Skip to main content
NCBI home page
Infection and Immunity logoLink to Infection and Immunity
. 1972 Mar;5(3):288–294. doi: 10.1128/iai.5.3.288-294.1972

Carbohydrate Metabolism and Survival of Endotoxin-Poisoned Mice Given Tryptophan

Robert J Moon 1
PMCID: PMC422363  PMID: 4564558

Abstract

Severe hypoglycemia and increased deaths were observed among two strains of endotoxin-poisoned mice within 3 to 6 hr after tryptophan injection. Sensitivity to tryptophan could be demonstrated in Rockland Farms mice by 4 hr after endotoxin and in Carworth Farms (CF-1) mice by 10 hr after endotoxin. If allopurinol was given to CF-1 mice concurrently with endotoxin, severe hypoglycemia and increased deaths were observed when tryptophan was given only 4 hr after the bacterial poison. Cyproheptadine, an antiserotonin drug, decreased the number of deaths as well as the depletion of blood glucose in both strains of endotoxin-poisoned mice given a delayed injection of tryptophan. In most instances, liver glycogen was depleted by 8 to 10 hr after endotoxin. Correlation of liver glycogen levels with sensitivity to tryptophan was not as consistent as the correlation between blood glucose levels and hyperreactivity to the amino acid. The data show that severe hypoglycemia is a significant factor which must be considered in resolving the basis for increased deaths among endotoxin-poisoned mice given tryptophan.

Full text

PDF
288

Selected References

These references are in PubMed. This may not be the complete list of references from this article.

  1. BERRY L. J., SMYTHE D. S., YOUNG L. G. Effects of bacterial endotoxin on metabolism. I. Carbohydrate depletion and the protective role of cortisone. J Exp Med. 1959 Sep 1;110:389–405. doi: 10.1084/jem.110.3.389. [DOI] [PMC free article] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  2. Becking G. C., Johnson W. J. The inhibition of tryptophan pyrrolase by allopurinol, an inhibitor of xanthine oxidase. Can J Biochem. 1967 Nov;45(11):1667–1672. doi: 10.1139/o67-197. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  3. Berry L. J., Smythe D. S., Colwell L. S. Inhibition of hepatic enzyme induction as a sensitive assay for endotoxin. J Bacteriol. 1968 Oct;96(4):1191–1199. doi: 10.1128/jb.96.4.1191-1199.1968. [DOI] [PMC free article] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  4. Chytil F. Activation of liver tryptophan oxygenase by adenosine 3',5'-phosphate and by other purine derivatives. J Biol Chem. 1968 Mar 10;243(5):893–899. [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  5. DIENGOTT D., MIRSKY I. A., PERISUTTI G. The hypoglycemic and insulinase inhibitory action of L-tryptophan. Endocrinology. 1956 Sep;59(3):369–379. doi: 10.1210/endo-59-3-369. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  6. FISHEL C. W., SZENTIVANYI A. THE ABSENCE OF ADRENALINE-INDUCED HYPERGLYCEMIA IN PERTUSSIS- SENSITIZED MICE AND ITS RELATION TO HISTAMINE AND SEROTONIN HYPERSENSITIVITY. J Allergy. 1963 Sep-Oct;34:439–454. doi: 10.1016/0021-8707(63)90009-1. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  7. Foster D. O., Ray P. D., Lardy H. A. A paradoxical in vivo effect of L-tryptophan on the phosphoenolpyruvate carboxykinase of rat liver. Biochemistry. 1966 Feb;5(2):563–569. doi: 10.1021/bi00866a023. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  8. JINKS R., MIRSKY I. A., PERISUTTI G. The hypoglycemic action of metabolic derivatives of L-tryptophan by mouth. Endocrinology. 1957 Feb;60(2):318–324. doi: 10.1210/endo-60-2-318. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  9. KEMP A., VAN HEIJNINGEN A. J. M. K. A colorimetric micro-method for the determination of glycogen in tissues. Biochem J. 1954 Apr;56(4):646–648. doi: 10.1042/bj0560646. [DOI] [PMC free article] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  10. LaNoue K. F., Mason A. D., Jr, Daniels J. P. The impairment of glucogenesis by gram negative infection. Metabolism. 1968 Jul;17(7):606–611. doi: 10.1016/0026-0495(68)90019-x. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  11. Moon R. J., Berry L. J. Effect of tryptophan and selected analogues on body temperatur of endotoxin-poisoned mice. J Bacteriol. 1968 Mar;95(3):764–770. doi: 10.1128/jb.95.3.764-770.1968. [DOI] [PMC free article] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  12. Moon R. J., Berry L. J. Role of tryptophan pyrrolase in endotoxin poisoning. J Bacteriol. 1968 Apr;95(4):1247–1253. doi: 10.1128/jb.95.4.1247-1253.1968. [DOI] [PMC free article] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  13. Moon R. J. Tryptophan oxygenase and tryptophan metabolism in endotoxin-poisoned and allopurinol-treated mice. Biochim Biophys Acta. 1971 Feb 23;230(2):342–348. doi: 10.1016/0304-4165(71)90221-2. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  14. SZENTIVANYI A., FISHEL C. W., TALMAGE D. W. ADRENALINE MEDIATION OF HISTAMINE AND SEROTONIN HYPERGLYCEMIA IN NORMAL MICE AND THE ABSENCE OF ADRENALINE-INDUCED HYPERGLYCEMIA IN PERTUSSIS-SENSITIZED MICE. J Infect Dis. 1963 Sep-Oct;113:86–98. doi: 10.1093/infdis/113.2.86. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  15. Shands J. W., Jr, Miller V., Martin H., Senterfitt V. Hypoglycemic activity of endotoxin. II. Mechanism of the phenomenon in BCG-infected mice. J Bacteriol. 1969 May;98(2):494–501. doi: 10.1128/jb.98.2.494-501.1969. [DOI] [PMC free article] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  16. Shands J. W., Jr, Miller V., Martin H. The hypoglycemic activity of endotoxin. I. Occurrence in animals hyperreactive to endotoxin. Proc Soc Exp Biol Med. 1969 Feb;130(2):413–417. doi: 10.3181/00379727-130-33568. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  17. Snyder I. S., Deters M., Ingle J. Effect of endotoxin on pyruvate kinase activity in mouse liver. Infect Immun. 1971 Aug;4(2):138–142. doi: 10.1128/iai.4.2.138-142.1971. [DOI] [PMC free article] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]

Articles from Infection and Immunity are provided here courtesy of American Society for Microbiology (ASM)

RESOURCES