AJP - Endocrinology and Metabolism, Vol 268, Issue 1 E55-E59, Copyright © 1995 by American Physiological Society

ARTICLES

Effects of epinephrine on human muscle glucose and protein metabolism

D. A. Fryburg, R. A. Gelfand, L. A. Jahn, D. Oliveras, R. S. Sherwin, L. Sacca and E. J. Barrett
Department of Internal Medicine, University of Virginia Health Science Center, Charlottesville 22908.

Systemic epinephrine infusion causes hypoaminoacidemia and inhibits whole body leucine flux (proteolysis) in humans. Its specific action on muscle protein is not known and is difficult to assess during systemic epinephrine infusions, which affect plasma insulin, amino acid, and free fatty acid concentrations. During a steady-state infusion of L-[ring-2,6-3H]phenylalanine, we examined the effect of locally infused epinephrine on the metabolism of protein and glucose in forearm muscle of 10 healthy human volunteers. During local epinephrine infusion, systemic concentrations of glucose, phenylalanine, insulin, and epinephrine were unchanged and lactate declined (P < 0.02). Compared with baseline, epinephrine induced significant increases in forearm blood flow (P < 0.01) and net lactate release (P < 0.001) and a decrease in glucose uptake (P < 0.01) at both 2 and 4 h. At 2 and 4 h phenylalanine release from muscle proteolysis was suppressed (P < 0.01), and at 4 h the net phenylalanine balance was less negative than baseline (P < 0.02), indicating an anticatabolic effect on muscle protein. We conclude that in human forearm muscle epinephrine, at physiological concentrations, has a catabolic effect on muscle glycogen but an anticatabolic action on muscle protein. The mechanism of this latter effect is not known.

This article has been cited by other articles:

				R. Krogh-Madsen, K. Moller, F. Dela, G. Kronborg, S. Jauffred, and B. K. Pedersen Effect of hyperglycemia and hyperinsulinemia on the response of IL-6, TNF-{alpha}, and FFAs to low-dose endotoxemia in humans Am J Physiol Endocrinol Metab, May 1, 2004; 286(5): E766 - E772. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]

				W. Long, E. J. Barrett, L. Wei, and Z. Liu Adrenalectomy enhances the insulin sensitivity of muscle protein synthesis Am J Physiol Endocrinol Metab, January 1, 2003; 284(1): E102 - E109. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]

				M. Coggins, J. Lindner, S. Rattigan, L. Jahn, E. Fasy, S. Kaul, and E. Barrett Physiologic Hyperinsulinemia Enhances Human Skeletal Muscle Perfusion by Capillary Recruitment Diabetes, December 1, 2001; 50(12): 2682 - 2690. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]

				L. C. C. Navegantes, N. M. Z. Resano, R. H. Migliorini, and I. C. Kettelhut Catecholamines inhibit Ca2+-dependent proteolysis in rat skeletal muscle through {beta}2-adrenoceptors and cAMP Am J Physiol Endocrinol Metab, September 1, 2001; 281(3): E449 - E454. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]

				J. M. Bassett and C. Hanson Prevention of hypoinsulinemia modifies catecholamine effects in fetal sheep Am J Physiol Regulatory Integrative Comp Physiol, May 1, 2000; 278(5): R1171 - R1181. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]

				Skeletal Muscle Dysfunction in Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease . A Statement of the American Thoracic Society and European Respiratory Society Am. J. Respir. Crit. Care Med., April 1, 1999; 159(4): S2 - 40. [Full Text] [PDF]

				M. A. Febbraio, D. L. Lambert, R. L. Starkie, J. Proietto, and M. Hargreaves Effect of epinephrine on muscle glycogenolysis during exercise in trained men J Appl Physiol, February 1, 1998; 84(2): 465 - 470. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]

				D. Laurent, K. F. Petersen, R. R. Russell, G. W. Cline, and G. I. Shulman Effect of epinephrine on muscle glycogenolysis and insulin-stimulated muscle glycogen synthesis in humans Am J Physiol Endocrinol Metab, January 1, 1998; 274(1): E130 - E138. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]

				O. P. McGuinness, V. Shau, E. M. Benson, M. Lewis, R. T. Snowden, J. E. Greene, D. W. Neal, and A. D. Cherrington Role of epinephrine and norepinephrine in the metabolic response to stress hormone infusion in the conscious dog Am J Physiol Endocrinol Metab, October 1, 1997; 273(4): E674 - E681. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]