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Biomedical subjects

W M Taylor

Publications and source records attributed to W M Taylor.

At least 37 records · Page 2Linked to original sources
PubMed1983

The effect of ionophore A23187 on calcium ion fluxes and alpha-adrenergic-agonist action in perfused rat liver.

The effect of ionophore A23187 on cellular Ca2+ fluxes, glycogenolysis and respiration was examined in perfused liver. At low extracellular Ca2+ concentrations (less than 4 microM), A23187 induced the mobilization of intracellular Ca2+ and stimulated the rate of glycogenolysis and respiration. As the extracellular Ca2+ concentration was elevated, biphasic cellular Ca2+ fluxes were observed, with Ca2+ uptake preceding Ca2+ efflux. Under these conditions, both the glycogenolytic response and the respiratory response also became biphasic, allowing the differentiation between the effects of extracellular and intracellular Ca2+. Under all conditions examined the rate of Ca2+ efflux induced by A23187 was much slower than the rate of phenylephrine-induced Ca2+ efflux, although the net amounts of Ca2+ effluxed were similar for both agents. The effect of A23187 on phenylephrine-induced Ca2+ fluxes, glycogenolysis and respiration is dependent on the extracellular Ca2+ concentration. At concentrations of less than 50 microM-Ca2+, A23187 only partially inhibited alpha-agonist action, whereas at 1.3 mM-Ca2+ almost total inhibition was observed. The action of A23187 at the cellular level is complex, dependent on the experimental conditions used, and shows both differences from and similarities to the hepatic action of alpha-adrenergic agonists.

Animals↗
PubMed1983

Characterisation of Ca2+ transport activity by white adipose tissue mitochondria.

Ca2+ transport in mitochondria isolated from rat white adipocytes has been examined and many of the properties found to be similar to those reported for mitochondria isolated from rat liver. Ca2+ transport is ruthenium red-sensitive (Ki approximately 5 pmol . mg protein-1), the affinity for free Ca2+ is high (Km approximately 3.3 microM) and the Vmax is 135 nmol Ca2+ . min-1 . mg protein-1 at 4 degrees C with 0.2 mM Pi present. Ca2+ transport is stimulated by increasing the medium [Pi], and is inhibited when ATP or Mg2+ is added to the incubation system and in contrast to brown adipocyte mitochondria, Ca2+ efflux is not promoted by Na+. White adipocyte mitochondria may play a rôle in the regulation of total cell calcium in this tissue.

Adipose Tissue↗
PubMed1983

Stimulation by alpha-adrenergic agonists of Ca2+ fluxes, mitochondrial oxidation and gluconeogenesis in perfused rat liver.

Glucose output from perfused livers of 48 h-starved rats was stimulated by phenylephrine (2 microM) when lactate, pyruvate, alanine, glycerol, sorbitol, dihydroxyacetone or fructose were used as gluconeogenic precursors. Phenylephrine-induced increases in glucose output were immediately preceded by a transient efflux of Ca2+ and a sustained increase in oxygen uptake. Phenylephrine decreased the perfusate [lactate]/[pyruvate] ratio when sorbitol or glycerol was present, but increased the ratio when alanine, dihydroxyacetone or fructose was present. Phenylephrine induced a rapid increase in the perfusate [beta-hydroxybutyrate]/[acetoacetate] ratio and increased total ketone-body output by 40-50% with all substrates. The oxidation of [1-14C]octanoate or 2-oxo[1-14C]glutarate to 14CO2 was increased by up to 200% by phenylephrine. All responses to phenylephrine infusion were diminished after depletion of the hepatic alpha-agonist-sensitive pool of Ca2+ and returned toward maximal responses after Ca2+ re-addition. Phenylephrine-induced increases in glucose output from lactate, sorbitol and glycerol were inhibited by the transaminase inhibitor amino-oxyacetate by 95%, 75% and 66% respectively. Data presented suggest that the mobilization of an intracellular pool of Ca2+ is involved in the activation of gluconeogenesis by alpha-adrenergic agonists in perfused rat liver. alpha-Adrenergic activation of gluconeogenesis is apparently accompanied by increases in fatty acid oxidation and tricarboxylic acid-cycle flux. An enhanced transfer of reducing equivalents from the cytoplasmic to the mitochondrial compartment may also be involved in the stimulation of glucose output from the relatively reduced substrates glycerol and sorbitol and may arise principally from an increased flux through the malate-aspartate shuttle.

Animals↗
PubMed1982

Calcium ion fluxes induced by the action of alpha-adrenergic agonists in perfused rat liver.

