Development of a new oxygen consumption rate assay in cultures of Acanthamoeba (Protozoa: Lobosea) and its application to evaluate viability and amoebicidal activity in vitro.

A new fluorometric method has been developed for measuring the oxygen consumption rate (OCR) of Acanthamoeba cultures in microplates and for screening molecules with amoebicidal activity against this microorganism. The use of a biofunctional matrix (containing an oxygen-sensitive fluorogenic probe) attached to the microplate wells allowed continuous measurement of OCR in the medium, hence assessment of amoebic growth. The new OCR method applied to cell viability yielded a linear relationship and monitoring was much quicker than with indirect viability assays previously used. In addition, two drugs were tested in a cytotoxicity assay monitored by the new OCR viability test. With this procedure, the standard amoebicidal drug chlorhexidine digluconate showed an IC50 of 3.53 + 1.3 mg/l against Acanthamoeba polyphaga and 3.19 + 1.2 mg/l against Acanthamoeba castellanii, whereas a cationic dendrimer [G1Si(NMe3+)4] showed an IC50 of 6.42 + 1.3 mg/l against A. polyphaga. These data agree with previous studies conducted in our laboratory. Therefore, the new OCR method has proven powerful and quick for amoebicidal drug screening and is likely to be applied in biochemical studies concerning protozoa respiration and metabolism.

Modulation of gluconeogenesis by epinephrine in hepatocytes isolated from genetically obese (fa/fa) Zucker rats.

The obese (fa/fa) Zucker rat shows an impaired sympathetic tone which is accompanied by an altered thermogenesis and changes in both lipid and carbohydrate metabolism. In this work, we have investigated the regulatory effects of epinephrine on the rate of gluconeogenesis from a mixture of [(14)C]lactate/pyruvate, in hepatocytes isolated from obese (fa/fa) rats and their lean (Fa/-) littermates. Epinephrine caused a dose-dependent stimulation of the rate of [(14)C]glucose formation in both obese and lean rat hepatocytes, the maximal rates being five- and twofold higher than the corresponding basal values (0.50 +/- 0.06 and 1.96 +/- 0.15 micromol of lactate converted to glucose/g of cell x 20 min, respectively). No significant differences were found between the calculated half-maximal effective concentrations (EC(50)) for epinephrine in obese and lean rat liver cells. The stimulation of gluconeogenesis by epinephrine was accompanied by a decrease in the cellular concentration of fructose 2,6-bisphosphate, and an inactivation of both pyruvate kinase and 6-phosphofructo 2-kinase, to similar extents in both types of hepatocytes. Epinephrine also significantly raised the hepatocyte content of cyclic AMP, with about a twofold increase at a saturating concentration of the catecholamine (1 microM), in both lean and obese rat liver cells. However, at suboptimal concentrations of epinephrine, the rise in cyclic AMP levels was significantly less marked in obese than in lean rat hepatocytes. Nevertheless, no significant differences were found in either the affinity or the number of beta-adrenergic receptors, in radioligand binding studies carried out in liver plasma membranes obtained from obese and lean Zucker rats. In conclusion, compared to the corresponding basal values, the response of gluconeogenesis from lactate to the stimulatory effect of epinephrine is higher in obese (fa/fa) than in lean (Fa/-) Zucker rat hepatocytes, with no significant differences in the calculated EC(50) values for this hormone. This occurs in spite of an apparent decreased sensitivity of the adenylate cyclase system to the stimulatory effect of epinephrine in obese rat liver cells.

Modulation of epinephrine-stimulated gluconeogenesis by insulin in hepatocytes isolated from genetically obese (fa/fa) Zucker rats.

