title: Protein metabolism and gene expression in skeletal muscle of critically ill patients with sepsis.
abstract: Muscle wasting negatively affects morbidity and mortality in critically ill patients. This progressive wasting is accompanied by, in general, a normal muscle PS (protein synthesis) rate. In the present study, we investigated whether muscle protein degradation is increased in critically ill patients with sepsis and which proteolytic enzyme systems are involved in this degradation. Eight patients and seven healthy volunteers were studied. In vivo muscle protein kinetics was measured using arteriovenous balance techniques with stable isotope tracers. The activities of the major proteolytic enzyme systems were analysed in combination with mRNA expression of genes related to these proteolytic systems. Results show that critically ill patients with sepsis have a variable but normal muscle PS rate, whereas protein degradation rates are dramatically increased (up to 160%). Of the major proteolytic enzyme systems both the proteasome and the lysosomal systems had higher activities in the patients, whereas calpain and caspase activities were not changed. Gene expression of several genes related to the proteasome system was increased in the patients. mRNA levels of the two main lysosomal enzymes (cathepsin B and L) were not changed but, conversely, genes related to calpain and caspase had a higher expression in the muscles of the patients. In conclusion, the dramatic muscle wasting seen in critically ill patients with sepsis is due to increased protein degradation. This is facilitated by increased activities of both the proteasome and lysosomal proteolytic systems.
authors: Department of Anaesthesiology and Intensive Care, Karolinska University Hospital Huddinge, Karolinska Institutet, Stockholm, Sweden. maria.klaude@ki.se
authors: Maria
authors: M
authors: Klaude
authors: Maiko
authors: M
authors: Mori
authors: Inga
authors: I
authors: Tjäder
authors: Thomas
authors: T
authors: Gustafsson
authors: Jan
authors: J
authors: Wernerman
authors: Olav
authors: O
authors: Rooyackers
mesh_terms: D000368:Aged; D002154:Calpain / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism; D053148:Caspase 3 / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism; D002401:Cathepsin B / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism; D056668:Cathepsin L / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism; D016638:Critical Illness; D005260:Female; D015870:Gene Expression; D006801:Humans; D007700:Kinetics; D008247:Lysosomes / Q000201:enzymology; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009124:Muscle Proteins / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism*; D018482:Muscle, Skeletal / Q000378:metabolism*; D046988:Proteasome Endopeptidase Complex / Q000378:metabolism; D014176:Protein Biosynthesis; D012333:RNA, Messenger / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism; D020133:Reverse Transcriptase Polymerase Chain Reaction; D018805:Sepsis / Q000150:complications / Q000503:physiopathology*
chemical_list: D009124:Muscle Proteins; D012333:RNA, Messenger; D002154:Calpain; D053148:Caspase 3; D002401:Cathepsin B; D056668:Cathepsin L; D046988:Proteasome Endopeptidase Complex