Phenylephrine (2.0 microM) induces an alpha 1-receptor-mediated net efflux of Ca2+ from livers of fed rats perfused with medium containing physiological concentrations (1.3 mM) of Ca2+. The onset of efflux (7.1 +/- 0.5 s; n = 16) immediately precedes a stimulation of mitochondrial respiration and glycogenolysis. Maximal rates of efflux are observed between 35 s and 45 s after alpha-agonist administration; thereafter the rate decreases, to be no longer detectable after 3 min. Within seconds of terminating phenylephrine infusion, a net transient uptake of Ca2+ by the liver is observed. Similar effects were observed with vasopressin (1 m-unit/ml) and angiotensin (6 nM). Reducing the perfusate [Ca2+] from 1.3 mM to 10 microM had little effect on alpha-agonist-induced Ca2+ efflux, but abolished the subsequent Ca2+ re-uptake, and hence led to a net loss of 80-120 nmol of Ca2+/g of liver from the tissue. The administration at 5 min intervals of short pulses (90 s) of phenylephrine under these conditions resulted in diminishing amounts of Ca2+ efflux being detected, and these could be correlated with decreased rates of alpha-agonist-induced mitochondrial respiration and glucose output. An examination of the Ca2+ pool mobilized by alpha-adrenergic agonists revealed that a loss of Ca2+ from mitochondria and from a fraction enriched in microsomes accounts for all the Ca2+ efflux detected. It is proposed that the alpha-adrenergic agonists, vasopressin and angiotensin mobilize Ca2+ from the same readily depleted intracellular pool consisting predominantly of mitochondria and the endoplasmic reticulum, and that the hormone-induced enhanced rate of mitochondrial respiration and glycogenolysis is directly dependent on this mobilization.

Adrenergic alpha-Agonists↗
PubMed1982

A procedure for the rapid preparation of mitochondria from rat liver.

A technique for the rapid preparation of mitochondria from rat liver is described. Tissue fractionation is performed by a single centrifugation step with a discontinuous Percoll density gradient. Total preparation times of 5--6 min are achieved by using this method. The mitochondrial fraction obtained is relatively free of contaminating organelles, as judged by marker-enzyme activity determinations. Mitochondria isolated by Percoll-density-gradient centrifugation differ from mitochondria obtained by differential centrifugation [Taylor, Prpić, Exton & Bygrave (1980) Biochem. J. 188, 443--450] in that the former exhibit a higher acceptor control ratio and a higher calcium content. Values obtained for the protonmotive force are not significantly different between the two preparations. The technique described may be widely applicable for studies requiring the rapid preparation of functionally intact and relatively uncontaminated mitochondria.

Animals↗
PubMed1982

Studies on alpha-adrenergic-induced respiration and glycogenolysis in perfused rat liver.

Phenylephrine (1.5 x 10(-6) M) administered to perfused livers from fed rats gave rise to a rapid, parallel increase in oxygen uptake and glucose output. The time of onset for oxygen uptake was 9.9 +/- 0.4 s following phenylephrine administration, and immediately preceded glucose output which occurred at 11.6 +/- 0.5 s. Near-maximal effects were observed 50 s following alpha-agonist treatment. Both responses appear to be mediated by alpha- 1-adrenergic receptors. The mitochondrial respiratory chain blockers antimycin A and rotenone, inhibited the alpha-agonist-induced oxygen uptake and glycogenolytic responses at inhibitor concentrations similar to those required to block uncoupler-stimulated respiration in the intact perfused liver. Oligomycin and carboxyatractyloside also inhibited the phenylephrine-induced respiratory response. Vasopressin (1 milliunit/ml), and angiotensin II (6 x 10(-9) M) had effects similar to phenylephrine in the perfused liver which also were prevented by the prior administration of antimycin A and rotenone. In contrast, glucagon-induced (10(-8) M) glycogenolysis proceeded in the absence of large changes in respiration, was slower in onset (26.1 +/- 4.2 s following hormone administration), and was not inhibited by mitochondrial respiratory blockers. These data indicate that glycogenolysis induced by alpha-adrenergic agonists, vasopressin, and angiotensin II is associated with a large increase in mitochondrial respiration, that may play a role in a general, as yet undefined mechanism whereby these agents stimulate glycogenolysis in rat liver.

Animals↗
PubMed1980

Stable changes to calcium fluxes in mitochondria isolated from rat livers perfused with alpha-adrenergic agonists and with glucagon.