Genetically obese (fa/fa) Zucker rats present an impaired response of hepatic glucose production to the inhibition by insulin. In this work, we have investigated the modulation by this hormone of epinephrine-stimulated gluconeogenesis, in hepatocytes isolated from obese (fa/fa) rats and their lean (Fa/-) littermates. Epinephrine (1 microM) caused a maximal stimulation of [14C]lactate conversion to [14C]glucose in hepatocytes isolated from either obese or lean animals. The stimulation of gluconeogenesis by epinephrine was accompanied by a significant reduction of fructose 2,6-bisphosphate levels, an inactivation of both pyruvate kinase and 6-phosphofructo 2-kinase, and by a 2-fold increase in the cellular concentrations of cAMP. The presence of insulin in the incubation medium antagonized, in a concentration-dependent manner, the effects of epinephrine. In hepatocytes isolated from lean rats, the reversion caused by insulin was complete, the concentration required for half-maximal insulin action ranging from 0.22 to 0.56 nM. In contrast, in obese rat hepatocytes, insulin only partially blocked epinephrine-mediated effects, and the sensitivity to insulin was 2- to 4-fold lower, as indicated by the corresponding half-maximal insulin action values. Furthermore, insulin (10 nM) almost completely blocked the increase in cAMP levels induced by epinephrine in lean rat hepatocytes, whereas it only provoked a small and nonsignificant reduction of epinephrine-stimulated levels of the cyclic nucleotide in hepatocytes obtained from obese rats.

Impairment of the modulation by glucose of hepatic gluconeogenesis in the genetically obese (fa/fa) Zucker rat.

Genetically obese (fa/fa) Zucker rats show oral glucose intolerance, an alteration that has been attributed at least in part to an impaired suppression of hepatic glucose output after the ingestion of glucose. In this work, we studied the influence of different concentrations of glucose (2.5-30 mM) on gluconeogenesis from a mixture of [14C]lactate-pyruvate as well as on fructose 2,6-bisphosphate levels, pyruvate kinase activity, and flux through the reaction catalyzed by 6-phosphofructo-1-kinase, in hepatocytes isolated from fed obese (fa/fa) or lean (Fa/-) rats. In hepatocytes isolated from lean rats, incubation with increasing concentrations of glucose caused a dose-dependent inhibition of gluconeogenesis (5.02 +/- 0.54 and 1.82 +/- 0.33 mumol lactate converted to glucose/g cells.20 min in hepatocytes incubated in the presence of 2.5 and 30 mM glucose, respectively; n = 4 experiments; P < 0.01) together with a significant elevation of the fructose 2,6-bisphosphate content and a stimulation of the flux through 6-phosphofructo-1-kinase reaction. Glucose also provoked a dose-dependent activation of pyruvate kinase in the absence of changes in the cellular concentration of cAMP. In liver cells from obese animals, gluconeogenesis was not significantly modified by raising the glucose concentration in the incubation medium (1.26 +/- 0.11 and 0.83 +/- 0.14 mumol lactate converted to glucose/g cells.20 min in hepatocytes incubated with 2.5 and 30 mM glucose, respectively; n = 4 experiments; P = 0.11) despite significant increases in both fructose 2,6-bisphosphate levels and flux through the 6-phosphofructo-1-kinase reaction. In these cells, pyruvate kinase was only slightly activated by high glucose concentrations. These results indicate that, unlike fructose 2,6-bisphosphate levels and flux through the 6-phosphofructo-1-kinase reaction, hepatic gluconeogenesis is unresponsive to high glucose concentrations in genetically obese (fa/fa) rats.

Decreased responsiveness of basal gluconeogenesis to insulin action in hepatocytes isolated from genetically obese (fa/fa) Zucker rats.

