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Glycogen, its chemistry and morphological appearance in the electron microscope. III. Identification of the tissue ligands involved in the glycogen contrast staining reaction with the osmium (VI)--iron(II) complex.

By application of appropriate blocking reactions (acetylation, de-amination, methylation and NaHSO3-treatment) it is demonstrated that the tissue ligands involved in the selective glycogen contrast staining reaction with the OsVI. FeII complex (known to be present in the combination K2OsO4K4Fe(CN)6) are the glycogen C2-C3 di-hydroxyl groups. Deliberate conversion of the diols into di-aldehydes and (di-)carboxyl groups by the application of specific oxidative agents followed by application of the OsVI. FeII-complex results morphologically in identical selective contrast staining of glycogen. By applying appropriate blocking reactions to such pre-oxidized aldehyde fixed glycogen, evidence is accumulated that K2OSO4 and K3Fe(CN)6 are unable to oxidize diols, whereas OSO4 and H2O2 are able to convert diols into carboxyl groups. From these results it is concluded that in the combination K2OSO4K4Fe(CN)6 the OsVI.FeII complex reacts with unchanged diols in the glycogen, whereas the OSO4 in the combination OSO4K3Fe(CN)6 can potentially create carbocyl groups in the aldehyde-fixed glycogen. The addition of urea to the two glycogen contrasting combinations (K2OSO4K4Fe(CN)6 or OSO4K3Fe(CN)6), also emphasizes that, although morphologically both combinations produce identical contrast stained glycogen, chemically the contrast staining is apparently obtained in a different way, as urea prevented the contrast formation in the glycogen by the combination K2OsO4Fe(CN)L, but not by the combination OSO4K3F e(CN)6.

Animals↗

Control of glycogen synthesis by glucose, glycogen, and insulin in cultured human muscle cells.

A key feature of type 2 diabetes is impairment in the stimulation of glycogen synthesis in skeletal muscle by insulin. Glycogen synthesis and the activity of the enzyme glycogen synthase (GS) have been studied in human myoblasts in culture under a variety of experimental conditions. Incubation in the absence of glucose for up to 6 h caused an approximately 50% decrease in glycogen content, which was associated with a small decrease in the fractional activity of GS. Subsequent reincubation with physiological concentrations of glucose led to a dramatic increase in the rate of glycogen synthesis and in the fractional activity of GS, an effect which was both time- and glucose concentration-dependent and essentially additive with the effects of insulin. This effect was seen only after glycogen depletion. Inhibitors of signaling pathways involved in the stimulation of glycogen synthesis by insulin were without significant effect on the stimulatory action of glucose. These results indicate that at least two distinct mechanisms exist to stimulate glycogen synthesis in human muscle: one acting in response to insulin and the other acting in response to glucose after glycogen depletion, such as that which results from exercise or starvation.

Cells, Cultured↗

Glycogen turnover during refeeding in the postabsorptive dog: implications for the estimation of glycogen formation using tracer methods.

Recent 13C nuclear magnetic resonance (13C-NMR) studies in the anesthetized rat and perfused liver suggest that hepatic glycogen is simultaneously synthesized and degraded, even during combined hyperglycemia and hyperinsulinemia. The presence of glycogen turnover would confound efforts to study glycogen repletion with the use of tracer methods during feeding, particularly if the liver is not glycogen-depleted. To ascertain whether glycogen turnover occurs during normal feeding, we measured liver uptake of glucose in 10 awake, healthy, postabsorptive dogs with long-term arterial, portal, and hepatic venous catheters before and for 3 hours after a meal of either glucose alone (1.5 g/kg) or glucose supplemented with crystalline amino acids (0.7 g/kg); the meal was labeled with D-[3-3H]glucose and [U-14C]alanine. Liver glycogen level was measured in biopsies obtained before and at 180 minutes after the meal. The postabsorptive liver glycogen content was 4.3 +/- 0.9 g/100 g, and net hepatic glucose release averaged 1.8 +/- 0.3 mg/min/kg. Over the 3 hours following feeding, the liver took up glucose (0.37 +/- 0.14 and 0.33 +/- 0.16 g/kg body weight in dogs receiving glucose and glucose with amino acids, respectively). At 3 hours, glycogen synthesis from D-[3-3H]glucose in the two groups averaged 0.24 +/- 0.09 and 0.22 +/- 0.05 g/kg, or approximately 15% of the ingested glucose load. 14C-glucose also was found in liver glycogen, demonstrating ongoing hepatic gluconeogenesis.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)

Administration, Oral↗

The interaction of muscle glycogen phosphorylase b with glycogen.

