Daily changes in parameters of energy metabolism in brain of rainbow trout: dependence on feeding.

We assessed the daily patterns of parameters involved in energy metabolism in plasma and brain of rainbow trout. Where daily rhythms were found, we analyzed the potential influence of feeding. Immature rainbow trout were randomly distributed in 3 groups: fish fed for 7 days, fish fasted for 7 days, and fish fasted for 7 days and refed for 4 days. On sampling day, fish of fed and refed groups were fed at 11.00 h, and all fish were sampled from each treatment group using the following time schedule: 14.00, 18.00, 21.00, 00.00, 04.00, 07.00, 10.00 and 14.00 h. The results obtained from metabolic parameters assessed in plasma and brain can be grouped into three different categories, such as (i) those displaying no 24 h changes in fed fish such as plasma lactate, protein or acetoacetate levels, as well as brain amino acid and protein levels, and lowKm(glucose) hexokinase, and aspartate aminotransferase activities, (ii) those displaying 24 h changes that were apparently dependent on feeding since they disappeared in fasted fish such as the case of plasma cortisol, glucose and triglyceride levels, as well as brain glycogen, glucose, and lactate levels, and pyruvate kinase and hexokinase IV activities, and (iii) those parameters displaying 24 h changes apparently not dependent on feeding such as plasma amino acids, brain acetoacetate levels as well as several enzyme activities measured in brain such as glucose 6-phosphate dehydrogenase, alpha-glycerophosphate dehydrogenase, glutamate dehydrogenase, and lactate dehydrogenase-oxidase. In general, 24 h changes dependent on feeding indicate an increased use of glucose in brain several hours post-feeding whereas those changes not dependent on feeding were characterized by reduced levels/activity at the night period suggesting a metabolic depression in brain during darkness.