In the past years of support of this project we have demonstrated the effects of testosterone, cortisol, and insulin on skeletal muscle protein. We have demonstrated that the anabolic effects of testosterone in normal subjects is realized by an increase in muscle protein synthesis, whereas in adult burns, the primary effect is on the reduction of protein breakdown. We have also shown that hypercortisolemia, when combined with prolonged inactivity, exacerbates the loss of muscle nitrogen by accelerating protein breakdown. As the relationship of these two hormones is dramatically altered after burn injury, it is likely that this alteration affects skeletal muscle. Further, we have demonstrated that exogenous insulin increases net muscle protein synthesis in burn patients. We propose to build upon our recent findings in burn patients by altering testosterone and cortisol concentrations to delineate the resultant affects on muscle protein. We hypothesize that increasing the ratio of testosterone to cortisol will improve net protein balance in skeletal muscle. We propose that testosterone can potentially promote muscle anabolism by two different mechanisms in the adult bumpatient. If the glucocorticoid effects on muscle are not ameliorated, then testosterone acts primarily as an anti-catabolic agent by reducing the magnitude of protein breakdown. However, if the catabolic effects of cortisol are diminished, then testosterone will promote muscle anabolism by increasing protein synthesis. We further propose an additive effect between insulin and testosterone on protein synthesis, since each promotes synthesis via different mechanisms. The general goal of this proposal is to extend our previous observations to investigate the following hypotheses relating to the hormonal influence on skeletal muscle after burn injury: Hypothesis 1. Reduction of cortisol secretion will diminish muscle protein breakdown and improve net protein balance in skeletal muscle. Hypothesis 2. Normalization of testosterone with reduced cortisol will improve net protein balance in an additive manner. We propose this occurs by decreasing net protein breakdown and increasing net protein synthesis. Hypothesis 3. The anabolic effects of testosterone and local hyperinsulinemia will be additive in the burned patient. Hypothesis 4. The combined effects of hypercortisolemia and inactivity are the primary determinants of muscle catabolism after severe injury. All studies will be performed using stable isotope methodology and arterial-venous sampling across the leg with muscle biopsies. Hypotheses 1 and 3 will be investigated in adult and pediatric burn patients of both genders. Hypothesis 2 will be investigated in adult male burn patients. Hypothesis 4 will be investigated in healthy male and female adults during bed rest. The results of these studies will contribute to our understanding of hormonal regulation of skeletal muscle protein metabolism after severe injury. In addition, these studies will investigate the safety and efficacy of inexpensive agents in ameliorating muscle loss after burn injury.

Agency
National Institute of Health (NIH)
Institute
National Institute of General Medical Sciences (NIGMS)
Type
Research Project (R01)
Project #
2R01GM057295-04A1
Application #
6369334
Study Section
Surgery, Anesthesiology and Trauma Study Section (SAT)
Program Officer
Somers, Scott D
Project Start
1998-05-01
Project End
2005-06-30
Budget Start
2001-07-10
Budget End
2002-06-30
Support Year
4
Fiscal Year
2001
Total Cost
$217,238
Indirect Cost
Name
University of Texas Medical Br Galveston
Department
Surgery
Type
Schools of Medicine
DUNS #
041367053
City
Galveston
State
TX
Country
United States
Zip Code
77555
Tuvdendorj, Demidmaa; Chinkes, David L; Zhang, Xiao-Jun et al. (2011) Adult patients are more catabolic than children during acute phase after burn injury: a retrospective analysis on muscle protein kinetics. Intensive Care Med 37:1317-22
Tuvdendorj, Demidmaa; Chinkes, David L; Zhang, Xiao-Jun et al. (2011) Skeletal muscle is anabolically unresponsive to an amino acid infusion in pediatric burn patients 6 months postinjury. Ann Surg 253:592-7
Cree, Melanie G; Paddon-Jones, Douglas; Newcomer, Bradley R et al. (2010) Twenty-eight-day bed rest with hypercortisolemia induces peripheral insulin resistance and increases intramuscular triglycerides. Metabolism 59:703-10
Ferrando, Arny A; Wolfe, Robert R (2007) Restoration of hormonal action and muscle protein. Crit Care Med 35:S630-4
Uchakin, Peter N; Stowe, Raymond P; Paddon-Jones, Douglas et al. (2007) Cytokine secretion and latent herpes virus reactivation with 28 days of horizontal hypokinesia. Aviat Space Environ Med 78:608-12
Workeneh, Biruh T; Rondon-Berrios, Helbert; Zhang, Liping et al. (2006) Development of a diagnostic method for detecting increased muscle protein degradation in patients with catabolic conditions. J Am Soc Nephrol 17:3233-9
Paddon-Jones, Douglas; Sheffield-Moore, Melinda; Katsanos, Christos S et al. (2006) Differential stimulation of muscle protein synthesis in elderly humans following isocaloric ingestion of amino acids or whey protein. Exp Gerontol 41:215-9
Paddon-Jones, Douglas; Sheffield-Moore, Melinda; Cree, Melanie G et al. (2006) Atrophy and impaired muscle protein synthesis during prolonged inactivity and stress. J Clin Endocrinol Metab 91:4836-41
Paddon-Jones, Douglas; Wolfe, Robert R; Ferrando, Arny A (2005) Amino acid supplementation for reversing bed rest and steroid myopathies. J Nutr 135:1809S-1812S
Paddon-Jones, Douglas; Sheffield-Moore, Melinda; Urban, Randall J et al. (2005) The catabolic effects of prolonged inactivity and acute hypercortisolemia are offset by dietary supplementation. J Clin Endocrinol Metab 90:1453-9

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