. Genetically obese rats took up Gln, His and Taurine and released Ser. These different patterns may be related to variations in the whole body metabolic rate, since the diet-obese group was more active than the genetically obese group.
Herrero
M C
MC
Departament de Bioquímica i Biotecnologia, Universitat Rovira i Virgili, Tarragona, Spain.
Remesar
X
X
Bladé
C
C
Arola
L
L
D000410:Alanine Transaminase / Q000378:metabolism; D000596:Amino Acids / Q000097:blood / Q000378:metabolism*; D000818:Animals; D001835:Body Weight; D004195:Disease Models, Animal; D007668:Kidney / Q000378:metabolism*; D008297:Male; D009765:Obesity / Q000235:genetics* / Q000378:metabolism*; D051381:Rats; D011924:Rats, Zucker
D000596:Amino Acids; D000410:Alanine Transaminase