Interaction of muscle glycogen phosphorylase b (EC 2.4.1.1) with glycogen was studied by sedimentation, stopped-flow and temperature-jump methods. The equilibrium enzyme concentration was determined by sedimentation in an analytical ultracentrifuge equipped with absorption optics and a photoelectric scanning system. The maximum adsorption capacity of pig liver glycogen is 3.64 mumol dimeric glycogen phosphorylase b per g glycogen, which corresponds to 20 dimeric enzyme molecules per average glycogen molecule of Mr 5.5 X 10(6). Microscopic dissociation constants were determined for the enzyme-glycogen complex within the temperature range from 12.7 to 30.0 degrees C. Enzyme-glycogen complexing is accompanied by increasing light scattering and its increment depends linearly on the concentration of the binding sites on a glycogen particle that are occupied by the enzyme. Complex formation and relaxation kinetics are in accordance with the proposed bimolecular reaction scheme. The monomolecular dissociation rate constant of the complex increases as the temperature increases from 12.7 to 30.0 degrees C, whereas the bimolecular rate constant changes slightly and is about 10(8) M-1 X S-1. These data point to the possibility of diffusional control of the complex formation.

Animals↗

A tentative mechanism of the ternary complex formation between phosphorylase kinase, glycogen phosphorylase b and glycogen.

The kinetics of rabbit skeletal muscle phosphorylase kinase interaction with glycogen has been studied. At pH 6.8 the binding of phosphorylase kinase to glycogen proceeds only in the presence of Mg2+, whereas at pH 8.2 formation of the complex occurs even in the absence of Mg2+. On the other hand, the interaction of phosphorylase kinase with glycogen requires Ca2+ at both pH values. The initial rate of the complex formation is proportional to the enzyme and glycogen concentrations, suggesting the formation of the complex with stoichiometry 1:1 at the initial step of phosphorylase kinase binding by glycogen. According to the kinetic and sedimentation data, the substrate of the phosphorylase kinase reaction, glycogen phosphorylase b, favors the binding of phosphorylase kinase with glycogen. We suggest a model for the ordered binding of phosphorylase b and phosphorylase kinase to the glycogen particle that explains the increase in the tightness of phosphorylase kinase binding with glycogen in the presence of phosphorylase b.

Animals↗

Glycogen stability and glycogen phosphorylase activities in isolated skeletal muscles from rat and toad.

There is increasing evidence that endogenous glycogen depletion may affect excitation-contraction (E-C) coupling events in vertebrate skeletal muscle. One approach employed in physiological investigations of E-C coupling involves the use of mechanically skinned, single fibre preparations obtained from tissues stored under paraffin oil, at room temperature (RT: 20-24 degrees C) and 4 degrees C for several hours. In the present study, we examined the effect of these storage conditions on the glycogen content in three muscles frequently used in research on E-C coupling: rat extensor digitorum longus (EDL) and soleus (SOL) and toad iliofibularis (IF). Glycogen content was determined fluorometrically in homogenates prepared from whole muscles, stored under paraffin oil for up to 6 h at RT or 4 degrees C. Control muscles and muscles stored for 0.5 and 6 h were also analysed for total phosphorylase (Phos(total)) and phosphorylase a (Phos a) activities. No significant change was observed in the glycogen content of EDL and SOL muscles stored at RT for 0.5 h. In rat muscles stored at RT for longer than 0.5 h, the glycogen content decreased to 67.6% (EDL) and 78.7% (SOL) of controls after 3 h and 25.3% (EDL) and 37.4% (SOL) after 6 h. Rat muscles stored at 4 degrees C retained 79.0% (EDL) and 92.5% (SOL) of glycogen after 3 h and 75.2% (EDL) and 61.1% (SOL) after 6 h. The glycogen content of IF muscles stored at RT or 4 degrees C for 6 h was not significantly different from controls. Phos(total) was unchanged in all muscles over the 6 h period, at both temperatures. Phos a was also unchanged in the toad IF muscles, but in rat muscles it decreased rapidly, particularly in EDL (4.1-fold after 0.5 h at RT). Taken together these results indicate that storage under paraffin oil for up to 6 h at RT or 4 degrees C is accompanied by minimal glycogen loss in toad IF muscles and by a time- and temperature-dependent glycogen loss in EDL and SOL muscles of the rat.

