Local Effect of Burn Injury on Glucose and Amino Acid Metabolism by Skeletal Muscle

Abstract

Previous studies from our laboratory demonstrated that there is a difference in glucose. metabolism by skeletal muscles from the burned versus unburned regions of the body. To further investigate the effect of proximity to the burn wound on muscle metabolism, in vitro glucose uptake as well as lactic and amino acid releases by soleus muscle, were studied 3 days following a 3–second scald burn on one hind limb of the rat. No differences in glucose uptake or lactic and amino acid releases were observed between soleus from the unburned limb of burned rats and that of controls. In comparison to these two groups, soleus from the burned limb took up 125% more glucose (p < 0.001), and released 80% more lactic acid (p < 0.01), 229% more alanine (p < 0.001), 84% more glutamic acid (p < 0.01), and over 36% more glutamine (p < 0.05). The relatively enhanced release of lactic acid by soleus muscle from the burned limb was reduced but not eliminated by the omission of glucose from the medium. Simultaneously, the omission of glucose had no effect on the release of alanine, glutamic acid, and glutamine by the burned limb soleus. The data indicate that a mild thermal injury stimulates glucose utilization and enhances amino acid release by skeletal muscle from the burned region. Since such an effect is absent in muscle from the contralateral unburned region of the same animal, the changes are not likely to be mediated by systemic alterations in the metabolic and endocrine environment. The persistence of an enhanced amino acid release in the presence of varying glycolytic rates suggests that the burn-induced local alterations in amino acid metabolism by skeletal muscle are independent of coincident changes in glucose utilization.

Get full access to this article

View all access options for this article.

References

Wilmore DVV , Aulick LH , Mason AD et al: Influence of the burn wound on local and systemic responses to injury. Ann Surg 186:444–458, 1977.

Turinsky J , Patterson SA : Proximity to a burn wound as a new factor in considerations of post-burn insulin resistance. J Surg Res 26:171–174, 1979.

Turinsky J , Shangraw RE : Biphasic alterations in glucose metabolism by soleus muscle from the burned limb. Adv Shock Res 2:23–32, 1979.

Garber AJ , Karl IE , Kipnis DM : Alanine and glutamine synthesis and release from skeletal muscle. I. Glycolysis and amino acid release. J Biol Chem 251:826–835, 1976.

Odessey R , Khairallah EA , Goldberg AL : Origin and possible significance of alanine production by skeletal muscle. J Biol Chem 249: 7623–7629, 1974.

Goldberg AL , Chang T\V : Regulation and significance of amino acid metabolism in skeletal muscle. Fed Proc 37:2301–2307, 1978.

Henry RJ : Clinical Chemistry–Principles and Techniques. New York, Harper & Row, 1968., p. 664.

Bernt E , Bergmeyer HV : L-glutamate. UV assay with glutamate dehydrogenase and NAD. IN Bergmeyer HV (ed): Methods of Enzymatic Analysis, Vol. 4, New York, Academic Press, 1974., p. 1704.

Chaudry IH , Gould MK : Kinetics of glucose uptake in isolated soleus muscle. Biochim Biophys Acta 177:527–536, 1969.

10.

Gump FE , Butler H , Kinney JM : Oxygen transport and consumption during acute hemodUution. Ann Surg 168:54–60, 1968.

11.

Heughan G , Niinikoski J , Hunt TK : Effect of excessive infusion of saline solution on tissue oxygen transport. Surg Gyn Obst 135:257–260, 1972.

12.

Silver IA : The role of oxygen in some aspects of tissue repair. IN Kessler M , Bruley DF , Clark LC , Lubbers DW , Silver IA , Strass J (eds): Oxygen Supply. Baltimore, University Park Press, 1973., p. 294.

13.

Garber AJ , Karl IE , Kipnis DM : Alanine and glutamine synthesis and release from skeletal muscle. II. The precursor role of amino acids in alanine and glutamine synthesis. J Biol Chem 251:836–843, 1976.

14.

Goldberg AL : Protein turnover in skeletal muscle. II. Effects of denervation and cortisone on protein catabolism in skeletal muscle. J Biol Chem 244:3223–3229, 1969.

15.

Clausen T : Metabolic effects on muscular tissue. IN Hasselblatt A , v. Bruchhausen F (eds): Insulin II. Handbook of Experimental Pharmacology, Vol. 32, Part 2, New York, Springer-Verlag, 1975., p. 352.