Regulation of hepatic glutamate metabolism

Abstract

In isolated perfused rat liver, addition of the oxoanalogues of leucine, isoleucine, methionine and phenylalanine is followed by a rapid and reversible stimulation of glutamate release. This is not observed with the corresponding amino acids or 2-oxoisovalerate, 2-oxoglutarate or oxaloacetate. The increased glutamate release by the liver is accompanied by a decrease in the tissue contents of 2-oxoglutarate and glutamate by about 25% and 50%, respectively. During the metabolism of glutamine, i.e. conditions with elevated tissue glutamate concentrations, 2-oxoacid-induced glutamate release is stimulated. In the presence of glutamine (5 mM), 2-oxoisocaproate, 2-oxo-4-methylvalerate and 2-oxo-4-methylthiobutyrate were found to be most effective and glutamate release by the liver increased linearly from about 80 nmol g-1 min-1 to 600 nmol g-1 min-1 at increasing 2-oxoacid concentrations up to 1 mM. When glutamate tissue levels were decreased by phenylephrine, stimulation of glutamate release by 2-oxoisocaproate was markedly diminished. 2-Oxoacid-stimulated glutamate release is independent of oxoacid metabolism, indicating that the effect is probably not explained by a 2-oxoacid/glutamate exchange across the liver plasma membrane. 2-Oxoacid-induced glutamate export predominantly occurs in a sodium-independent way. At low concentrations of 2-oxoisocaproate (below 0.2 mM), the increased glutamate release was accompanied by a slight inhibition of 14CO2 production from added [14C]glutamate, indicating a simultaneous glutamate uptake and release also under these conditions. Stimulation of glutamate release by 2-oxoisocaproate is followed by a decreased rate of urea and glutamine synthesis from portal ammonia, as a consequence of an increased glutamate release.