Animals↗

Systematic identification of the genes affecting glycogen storage in the yeast Saccharomyces cerevisiae: implication of the vacuole as a determinant of glycogen level.

At the onset of nutrient limitation, the yeast Saccharomyces cerevisiae synthesizes glycogen to serve as a carbon and energy reserve. We undertook a systematic survey for the genes that affect glycogen accumulation by taking advantage of the strain deletion set generated by the Saccharomyces Genome Deletion Project. The strain collection analyzed contained some 4600 diploid homozygous null deletants, representing approximately 88% of all viable haploid disruptants. We identified 324 strains with low and 242 with elevated glycogen stores, accounting for 12.4% of the genes analyzed. The screen was validated by the identification of many of the genes known already to influence glycogen accumulation. Many of the mutants could be placed into coherent families. For example, 195 or 60% of the hypoaccumulators carry mutations linked to respiratory function, a class of mutants well known to be defective in glycogen storage. The second largest group consists of approximately 60 genes involved in vesicular trafficking and vacuolar function, including genes encoding 13 of 17 proteins involved in the structure or assembly of the vacuolar ATPase. These data are consistent with our recent findings that the process of autophagy has a significant impact on glycogen storage (Wang, Z., Wilson, W. A., Fujino, M. A., and Roach, P. J. (2001) Antagonistic controls of autophagy and glycogen accumulation by Snf1p, the yeast homolog of AMP-activated protein kinase, and the cyclin-dependent kinase Pho85p. Mol. Cell. Biol. 21, 5742-5752). Autophagy delivers glycogen to the vacuole, and we propose that the impaired vacuolar function associated with ATPase mutants (vma10 or vma22) results in reduced degradation and subsequent hyperaccumulation of glycogen.

Biological Transport, Active↗

Glycogen loading alters muscle glycogen resynthesis after exercise.

This study compared muscle glycogen recovery after depletion of approximately 50 mmol/l (DeltaGly) from normal (Nor) resting levels (63.2 +/- 2.8 mmol/l) with recovery after depletion of approximately 50 mmol/l from a glycogen-loaded (GL) state (99.3 +/- 4.0 mmol/l) in 12 healthy, untrained subjects (5 men, 7 women). To glycogen load, a 7-day carbohydrate-loading protocol increased muscle glycogen 1.6 +/- 0.2-fold (P < or = 0.01). GL subjects then performed plantar flexion (single-leg toe raises) at 50 +/- 3% of maximum voluntary contraction (MVC) to yield DeltaGly = 48.0 +/- 1.3 mmol/l. The Nor trial, performed on a separate occasion, yielded DeltaGly = 47.5 +/- 4.5 mmol/l. Interleaved natural abundance (13)C-(31)P-NMR spectra were acquired and quantified before exercise and during 5 h of recovery immediately after exercise. During the initial 15 min after exercise, glycogen recovery in the GL trial was rapid (32.9 +/- 8.9 mmol. l(-1). h(-1)) compared with the Nor trial (15.9 +/- 6.9 mmol. l(-1). h(-1)). During the next 45 min, GL glycogen synthesis was not as rapid as in the Nor trial (0.9 +/- 2.5 mmol. l(-1). h(-1) for GL; 14.7 +/- 3.0 mmol. l(-1). h(-1) for Nor; P < or = 0.005) despite similar glucose 6-phosphate levels. During extended recovery (60-300 min), reduced GL recovery rates continued (1.3 +/- 0.5 mmol. l(-1). h(-1) for GL; 3.9 +/- 0.3 mmol. l(-1). h(-1) for Nor; P < or = 0.001). We conclude that glycogen recovery from heavy exercise is controlled primarily by the remaining postexercise glycogen concentration, with only a transient synthesis period when glycogen levels are not severely reduced.

Adult↗

Epidermal growth factor stimulates glycogen synthesis in fetal rat hepatocytes: comparison with the glycogenic effects of insulin-like growth factor I and insulin.

