Glycylglutamine: metabolism and effects on organ balances of amino acids in postabsorptive and starved subjects

Abstract

The present study was designed to investigate the metabolism of glycylglutamine and its effects on organ balances of amino acids during intravenous infusion of this dipeptide (100 mumol.h-1.kg-1) in postabsorptive and briefly starved (84-86 h) human subjects. Arterial concentrations of glycylglutamine were not significantly different in postabsorptive (265 +/- 18 microM) and starved (241 +/- 13 microM) subjects. Among the organs examined, kidney predominated in clearance of glycylglutamine from plasma. Moreover, renal clearance of glycylglutamine was reduced by starvation (87 +/- 7 vs. 52 +/- 5 mumol/min, P less than 0.01), whereas neither splanchnic nor muscle clearance was significantly affected. Infusion of glycylglutamine raised plasma concentrations of glycine and glutamine by increasing renal release of these amino acids. In postabsorptive subjects the infusion significantly increased splanchnic balances of glycine and glutamine with little or no effect on the muscle balances; the opposite was found in starved subjects. As far as other amino acids are concerned, the infusion decreased the muscle release of alanine and increased renal release of serine. We conclude that the amino acid residues of glycylglutamine are largely metabolized by the splanchnic organs in postabsorptive subjects and by peripheral organs in starved subjects. The latter results in selective inhibition of muscle release of amino acids.