Enzymes of glutamine metabolism in inflammation associated with skeletal muscle hypertrophy.

Glutamine synthesis and utilization were studied in the plantaris muscle after removal of its functional synergists, the soleus and gastrocnemius muscles. Rat plantaris muscle was compared with unoperated controls at 7, 14, and 30 days after synergist ablation and induction of hypertrophy. Glutamine synthetase activity increased from 6.17 +/- 1.77 to 33.92 +/- 2.23 nmol.h-1.mg protein-1, and glutaminase activities increased from 98.63 +/- 23.05 to 478.70 +/- 64.17 nmol.h-1.mg protein-1 7 days after surgery and remained elevated at 14 and 30 days. Sham-operated controls examined 7 days after surgery did not exhibit significantly increased glutamine synthetase activity. Histological examination revealed a large proliferation of connective tissue cells, as well as cells involved in tissue repair and inflammation; this influx was maximal 1 wk after surgery. The activity of the oxidative enzymes of the pentose phosphate pathway increased from 3.08 +/- 4.31 to 20.86 +/- 1.13 nmol.min-1.mg protein-1 1 wk after surgery. The time course of changes in pentose phosphate pathway enzymes was similar to that of the increases in glutamine synthetase, glutaminase, and cellular infiltration. Increases in muscle wet weight followed a different time course than changes in glutamine synthetase, glutaminase, and pentose phosphate pathway activities. It is concluded that the initial increases in plantaris muscle weight are probably due to edema, connective tissue proliferation, and cells involved in tissue repair and inflammation. The increase in glutamine synthetase activity appears to occur in skeletal muscle, whereas the changes in glutaminase and pentose phosphate pathway activities appear to represent infiltrating inflammatory cells. Furthermore, the increase in glutamine synthetase activity may serve to support the infiltrating cells, which appear to lack substantial capacity for glutamine production. These results represent a functional relationship between skeletal muscle glutamine synthesis and utilization by cells mediating inflammation and connective tissue repair and synthesis.