The effects of epidermal growth factor (EGF) on glycogen metabolism and the binding of [125I]iodo-EGF to receptors in fetal rat hepatocytes have been examined. The actions of EGF have been compared with those of insulin-like growth factor I (IGF-I) and insulin. EGF (0.1-45 nM) stimulated dose-dependent increases in [14C]glucose incorporation into glycogen (8.8-31.1%, P less than 0.01) and total cellular glycogen content (5.6-21.4%, P less than 0.05). The concentration of EGF causing half-maximal stimulation of glycogen synthesis was 2 ng/ml, and maximal stimulation occurred at 1 h of incubation. EGF had no effect on the uptake of the nonmetabolizable monosaccharide [14C]O-methyl-D-glucose, suggesting that the glycogenic effect of EGF was not mediated through stimulation of glucose transport. Although IGF-I (1-100 nM) and insulin (14 nM to 10 microM) also stimulated glycogen synthesis in fetal liver, the maximal effects of these hormones occurred at 2 h incubation, and the dose-response curves of IGF-I and insulin were not parallel to that of EGF. In addition, the maximal glycogenic effect of EGF was only 40% that of insulin or IGF-I, and the effects of EGF and insulin on [14C]glucose incorporation were additive. These findings suggest that EGF stimulates glycogen synthesis through a mechanism distinct from that of IGF-I or insulin. The binding of [125I]iodo-EGF to fetal hepatocytes was specific, saturable, and time- and temperature-dependent. Maximal specific binding occurred at 1 h of incubation at 37 C or at 24 h of incubation at 4 C. Unlabeled EGF (0.05-250 ng/ml) caused a dose-dependent inhibition of the binding of [125I]iodo-EGF to fetal hepatocytes, with half-maximal displacement of [125I]iodo-EGF by 1.7 ng unlabeled EGF/ml. The specific binding of [125I] iodo-EGF was not inhibited by high concentrations of insulin or IGF-I, suggesting that the differences in the mechanisms by which EGF, insulin, and IGF-I stimulate glycogenesis may be explained in part by differences in the binding of these hormones to fetal liver receptors. In addition to having mitogenic effects in fetal tissue, EGF or other EGF-like growth factors may have acute effects on fetal hepatic intermediary metabolism and may contribute to the accumulation of liver glycogen in the mammalian fetus during late gestation.

3-O-Methylglucose↗

Adenovirus-mediated transfer of the muscle glycogen phosphorylase gene into hepatocytes confers altered regulation of glycogen metabolism.

The muscle isozyme of glycogen phosphorylase is potently activated by the allosteric ligand AMP, whereas the liver isozyme is not. In this study we have investigated the metabolic impact of expression of muscle phosphorylase in liver cells. To this end, we constructed a replication-defective, recombinant adenovirus containing the muscle glycogen phosphorylase cDNA (termed AdCMV-MGP) and used this system to infect hepatocytes in culture. AMP-activatable glycogen phosphorylase activity was increased 46-fold 6 days after infection of primary liver cells with AdCMV-MGP. Despite large increases in phosphorylase activity, glycogen levels were only slightly reduced in AdCMV-MGP-infected liver cells compared to uninfected cells or cells infected with wild-type adenovirus. The lack of correlation of phosphorylase activity and glycogen content suggests that the liver cell environment can inhibit the muscle phosphorylase isozyme. This inhibition can be overcome, however, by addition of carbonyl cyanide m-chlorophenylhydrazone (CCCP), which increases AMP levels by 30-fold and causes a much larger decrease in glycogen levels in AdCMV-MGP-infected cells than in uninfected or wild-type adenovirus-infected controls. CCCP treatment also caused a preferential decrease in glycogen content relative to glucagon treatment in AdCMV-MGP-infected hepatocytes (74% versus 11%, respectively), even though the two drugs caused equal increases in phosphorylase a activity. Introduction of muscle phosphorylase into hepatocytes therefore confers a capacity for glycogenolytic response to effectors that is not provided by the endogenous liver phosphorylase isozyme. The remarkable efficiency of adenovirus-mediated gene transfer into primary hepatocytes and the demonstration of altered regulation of glycogen metabolism as a consequence of expression of a non-cognate phosphorylase isozyme may have implications for gene therapy of glycogen storage diseases.

