A study has uncovered that liver metabolism is disrupted in people with obesity-related type 2 diabetes, which contributes to high blood sugar and muscle loss - also known as skeletal muscle atrophy.
Using human trials as well as mouse models, a collaborative research has found the liver metabolism of the amino acid alanine is altered in people with obesity-related type 2 diabetes. By selectively silencing enzymes that break down alanine in liver cells, high blood sugar and muscle loss can be reversed by the restoration of skeletal muscle protein synthesis, a critical determinant of muscle size and strength.
The research, published in Nature Metabolism, has shown the altered liver metabolism directly affects muscle size and strength and the mechanism behind this is driven by elevated levels of the hormones cortisol and glucagon which enhance the cycling of amino acids between liver and skeletal muscle, causing muscles to become smaller and weaker.
Along with metabolic dysfunction and related complications, an often overlooked co-morbidity of obesity is skeletal muscle atrophy, which causes frailty, and is related to reduced life-quality and death.
"The ageing-related diseases of skeletal muscle loss and type 2 diabetes are very prevalent and are a huge societal and economic burden. We have known for some time that the ageing-related diseases of skeletal muscle loss and type 2 diabetes were linked but we didn't know how," the senior author said.
The author adds: "Our studies demonstrate that the liver is a critical control point for muscle protein metabolism; a discovery that is quite surprising. We believe that our new findings highlight the need to examine the role of skeletal muscle atrophy in type 2 diabetes more closely in human clinical populations."
The study solidifies the long-known metabolic biochemistry staple, the glucose-alanine cycle, as a fundamental part of metabolism in health and disease.
https://www.eurekalert.org/pub_releases/2021-03/mu-ria031821.php
https://www.nature.com/articles/s42255-021-00369-9
http://sciencemission.com/site/index.php?page=news&type=view&id=publications%2Fan-endocrine-hepato&filter=22
Liver alanine catabolism promotes skeletal muscle atrophy and hyperglycaemia in type 2 diabetes
- 1,673 views
- Added
Edited
Latest News
A new brain circuit in mice…
By newseditor
Posted 08 May
Mechanism of choline entry…
By newseditor
Posted 07 May
Link between UTI and breast…
By newseditor
Posted 07 May
Sleep resets brain connections
By newseditor
Posted 07 May
Interplay of various enzyme…
By newseditor
Posted 07 May
Other Top Stories
Gut bacterium trains infant immune system
Read more
AI app could help diagnose HIV more accurately
Read more
SARS-CoV-2 envelope protein recognition of human cell junction prot…
Read more
COVID-19 dual-antibody therapies effective against variants in anim…
Read more
Dysregulation of brain and choroid plexus cell types in severe COVI…
Read more
Protocols
Single-cell adhesive profil…
By newseditor
Posted 07 May
Parasympathetic neurons der…
By newseditor
Posted 07 May
Non-invasive measurements o…
By newseditor
Posted 05 May
A validation strategy to as…
By newseditor
Posted 04 May
Generation of rat forebrain…
By newseditor
Posted 03 May
Publications
A body-brain circuit that r…
By newseditor
Posted 07 May
Host response during unreso…
By newseditor
Posted 07 May
Sleep pressure modulates si…
By newseditor
Posted 07 May
Reactive oxygen species pro…
By newseditor
Posted 07 May
Mannose controls mesoderm s…
By newseditor
Posted 07 May
Presentations
Hydrogels in Drug Delivery
By newseditor
Posted 12 Apr
Lipids
By newseditor
Posted 31 Dec
Cell biology of carbohydrat…
By newseditor
Posted 29 Nov
RNA interference (RNAi)
By newseditor
Posted 23 Oct
RNA structure and functions
By newseditor
Posted 19 Oct
Posters
A chemical biology/modular…
By newseditor
Posted 22 Aug
Single-molecule covalent ma…
By newseditor
Posted 04 Jul
ASCO-2020-HEALTH SERVICES R…
By newseditor
Posted 23 Mar
ASCO-2020-HEAD AND NECK CANCER
By newseditor
Posted 23 Mar
ASCO-2020-GENITOURINARY CAN…
By newseditor
Posted 23 Mar