The American journal of physiology
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Assessment of cardiac protein metabolism in thyroxine-induced left ventricular hypertrophy requires measurements of both protein synthesis and degradation. In vivo protein degradative rates can best be measured as the difference between rates of protein synthesis and growth. Accordingly, rates of left ventricular protein accumulation were determined in growing rabbits, and in animals administered intravenous L-thyroxine (200 micrograms X kg-1 X day-1) for up to 15 days. ⋯ Thyroxine administration produced left ventricular hypertrophy by increasing the rate of total protein synthesis (35.7 +/- 2.0, 71.0 +/- 7.0, and 62.6 +/- 4.0 mg of left ventricular protein synthesized per day for 0-, 3-, and 9-day, thyroxine-treated rabbits, respectively). However, the increased rate of total protein synthesis was greater than the measured rate of total protein accumulation (8.1 vs. 15.9 mg protein/day for euthyroid and thyroxine-treated animals), indicating that left ventricular protein degradative rates were increased as well. These studies indicate that accelerated proteolysis may be important in the molecular and architectural remodeling of the rapidly hypertrophying heart during thyrotoxicosis.
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This study examined the effects of extracellular alkalosis on the metabolism and performance of perfused rat hindlimb muscles during electrical stimulation. Three acid-base conditions were used: control (C, normal acid-base state), metabolic alkalosis (MALK, increased bicarbonate concentration), and respiratory alkalosis (RALK, decreased PCO2). A one-pass system was used to perfuse the hindlimb via the femoral artery for 20 min at rest and during 5 min of tetanic stimulation via the sciatic nerve. ⋯ However, alkalosis resulted in an enhanced La- release from working muscle (peak La- release: C, 15.5 +/- 1.1; MALK, 19.7 +/- 1.6; RALK, 18.3 +/- 2.2 mumol/min), and a 15-20% reduction in intramuscular La- accumulation. Alkalosis had no effect on muscle creatine phosphate and ATP concentrations. Thus, in the perfused rat hindlimb, alkalosis was not associated with changes in tetanic force or glycolysis, but La- release from the working muscle was enhanced by increased extracellular pH and bicarbonate.