Adenosine Monophosphate↗

Biosynthesis of bacterial glycogen. Kinetic studies of a glucose-1-phosphate adenylyltransferase (EC 2.7.7.27) from a glycogen-deficient mutant of Escherichia coli B.

An Escherichia coli B mutant, SG14, accumulates glycogen at 28% the rate observed for the parent E. coli B strain. The glycogen accumulated in the mutant is similar to the glycogen isolated from the parent strain with respect to alpha- and beta-amylosis, chain length determination, and I2-complex absorption spectra. The SG14 mutant contains normal glycogen synthase and branching enzyme activity but has an ADP-glucose pyrophosphorylase with altered kinetic and allosteric properties. The mutant enzyme has been partially purified and requires a 12-fold higher concentration of fructose-P2 or a 26 fold higher concentration of pyridoxal-P than the parent type enzyme for 50% of maximal allosteric activation. TPNH, an effective activator of the E. coli B enzyme, does not activate the SG14 ADP-glucose pyrophosphorylase. Other studies show that for the SG14 enzyme the concentrations of ATP and Mg2+ in the synthesis direction and the concentrations of ADP-glucose and PPi in the pyrophosphorolysis direction required to give 50% of maximal activity are 3- to 6-fold higher than those observed for the parent E. coli B ADP-glucose pyrophosphorylase. The Km for alpha-glucose-1-P at saturating to half-saturating concentrations of the activator, fructose-P2, are about the same for both enzymes. However, in the presence of no activator, the concentration of glucose-1-P required for half-maximal activity is about 1.8-fold higher for the SG14 enzyme. Thus SG14 ADP-glucose pyrophosphorylase has lower affinity for its substrates than does the parent enzyme. Previously the SG14 enzyme had been shown to be less sensitive to inhibition by 5'-AMP than the E. coli B enzyme. This ensensitivity to inhibition renders the SG14 enzyme less responsive to energy charge than the E. coli B ADP-glucose pyrophosphorylase. On the basis of the above results and taking into account the reported concentrations of fructose-P2, of pyridoxal-P, and of the adenine nucleotide pool and its energy charge in E. coli strains, it is concluded that furctose-P2 is the important physiological allosteric activator of E. coli ADP-glucose pyrophosphorylase. Furthermore, the 1.7-fold increased rate of accumulation of glycogen observed when E. coli B or SG14 shifts from exponential phase to stationary phase of growth in nitrogen-limiting media can be accounted for by the 2.4-fold increase of the levels of the glycogen biosynthetic enzymes, glycogen synthase, and ADP-glucose pyrophosphorylase. Thus both allosteric regulation of the ADP-glucose pyrophosphorylase as well as the genetic regulation of the biosynthesis of the glycogen biosynthetic enzymes are involved in the regulation of glycogen accumulation in E. coli B.

Adenosine Diphosphate Glucose↗

Glycogen content & structure & some enzymes of glycogen metabolism in human foetal organs.

The glycogen content, and its structure and the enzymes involved in glycogenolysis in human foetal organs were studied at different periods of gestation. Of all the tissues studied glycogen content was found to be the highest in cardiac muscle. Very little glycogen was present in the foetal liver at 9-12 wk of gestation, this increased progressively to nearly 2 per cent at 24 wk. Glycogen content of placenta was lower than that of skeletal muscle and liver. The level of glycogen in adipose tissue, placenta and cerebrum was not high enough to play any role in glucose homeostasis of the foetus. Human foetal liver and skeletal muscle glycogen showed the normal branched structure while the liver glycogen was found to be unusually stable. Glycogen phosphorylase activity in the foetal liver and muscle was found to be low, i.e., about a fifth and a fourth of adult liver and muscle activity respectively. The stability of foetal liver glycogen and phosphorolytic activity in the liver and muscle indicate negligible glycogenolysis during foetal development. Glucose-6-phosphatase activity in foetal liver was undetectable below 12 wk of gestation, the activity increasing progressively up to 24 wk.

Fetus↗

Effects of the specific cAMP antagonist, (Rp)-adenosine cyclic 3',5'-phosphorothioate, on the cAMP-dependent protein kinase-induced activity of hepatic glycogen phosphorylase and glycogen synthase.