In vivo studies have demonstrated that hepatic glucose production is poorly responsive to insulin in genetically obese Zucker rats. In this work, we have investigated the modulation by insulin of basal gluconeogenesis, fructose 2,6-bisphosphate levels, and pyruvate kinase and 6-phosphofructo 2-kinase activities in hepatocytes isolated from fed obese (fa/fa) or lean (Fa/-) rats. Gluconeogenesis was estimated by the conversion of a mixture of [14C]lactate-pyruvate to [14C]glucose. Basal gluconeogenesis was significantly reduced in hepatocytes isolated from obese rats compared to that measured in hepatocytes from lean animals (0.63 +/- 0.09 vs. 1.47 +/- 0.05 mumol lactate converted to glucose/g cells.20 min; n = 3-4; P < 0.001). In hepatocytes isolated from lean rats, insulin, without affecting the cellular cAMP concentration, caused a dose-dependent inhibition of the rate of gluconeogenesis, which was accompanied by a significant increase in fructose 2,6-bisphosphate levels and activation of both pyruvate kinase and 6-phosphofructo 2-kinase. In contrast, in hepatocytes isolated from obese (fa/fa) rats, neither basal gluconeogenesis nor any of the other metabolic parameters mentioned were significantly modified by insulin, even when assayed at high hormonal concentrations (10 nM). These results demonstrate a lack of responsiveness of hepatic gluconeogenesis to short term insulin action in genetically obese (fa/fa) rats.

Insulin resistance in genetically obese (fa/fa) rats: changes in the glycosyl-phosphatidylinositol signaling system in isolated hepatocytes.

In different types of mammalian cells, insulin has been shown to promote the release of an inositol phosphate glycan (InsP-glycan) through the hydrolysis of a glycosyl-phosphatidylinositol (glycosyl-PtdIns). This InsP-glycan, which has been demonstrated to be taken up by intact cells, may mediate some of the biological effects of insulin. We have investigated how the insulin resistance expressed in genetically obese (fa/fa) rats affects the glycosyl-PtdIns signaling system in isolated hepatocytes compared to what occurs in hepatocytes isolated from lean (Fa/-) rats. The hepatocyte content of glycosyl-PtdIns was reduced by about 30% in obese rats, with respect to that measured in lean rats (2553 +/- 138 vs. 3334 +/- 115 dpm/mg protein; P < 0.01; n = 5). This reduction was accompanied by a marked blockade of the insulin-mediated glycosyl-PtdIns hydrolysis as well as a decrease (approximately 30%) in the rate of InsP-glycan uptake by the isolated liver cells. Obese Zucker rat hepatocytes also showed a significant decrease in the effects of both insulin and InsP-glycan on the stimulation of glycogen synthesis and the activation of glycogen synthase compared to hepatocytes isolated from lean rats. Our results demonstrate that genetic obesity in Zucker (fa/fa) rats is associated with an impairment of the glycosyl-PtdIns-dependent insulin signaling system.

Changes in the insulin-sensitive glycosyl-phosphatidyl-inositol signalling system with aging in rat hepatocytes.

An inositol-phosphate glycan (InsP glycan), which is the polar head group of an insulin-sensitive glycosyl-phosphatidylinositol (glycosyl-PtdIns), has been reported to mimic some insulin actions when added to different types of cells. In connection with this, a specific, time-dependent and energy-dependent transport system for this InsP glycan has been identified in isolated rat hepatocytes [Alvarez, J. F., Sánchez-Arias, J. A., Guadaño, A., Estevez, F., Varela, I., Felíu, J. E. & Mato, J.M. (1991) Biochem. J. 274, 369-374]. Here we have investigated the glycosyl-PtdIns-dependent insulin-signalling system in hepatocytes isolated from either 3-month-old or 24-month-old rats. Aging reduced the stimulatory effect of insulin on [U-14C]glucose incorporation into glycogen, caused a significant decrease in basal glycosyl-PtdIns levels and blocked the insulin-mediated hydrolysis of this lipid. In 24-month-old rats, we also observed a diminution in the rate of hepatocyte InsP-glycan uptake and a marked reduction of the stimulatory effect of this compound on glycogen synthesis. These results support the hypothesis that insulin resistance associated with aging is accompanied by an impairment of the glycosyl-PtdIns-dependent cellular signalling system.

