Plasma protein catabolism by the perfused rat liver. The effect of alteration of albumin concentration and dietary protein depletion.
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ABSTRACT: 1. The isolated perfused rat liver was used to study degradation rates of plasma albumin, transferrin and fibrinogen. 2. Constant fractional rates were observed for all three proteins even when the albumin concentration was drastically increased by the addition of large amounts to the perfusate pool. 3. Livers taken from rats deprived of dietary protein for 14-18 days showed greatly diminished fractional catabolic rates for albumin when perfused with blood from similarly deprived animals. 4. These rates could be restored to near-normal values by adding albumin or by perfusing with blood from normally fed rats. 5. These findings are consistent with the theory of pinocytosis as a step in the degradation of plasma proteins by hepatic parenchymal cells.
Project description:In rats fed on a protein-deficient diet, albumin synthesis as a percentage of total liver protein synthesis falls from the normal value of approx. 15% to about 8%. We have extracted total cytoplasmic RNA from individual rat livers and measured the concentration of active albumin mRNA by translation in a reticulocyte lysate system from which the endogenous mRNA had been removed [Pelham & Jackson (1976) Eur. J. Biochem. 67, 247-256]. In this messenger-dependent system it is possible to measure the synthesis of albumin as a proportion of the overall protein synthesis promoted by the addition of the hepatic RNA. The results show that the concentration of translatable albumin mRNA in samples of total cytoplasmic RNA from livers of protein-deficient rats is decreased markedly. These findings suggest that dietary protein supply affects selectively the synthesis and/or functional stability of albumin mRNA in rat liver.
Project description:Workflows in urinary proteomics studies are often complex and require many steps to enrich, purify, deplete, and separate the complex mixture. Many of these methods are laborious, are time-consuming, and have the potential for error. Although individual steps of these methods have been previously studied, their downstream compatibilities with fractionation technologies such as off-gel electrophoresis have not been investigated. We developed a one-step sample preparation workflow that simultaneously (i) concentrates proteins, (ii) purifies by removing salts and other low molecular weight compounds, and (iii) depletes (albumin) from urine samples. This simple and robust workflow can be multiplexed and is compatible with a diverse range of downstream multidimensional separation technologies. Additionally, because of its high reproducibility and flexibility in processing samples with different volumes and concentrations, it has the potential to be used for standardization of urinary proteomics studies, as well as for studying other body fluids of similar complexity.
Project description:1. Isolated perfused rat livers were used to study synthesis of albumin after donors had been fed on normal or protein-free diets. 2. Methods of determining the liver's ability to produce albumin included incorporation of [(14)C]carbonate, [(3)H]lysine and [(14)C]arginine, as well as a direct method based on a heterologous perfusing system of rat erythrocytes and rabbit plasma. 3. Livers from protein-deprived rats were found to form extremely little urea and not to incorporate (14)CO(2) into [(14)C]urea, but they were capable of producing [(14)C]urea from [(14)C]arginine and of incorporating the latter and [(3)H]lysine into albumin. 4. By immunological means these lives were found to synthesize less albumin than normal, but their ability was only slightly impaired when related to body weight or liver weight. 5. These findings are consistent with a block in urea-cycle enzymes with relative integrity of arginase activity and of amino acid activation.
Project description:The effect of increasing the perfusate concentration of amino acids on the incorporation of labelled valine into protein was followed in perfusions of rat livers lasting for 2h. A fixed amount of labelled and unlabelled valine was added to the perfusate as the other amino acids were increased in multiples of the concentrations normally found in rat plasma. Under these conditions no increase in valine incorporation was observed, which appeared to be in conflict with results published by other workers, However, a different method of labelling from that used here was used in the earlier studies. An increasing amount of a labelled amino acid was added as the concentrations of the unlabelled amino acids were increased in the perfusate. An experiment directly comparing to the two labelling methods produced results that indicated that the apparent increase in liver protein synthesis observed by the other workers could have been due to the method of radioisotope addition. It is therefore concluded that increasing the perfusate concentration of amino acids does not increase amino acid incorporation into liver protein.
