Amino acid metabolism, muscular fatigue and muscle wasting. Speculations on adaptations at high altitude.

Recent investigations from our and other laboratories indicate that glycogen is a carbon-chain precursor in muscle for the synthesis of TCA cycle intermediates and glutamine. During intense exercise and in conditions of a relative lack of energy (hypoxia, trauma, sepsis) the metabolism of branched-chain amino acids (BCAA) is accelerated in muscle. In the primary BCAA aminotransferase reaction 2-oxoglutarate is used as amino-group acceptor (putting a carbon-drain on the TCA cycle) under formation of glutamate. Glutamate will subsequently react with ammonia, generated in the AMP deaminase reaction or by deamination of amino acids, under formation of glutamine in a reaction catalysed by glutamine synthetase (glutamate + ammonia + ATP--> glutamine + ADP). Muscle glycogen stores may be smaller or less available at high altitude. It is hypothesized that this will lead to premature fatigue (due to both a lack of fuel and of TCA cycle carbon-precursor) and to a reduction in the synthesis rate of glutamine. A chronic reduction in the synthesis rate of glutamine during a long term stay at high altitude on its turn may lead to gut atrophy, bacterial translocation, endotoxemia, muscle protein catabolism and a weakened immune status.