Impairment of glycosyl-phosphatidylinositol-dependent insulin signaling system in isolated rat hepatocytes by streptozotocin-induced diabetes.

The addition to different types of cells of an inositol-phosphate glycan, generated by the phospholipase C-catalyzed hydrolysis of a insulin-sensitive glycosyl-phosphatidylinositol (glycosyl-PI), mimics some of the biological effects of this hormone. Recently, a specific, time-, dose-, and energy-dependent transport system for this inositol-phosphate glycan has been identified in isolated rat hepatocytes. Here, we show that streptozotocin-induced diabetes mellitus reduced (by about 60%) the basal content of the insulin-sensitive glycosyl-PI in isolated rat hepatocytes. Moreover, streptozotocin-induced diabetes blocked the hydrolysis of the glycosyl-PI in response to insulin, diminished inositol phosphate-glycan uptake by the hepatocytes, and abolished the stimulatory effect of this compound on glycogen synthesis. All these metabolic changes caused by streptozotocin administration were reversed by treatment of the animals with insulin. Our results support the hypothesis that insulin resistance in streptozotocin-induced diabetic rats is related to the impairment of glycosyl-PI metabolism.

Transport in isolated rat hepatocytes of the phospho-oligosaccharide that mimics insulin action. Effects of adrenalectomy and glucocorticoid treatment.

The addition to intact cells of an inositol phospho-oligosaccharide (POS), which is the polar head-group of an insulin-sensitive glycosylphosphatidylinositol, mimics and may mediate some of the biological effects of this hormone. Here we report the existence of a POS transport system in hepatocytes. This POS transport system is specific and time- and dose-dependent. Insulin-resistance caused by dexamethasone administration to rats was accompanied by a decrease in the hepatocyte POS transport system. In contrast, bilateral adrenalectomy provoked a significant increase in the transport of POS. Both the temporal uptake of POS and the regulation of this process by conditions known to modify the sensitivity to insulin suggest that this novel transport system might be involved in the insulin signalling mechanism.

Effect of streptozotocin diabetes on the glycolytic flux and on fructose 2,6-bisphosphate levels in isolated rat enterocytes.

In epithelial cells isolated from rat small intestine and incubated in the presence of 1 mM glucose, streptozotocin-induced diabetes reduced, by 46 and 29%, respectively, the rates of both glucose utilization and L-lactate formation. These effects were accompanied by a significant decrease of enterocyte fructose 2,6-bisphosphate concentration (about 50%) and of the glycolytic flux through the reaction catalyzed by 6-phosphofructo 1-kinase. The diminution of enterocyte fructose 2,6-bisphosphate levels caused by diabetes occurred in spite of an increase of hexose 6-phosphate concentration, and was associated with a reduction in the amount of active form of 6-phosphofructo 2-kinase; total activity of this enzyme was not significantly modified. Diabetes also caused an acceleration in the rate of 3-O-methyl-D-(14C) glucose uptake and increased hexokinase activity in enterocytes. Lactate dehydrogenase, pyruvate kinase and 6-phosphofructo 1-kinase activities were not found to be significantly different in epithelial cells isolated from control or diabetic animals. Our results indicate that a reduction of the glycolytic flux in enterocytes could collaborate to increase intestinal glucose absorption in the diabetic state.

Effect of adrenalectomy and glucocorticoid treatment on the levels of an insulin-sensitive glycosyl-phosphatidylinositol in isolated rat hepatocytes.

Insulin resistance caused by dexamethasone administration to rats was accompanied by a marked decrease in the hepatocyte content of an insulin-sensitive glycosyl-phosphatidylinositol, as well as by a blockade of its hydrolysis in response to this hormone. In contrast, bilateral adrenalectomy provoked a significant increase of the cellular glycosyl-phosphatidylinositol levels. Under all the assayed metabolic conditions, a close direct correlation was established between the basal content of this compound and the number of insulin receptors present in the isolated hepatocytes.