Project description:Zn2+ is an essential regulator of coagulation and is released from activated platelets. In plasma, the free Zn2+ concentration is fine-tuned through buffering by human serum albumin (HSA). Importantly, the ability of HSA to bind/buffer Zn2+ is compromised by co-transported non-esterified fatty acids (NEFAs). Given the role of Zn2+ in blood clot formation, we hypothesise that Zn2+ displacement from HSA by NEFAs in certain conditions (such as type 2 diabetes mellitus, T2DM) impacts on the cellular and protein arms of coagulation. To test this hypothesis, we assessed the extent to which increasing concentrations of a range of medium- and long-chain NEFAs reduced Zn2+-binding ability of HSA. Amongst the NEFAs tested, palmitate (16 : 0) and stearate (18 : 0) were the most effective at suppressing zinc-binding, whilst the mono-unsaturated palmitoleate (16 : 1c9) was markedly less effective. Assessment of platelet aggregation and fibrin clotting parameters in purified systems and in pooled plasma suggested that the HSA-mediated impact of the model NEFA myristate on zinc speciation intensified the effects of Zn2+ alone. The effects of elevated Zn2+ alone on fibrin clot density and fibre thickness in a purified protein system were mirrored in samples from T2DM patients, who have derranged NEFA metabolism. Crucially, T2DM individuals had increased total plasma NEFAs compared to controls, with the concentrations of key saturated (myristate, palmitate, stearate) and mono-unsaturated (oleate, cis-vaccenate) NEFAs positively correlating with clot density. Collectively, these data strongly support the concept that elevated NEFA levels contribute to altered coagulation in T2DM through dysregulation of plasma zinc speciation.
Project description:Background: Dopamine, a key neurotransmitter in the autonomic nervous system participating in the homeostatic balance between sympathetic and parasympathetic divisions, is involved in food intake regulation. Objective: We investigated whether dopamine is altered by acute fasting or overfeeding diets with varying macronutrient content. Design: Ninety-nine healthy subjects underwent 24-h dietary interventions including eucaloric feeding, fasting, and five different overfeeding diets in a crossover design. Overfeeding diets (200% of eucaloric requirements) included one diet with 3%-protein (low-protein high-fat overfeeding-LPF: 46%-fat), three diets with 20%-protein, and a diet with 30%-protein (44%-fat). Urine was collected for 24 h and urinary dopamine concentration was quantified by high-performance liquid chromatography. Plasma pancreatic polypeptide (PP) concentration, an indirect marker of parasympathetic activity, was measured prior to and after each diet after an overnight fast. Results: During 24-h of fasting, dopamine decreased on average by ~14% compared to eucaloric conditions, whereas PP increased by two-fold (both p < 0.001). Lower dopamine during 24-h fasting correlated with increased PP (r = -0.40, p < 0.001). Similarly, on average urinary dopamine decreased during LPF by 14% (p < 0.001) and lower dopamine correlated with increased PP (r = -0.31, p = 0.01). No changes in dopamine and PP concentrations were observed during other overfeeding diets (all p > 0.05). Conclusions: Dopamine concentrations decrease during short-term fasting and overfeeding with a low-protein diet. As both dietary conditions have in common protein deficit, the correlation between dopamine and PP suggests a compensatory mechanism underlying the shift from sympathetic to parasympathetic drive during dietary protein deprivation.
Project description:PurposePlasma albumin, a biomarker for hepatic function, is reported to correspondingly decrease in concentration as disease severity increases in chronic infections including HIV and TB. Our objective was to develop a semi-mechanistic disease progression model to quantify plasma albumin concentration changes during TB and HIV therapy and identify the associated covariate factors.MethodsPlasma albumin concentration data was collected at specified times for 3 months from 262 HIV participants receiving efavirenz based anti retroviral therapy. Of these, 158 were TB co-infected and on Rifampicin based anti -tuberculosis co-treatment. An indirect response model with zero order albumin production and first order elimination was developed in NONMEM version 7.2 to describe our data. Genotype (CYP2B6*6 and 11, CYP3A5, ABCB1c.3435C>T and ABCB1rs), TB disease status, baseline age, body weight, plasma creatinine, alanine transaminase enzyme and CD4(+) count were the potential model covariates tested.ResultsThe proposed model successfully described plasma albumin concentration changes in the study population. There was a 10.9% and 48.6% increase in albumin production rates in HIV only and TB co-infected participants respectively. Participants co-infected with TB showed a 44.2% lower baseline albumin secretion rate than those without TB while ABCB1c.3435C>T mutation was associated with a 16% higher steady state albumin secretion rate following treatment.ConclusionA semi-mechanistic model describes plasma albumin concentration changes in HIV patients on ART. Further work is required to establish the utility of the model in monitoring disease progression and predicting prognosis in HIV and TB co-infected patients in absence of or during treatment.
