Enhanced glutamine and arginine metabolism in cortisol-treated suckling pigs
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Recent studies have shown that plasma cortsol concentrations and rates of glutamine and arginine metabolism in enterocytes are increased in post-weaning pigs. The objective of this study was to determine if cortsol stimulates enterocyte glutamine and arginine metabolism. Sixteen 21-day old pigs were randomly assigned to 2 groups with 8 animals each, and received (i.p.) either 0 or 25 mg hydrocortsone-21-acetate (HYD) per kg bedy wt At 29 days of age, pigs were sacrificed for preparation of jejunal enterocytes. During the entire experimental period, pigs were nursed by sows. Cytosolic arginase and mitochondria! pyrolline5-carboxylate (P-5-C) synthase activies were measured. Cells were incubatecrfor 30 min at 37C in 2 ml of Krebs-bicarbonate buffer (pH 7.4) containing 0,2 mM [U14C] arginine, or 2 mM [U-14C] glutamine. HYD administration increased (p<0.01) arginase activity (1.080.33 vs. 0.210.02, nmol Orn/mg protein/min), ornithine formation from arginine (2.30.05 vs. 0.50.1, Orn/mg protein/min) and arginine oxidation (0.820.07 vs. 0.450.12), nmol CO2/mg protein/min) compared with control pigs. HYD-treatment also increased (p<0.01) P-5-C synthase activity (52073 vs. 10335, pmol P-5-C/mg protein/min), citrulline synthesis from glutamine (3.580.45 vs. 1.070.14, nmol Cit/mg protein/minand oxidation of glutamine (1.780.20 vs. 0.690.15, nmol C02/mg protein/min) compared to control pigs. Our data suggest that cortsol may play an important role in mediating enhanced arginine and glutamine metabolism in enterocytes of post-weaning pigs.
