title: The effect of dexamethasone treatment on the expression of the regulatory genes of ketogenesis in intestine and liver of suckling rats.
abstract: The influence of the injection of dexamethasone on ketogenesis in 12 day old suckling rats was studied in intestine and liver by determining mRNA levels and enzyme activity of the two genes responsible for regulation of ketogenesis: carnitine palmitoyl transferase I (CPT I) and mitochondrial HMG-CoA synthase. Dexamethasone produced a 2 fold increase in mRNA and activity of CPT I in intestine, but led to a decrease in mit. HMG-CoA synthase. In liver the mRNA levels and activity of both CPT I and mit. HMG-CoA synthase decreased. Comparison of these values with the ketogenic rate of both tissues following dexamethasone treatment suggests that mit. HMG-CoA synthase could be the main gene responsible for the regulation of ketogenesis in suckling rats. The changes produced in serum ketone bodies by dexamethasone, with a profile that is more similar to the ketogenic rate in the liver than that in the intestine, indicate that liver contributes more to ketone body synthesis in suckling rats. Two day treatment with dexamethasone produced no change in mRNA or activity levels for CPT I in liver or intestine. While mRNA levels for mit. HMG-CoA synthase changed little, the enzyme activity is decreased in both tissues.
authors.affiliation: Department of Biochemistry, School of Pharmacy, University of Barcelona, Spain.
authors.forename: G
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Arias
authors.forename: G
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Asins
authors.forename: F G
authors.initials: FG
authors.lastname: Hegardt
authors.forename: D
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Serra
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D000893:Anti-Inflammatory Agents / Q000494:pharmacology*; D002334:Carnitine O-Palmitoyltransferase / Q000096:biosynthesis / Q000235:genetics; D003907:Dexamethasone / Q000494:pharmacology*; D015971:Gene Expression Regulation, Enzymologic / Q000187:drug effects; D005809:Genes, Regulator / Q000187:drug effects*; D006904:Hydroxymethylglutaryl-CoA Synthase / Q000096:biosynthesis / Q000235:genetics; D007413:Intestinal Mucosa / Q000378:metabolism; D007422:Intestines / Q000187:drug effects*; D007657:Ketone Bodies / Q000096:biosynthesis* / Q000097:blood; D008099:Liver / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000378:metabolism; D008930:Mitochondria, Liver / Q000201:enzymology; D051381:Rats; D017207:Rats, Sprague-Dawley; D014886:Weaning
chemical_list: D000893:Anti-Inflammatory Agents; D007657:Ketone Bodies; D003907:Dexamethasone; D002334:Carnitine O-Palmitoyltransferase; D006904:Hydroxymethylglutaryl-CoA Synthase