Project description:We recently reported that plasma albumin redox state, which correlates with albumin synthesis rate, could be associated with the quality of dietary protein. Aiming to elucidate the association between them, plasma albumin redox state was investigated in rats fed various kinds of AIN-93G-based low protein diets. Plasma albumin redox state was shifted to a more oxidized state in rats fed 3% casein (CN) diet than those fed 3% whey protein or 3% wheat gluten diet, while supplementing 3% CN diet with cystine reversed it to a more reduced state, indicating that cystine would complement the shortage of cysteine in CN, thereby increasing albumin synthesis rate. Supplementation with glutathione, a cysteine-containing antioxidative tripeptide, normalized hepatic glutathione redox state modulated by ingestion of 3% CN diet, but it only reversed the oxidized shift of plasma albumin redox state to an extent similar to cystine alone or the constituting amino acid mixture of glutathione (i.e., glutamic acid, cystine, and glycine), indicating that glutathione would primarily serve as a source of cysteine rather than exert its antioxidative activity. Plasma albumin would thus be influenced by amino acid balance in dietary proteins, and it could be useful as a biomarker that contributes to prevention of protein under-nutriton, caused by not only insufficient protein intake but also ingestion of poor-quality protein.
Project description:The Mass spectrometry (MS)-based blood plasma or serum proteome analysis is limited by interference from albumin, immunoglobins and other commonly abundant proteins. We have found that polyethylene glycol (PEG) can efficiently precipitate immunoglobins while leave albumin largely in the supernatant. By PEG precipitation followed by albumin depletion, an increased number of proteins and N-glycoproteins can be identified by LC-MS/MS from the plasma. In-depth LC-LC-MS/MS proteomic analyses of the plasma and its four fractionated samples (10% and further 20% PEG-precipitated pellets and their supernatants with albumin depletion) have identified 2943, 2242, 3162, 2187 and 2028 proteins respectively, yielding 5040 proteins in total. Therefore, PEG precipitation followed by albumin depletion should be used as a general strategy to expand the MS-based plasma proteome coverage for blood biomarker discoveries; and our datasets in this study provide as resources for increased chances of detecting proteins of interests in the whole plasma or particular fractions.
Project description:Background & aimsEffective treatments for acute-on-chronic liver failure (ACLF) are a major unmet need. This proof-of-concept pilot study was aimed at evaluating the effects of plasma exchange (PE) with albumin 5% (PE-A5%) on albumin functional capacity and organ dysfunction in patients with ACLF.MethodsTen adult patients were enrolled in a single-center phase II, prospective, open-label, non-controlled study. Six PE-A5% sessions were performed in 10 days followed by a 1-month follow-up visit. Albumin functional capacity and circulatory function were assessed, as were renal, cerebral, and liver function, and systemic inflammation. The main safety variable was the percentage of PE sessions associated with at least one procedure-related adverse event (AE).ResultsPatients with ACLF showed lower albumin binding capacity, lower antioxidant capacity, and lower levels of albumin with preserved structure compared to healthy donors (n = 19). From baseline to day 11, PE-A5% treatment increased albumin levels and improved albumin binding capacity to Sudlow site II (15.3±1.6 mg/ml to 18.9±1.7 mg/ml; p = 0.003), fatty acid-binding capacity (8.2±1.4 μM to 3.1±1.5 μM; p = 0.013) and antioxidant capacity (human mercaptalbumin 9.5±1.5 mg/ml to 14.6±1.6 mg/ml; p = 0.001). Native albumin levels were increased throughout day 1-11 PE-A5% sessions (6.5±1.0 mg/ml to 10.2±1.4 mg/ml; p = 0.035). PE-A5% improved systemic hemodynamics (mean arterial pressure, heart rate, cardiac index), renal function (creatinine level, blood urea nitrogen), cerebral function (hepatic encephalopathy grade), liver parameters (transaminases, bilirubin) and inflammatory parameters (C-reactive protein, leukocyte count). All patients had at least one of the 78 AEs reported, mostly mild (product/procedure-related: 36%). Sixteen serious AEs were reported in eight patients (procedure/product-related: none).ConclusionsPE-A5% was a safe procedure associated with positive effects on albumin functionality, and circulatory, renal, cerebral, and liver function in patients with ACLF.Impact and implicationsAcute-on-chronic liver failure (ACLF) is a clinical condition characterized by severe systemic inflammation, organ failure, and high mortality. Plasma exchange removes patient's plasma containing pathogenic substances, replacing it with 5% albumin and fresh frozen plasma (PE-A5%). In this study, cirrhotic patients with ACLF were treated with PE-A5%, which was a safe procedure that increased binding and antioxidant capacity of patients' albumin, while improving circulatory, kidney, brain, and liver functions. These beneficial effects could impact survival in ACLF.Clinicaltrialsgov identifierNCT01201720.Eudract number2010-021360-15.