Abstract
Children with chronic renal disease have decreased growth and diminished muscle mass suggesting that altered protein metabolism occurs in these children. We studied the effect of moderate, stable uremia in young, growing rats made uremic by 5/6 nephrectomy. Two weeks postop the uremic animals weighed less than the sham-operated controls (191 vs. 251 g) and plasma urea nitrogen levels were elevated (57.4 vs. 16.1 mg/dl). Muscle composition, as reflected in protein, water, total RNA and ATP content was unaltered when measured per gram wet weight. While total RNA concentration was unchanged in uremia, sucrose density centrifugation revealed an increase in the percentage of RNA sedimenting as 60s + 40s ribosomal subunits, suggesting a relative block in peptide chain initiation. Subunit levels were approximately 30% higher both in the post-fed state and after a 48 hour fast. 3-methylhistidine production, a measure of myofibrillar protein breakdown was no different under normal feeding conditions but was significantly elevated after 48 hours of fasting. Taken together, these findings suggest that the decreased anabolism seen in uremia may be related to increased polysome disaggregation and consequent decreased “efficiency” of muscle protein synthesis. Protein degradation may be effected as well after the imposition of additional metabolic stress (PHS grant AM 24061 and MDA).
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Wassner, S., Li, J. & Schlitzer, J. EVIDENCE SUGGESTING ABNORMAL MUSCLE PROTEIN SYNTHESIS AND DEGRADATION IN UREMIA. Pediatr Res 14, 1004 (1980). https://doi.org/10.1203/00006450-198008000-00187
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1203/00006450-198008000-00187