Methionine transsulfuration is increased during sepsis in rats.
Methionine transsulfuration in plasma and liver, and plasma methionine and cysteine kinetics were investigated in vivo during the acute phase of sepsis in rats. Rats were infected with an intravenous injection of live Escherichia coli, and control pair-fed rats were injected with saline. Two days after injection, the rats were infused for 6 h with [(35)S]methionine and [(15)N]cysteine. Transsulfuration was measured from the transfer rate of (35)S from methionine to cysteine. Liver cystathionase activity was also measured. Infection significantly increased (P < 0.05) the contribution of transsulfuration to cysteine flux in both plasma and liver (by 80%) and the contribution of transsulfuration to plasma methionine flux (by 133%). Transsulfuration measured in plasma was significantly (P < 0.05) higher in infected rats than in pair-fed rats (0.68 and 0.25 micromol. h(-1). 100 g(-1), respectively). However, liver cystathionase specific activity was decreased by 17% by infection (P < 0.05). Infection increased methionine flux (16%, P < 0.05) less than cysteine flux (38%, P < 0.05). Therefore, the plasma cysteine flux was higher than that predicted from estimates of protein turnover based on methionine data, probably because of enhanced glutathione turnover. Taken together, these results suggest an increased cysteine requirement in infection.
Malmezat
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T
Laboratoire d'Etude du Metabolisme Azote, Institut National de la Recherche Agronomique, Clermont-Ferrand-Theix, 63122 Saint Genes Champanelle, France.
Breuillé
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D
Pouyet
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C
Buffière
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C
Denis
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P
Mirand
P P
PP
Obled
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C
D000818:Animals; D000855:Anorexia / Q000378:metabolism; D003542:Cystathionine gamma-Lyase / Q000097:blood; D003545:Cysteine / Q000097:blood / Q000493:pharmacokinetics; D004435:Eating; D004927:Escherichia coli Infections / Q000378:metabolism / Q000473:pathology; D008099:Liver / Q000378:metabolism / Q000473:pathology; D008297:Male; D008715:Methionine / Q000097:blood / Q000493:pharmacokinetics*; D009587:Nitrogen Isotopes; D009929:Organ Size; D051381:Rats; D017207:Rats, Sprague-Dawley; D018805:Sepsis / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000473:pathology; D013455:Sulfur / Q000493:pharmacokinetics*; D013462:Sulfur Radioisotopes
D009587:Nitrogen Isotopes; D013462:Sulfur Radioisotopes; D013455:Sulfur; D008715:Methionine; D003542:Cystathionine gamma-Lyase; D003545:Cysteine