Mitochondria isolated from rat liver after a short-term perfusion with the alpha-adrenergic agonist phenylephrine or with glucagon exhibited enhanced rates of uptake of Ca2+ and prolonged retention of Ca2+ in the presence of 4mm-P(i). The effect of Ca2+ retention was apparent after perfusion with phenylephrine for only 1min and was maximal after 7min of treatment. The changes induced by glucagon, although similar, were less rapid. Adrenaline caused similar changes to phenylephrine and its effects were blocked by the alpha-adrenergic antagonist phenoxybenzamine, but not by the beta-antagonist propranolol. The Ca2+ content of the isolated mitochondria decreased by 30% 1min after the onset of perfusion with phenylephrine; by 6min it had begun to return to the original value which was reached at 10min. A similar loss in calcium content was induced by glucagon but the changes were not as great and occurred more slowly. Mitochondria from phenylephrine-treated livers exhibited decreased rates of Ca2+ efflux induced by addition of 2mm-EGTA, a 50% increase in the contents of ADP and total adenine nucleotides, a small increase in the transmembrane pH gradient, and a reduced rate of oxaloacetate-induced NADPH oxidation. This study thus shows that stimulation of liver by alpha-adrenergic agonists, like that by glucagon, induces within minutes a stable modification of mitochondria leading to alterations in the Ca2+-translocation cycle (increased Ca2+ uptake and retention) and alterations in mitochondrial energy-linked reactions.

Adenine Nucleotides↗
PubMed1979

Stimulation of glucose transport in rat adipocytes by insulin, adenosine, nicotinic acid and hydrogen peroxide. Role of adenosine 3':5'-cyclic monophosphate.

Glucose transport into adipocytes of the rat was measured by monitoring the conversion of [1-(14)C]glucose into (14)CO(2). Glucose transport was made rate-limiting by increasing the flux through the pentose phosphate pathway with phenazine methosulphate, an agent that rapidly reoxidizes NADPH. Under these conditions, the observed rate of glucose disappearance from the incubation medium was about 20% higher than the rate of conversion of the C-1 of glucose into (14)CO(2). Apparent rates of glucose transport were significantly increased by insulin, H(2)O(2), adenosine and nicotinic acid. Stimulation of the apparent rate of glucose transport by insulin was dependent on adipocyte concentration, the hormone being most effective at relatively high cell concentrations. Adenosine and nicotinic acid further enhanced the maximum stimulation of glucose transport by insulin. Potentiation of insulin action by adenosine was more pronounced at lower cell concentrations. At relatively high cell concentrations the stimulatory action of insulin was markedly decreased by adenosine deaminase. Stimulation of apparent rates of glucose transport by the compounds noted above were antagonized by agents that increased intracellular cyclic AMP concentrations (theophylline and isoprenaline) and by dibutyryl cyclic AMP. Intracellular concentrations of cyclic AMP were significantly lowered when adipocytes were incubated with insulin, H(2)O(2), adenosine or nicotinic acid. These effects were observed under basal conditions or when intracellular cyclic AMP concentrations were elevated by theophylline or isoprenaline. On the basis of the above data, we suggest that insulin, H(2)O(2), adenosine and nicotinic acid may all stimulate glucose transport in rat adipocytes by lowering the intracellular cyclic AMP concentration. These data therefore support the hypothesis that cyclic AMP inhibits glucose transport in rat adipocytes.

Adenosine↗
PubMed1979

Glycerokinase in rat and human adipose tissue: response to hormonal and dietary stimuli.

Glycerokinase activity was measured in homogenates of rat and human adipocytes. Human adipocyte glycerokinase activity was not altered by various dietary and hormonal treatments. In contrast, glycerokinase activity in rat adipocytes was decreased by fasting 48 hr and returned toward normal levels after refeeding for 36 hr. This increase in enzyme activity during refeeding was blocked by prior administration of uromycin. Glycerokinase activity was also significantly increased following prolonged incubation of rat adipocytes with dexamethasone in vitro. This stimulation of glycerokinase was further augmented by the simultaneous addition of insulin. Glycerokinase activity in rat and human adipocytes was also dependent on the body weight of the respective tissue donor. Other data presented indicate that glycerokinase is not involved in the "anti-lipolytic" action of insulin. The possible metabolic significance of glycerokinase in adipose tissue is discussed.

Adipose Tissue↗
PubMed1978

Control of glucose transport in adipose tissue of the rat: role of insulin, ATP, and intracellular metabolites.

The purpose of this study was to elucidate some of the mechanisms of control of the glucose transport step in adipose tissue. Glucose transport was studied by monitoring the conversion of [1-14C]glucose to 14CO2 in a system where glucose transport was made rate limiting by increasing the flux through the pentose phosphate pathway with phenazine methosulphate, an agent which results in rapid rates of reoxidation of NADPH. The maximum velocity for the apparent rate of glucose transport was increased significantly by insulin. There was no change in the glucose concentration required for half-maximal rates of 14CO2 production. Glucose transport was also monitored by directly measuring the rate of glucose uptake. Glucose uptake was increased by phenazine methosulphate. The intracellular glucose-6-phosphate concentration was decreased by phenazine methosulphate. These two agents, insulin and phenazine methosulphate, seemed to act by independent mechanisms as their optimal effects on glucose uptake were additive. The apparent rate of glucose transport was decreased by ATP which resulted in a decrease in maximal velocity but did not affect the affinity for glucose. This effect of ATP was seen in the presence of absence of insulin.

Adenosine Triphosphate↗