The cAMP-dependent protein kinase-induced effects on phosphorylase and glycogen synthase activities and glucose production were studied in hepatocytes isolated from fed rats in the presence of the diastereomers of adenosine cyclic 3',5'-phosphorothioate, (Sp)-cAMPS and (Rp)-cAMPS. Incubation of hepatocytes with (Sp)-cAMPS or glucagon, both of which lead to cAMP-dependent protein kinase activation, resulted in a concentration-dependent increase in glycogen phosphorylase activity and a decrease in glycogen synthase activity. Incubation of hepatocytes with the cAMP-dependent protein kinase antagonist, (Rp)-cAMPS, in the absence of an agonist, had no significant effect on phosphorylase or glycogen synthase activities. Incubation of hepatocytes with a half-maximally inhibitory concentration of (Rp)-cAMPS shifted the agonist-induced activation curves for phosphorylase and the agonist-induced inhibition curves for glycogen synthase to 5-fold higher concentrations for both (Sp)-cAMPS and glucagon. Phosphorylase activity was very sensitive to the rapid, concentration-dependent inhibition by (Rp)-cAMPS of agonist-induced activation of cAMP-dependent protein kinase. The effects on phosphorylase activity were observable in 30 s and were concentration-dependent with half-maximal inhibition at 10 microM, similar to that observed for cAMP-dependent protein kinase. In contrast, glycogen synthase activity was less sensitive to (Rp)-cAMPS inhibition of agonist-induced activation of cAMP-dependent protein kinase. The effects on glycogen synthase activity lagged behind those on phosphorylase activity and the concentration dependence did not parallel the cAMP-dependent protein kinase effect, but was shifted to higher concentrations of (Rp)-cAMPS with half-maximal inhibition at 60 microM. Glucose (10 to 40 mM) increased the sensitivity of glycogen synthase to (Rp)-cAMPS inhibition of cAMP-dependent protein kinase over a narrow range of agonist concentration, but had no significant effect throughout most of the agonist-induced activation range. Thus, the diastereomers, (Sp)- and (Rp)-cAMPS, influence glycogen metabolism and the glycogenolytic enzymes through their modulation of cAMP-dependent protein kinase levels.

Animals↗

Initiation of glycogen synthesis. Control of glycogenin by glycogen phosphorylase.

Glycogen biosynthesis involves a specific initiation event, mediated by a specialized protein, glycogenin. Glycogenin undergoes self-glucosylation to generate an oligosaccharide primer, which, when long enough, supports the action of glycogen synthase to elongate the polysaccharide chain, leading ultimately to the formation of glycogen. We report that primed glycogenin is also a substrate for glycogen phosphorylase. Phosphorylase removed glucose from the oligosaccharide attached to glycogenin in a phosphorolysis reaction that required phosphate and produced glucose 1-phosphate. The phosphorylated form, phosphorylase a, was much more effective than the dephosphorylated phosphorylase b. However, in the presence of the allosteric effector AMP, phosphorylase b also catalyzed the phosphorolysis reaction. Glucose, an allosteric inhibitor of phosphorylase, inhibited the reaction. Glycogen, but not a short oligosaccharide (maltopentaose), also inhibited the reaction. Treatment of fully primed glycogenin with phosphorylase converted the glycogenin to a form with slightly lower apparent molecular weight, which was less effective as a substrate for glycogen synthase. These results suggest a novel role for phosphorylase in the control of glycogen biosynthesis. We propose that the glucosylation level of glycogenin would be determined by the balance between the self-glucosylation reaction and the opposing action of phosphorylase. The level of glucosylation would in turn determine whether or not glycogenin was an effective primer for glycogen synthase. In this way, several known controls of phosphorylase activity, such as epinephrine, glucagon, and insulin, could influence not only the elongation/degradation stage of glycogen metabolism but also its initiation.

Animals↗

No effect of glycogen level on glycogen metabolism during high intensity exercise.

This study examined the effect of glycogen supercompensation on glycogen breakdown, muscle and blood lactate accumulation, blood-pH, and performance during short-term high-intensity exercise. Young healthy volunteers performed two supramaximal (125% of VO2max) exercise tests on a bicycle ergometer, either for 1 min 45 s (protocol 1; N = 18) or to exhaustion (protocol 2; N = 14). The exercise tests were preceded by either 5 d on a controlled normal (N) diet, or by 2 d of glycogen-depleting exercise accompanied by the normal diet followed by 3 d on a carbohydrate-rich (CHR) diet. In protocol 1, preexercise muscle glycogen concentrations were 364 +/- 23 and 568 +/- 35 mumol.g-1 d.w. in the N and CHR condition, respectively (P < 0.05). During the exertion, glycogen concentration in the M. quadriceps decreased to the same extent in both groups. Accordingly, the exercise-induced increases in muscle and blood-lactate, and the fall in blood-pH were similar during N and CHR. In protocol 2, time to exhaustion was identical for N and CHR. It is concluded that during short-term intense exercise during which muscle glycogen availability exceeds glycogen demand, rate of glycogen breakdown, lactate accumulation, and performance are regulated irrespective of the preexercise muscle glycogen level.

Adult↗

The role of glycogen synthase phosphatase in the glucocorticoid-induced deposition of glycogen in foetal rat liver.

1. The mechanism that underlies the induction of glycogen synthesis in the foetal rat liver by glucocorticoids was reinvestigated in conditions where the accumulation of glycogen is either precociously induced with dexamethasone or inhibited by steroid deprivation. It appears that glucocorticoids act as the physiological trigger for glycogen synthesis by inducing both glycogen synthase (a known effect) and its activating enzyme, glycogen synthase phosphatase. 2. The activity of glycogen synthase phosphatase in adult liver stems from the interaction of two protein components [Doperé, Vanstapel & Stalmans (1980) Eur. J. Biochem. 104, 137--146]. Two independent experimental approaches indicate that the cytosolic 'S-component' is already well developed in the foetal liver before the onset of glycogen synthesis. The manifold glucocorticoid-dependent increase in synthase phosphatase activity during late gestation must be attributed to the specific development of the glycogen-bound 'G-component'.

Animals↗

Regulation of glycogen metabolism in cultured human muscles by the glycogen phosphorylase inhibitor CP-91149.

Pharmacological inhibition of liver GP (glycogen phosphorylase), which is currently being studied as a treatment for Type II (non-insulin-dependent) diabetes, may affect muscle glycogen metabolism. In the present study, we analysed the effects of the GP inhibitor CP-91149 on non-engineered or GP-overexpressing cultured human muscle cells. We found that CP-91149 treatment decreased muscle GP activity by (1) converting the phosphorylated AMP-independent a form into the dephosphorylated AMP-dependent b form and (2) inhibiting GP a activity and AMP-mediated GP b activation. Dephosphorylation of GP was exerted, irrespective of incubation of the cells with glucose, whereas inhibition of its activity was synergic with glucose. As expected, CP-91149 impaired the glycogenolysis induced by glucose deprivation. CP-91149 also promoted the dephosphorylation and activation of GS (glycogen synthase) in non-engineered or GP-overexpressing cultured human muscle cells, but exclusively in glucose-deprived cells. However, this inhibitor did not activate GS in glucose-deprived but glycogen-replete cells overexpressing PTG (protein targeting to glycogen), thus suggesting that glycogen inhibits the CP-91149-mediated activation of GS. Consistently, CP-91149 promoted glycogen resynthesis, but not its overaccumulation. Hence, treatment with CP-91149 impairs muscle glycogen breakdown, but enhances its recovery, which may be useful for the treatment of Type II (insulin-dependent) diabetes.

Amides↗

Changes-induced in liver and muscle glycogen and glycogen enzymes by 24-hour fasting in the rat.

Liver and muscle glycogen content, and the activities of glycogen synthetase, glycogen phosphorylase and alpha-amylase have been measured in fed and 24 hours fasted rats. Muscle and liver glycogen account for similar amounts of glycosyl residues liberated in this period of food deprivation. With fasting, liver glycogen synthetase activity decreases somewhat, increasing the I versus total ratio; the liver phosphorylase activity decreases considerably and amylases remain constant. In muscle, total synthetase remains constant with fasting, but the I versus total ratio decreases; phosphorylase activity decreases very considerably and alpha-amylase activity increases to almost thrice the values found in fed animals. These changes reflect a tendency towards conservation of glycogen primers with a preparation to increase glycogen synthesis when glucose would be available. In muscle also, the amylase increase in activity would be tentatively explained as a partial replacement of phosphorylase activity as a means of glucose mobilization from glycogen.

Amylases↗