PROTEIN-SYNTHESIS RATES OF SKELETAL-MUSCLE, LYMPHOCYTES, AND ALBUMIN WITH STRESS HORMONE INFUSION IN HEALTHY MAN

The rate of protein synthesis was assessed in muscle, lymphocytes, and albumin in healthy volunteers administered an infusion of 6.0 mu g co rtisol +3.0 ng glucagon +0.5 nmol epinephrine min(-1). kg(-1). Protein synthesis in muscle tissue was not sensitive to the immediate effects of hormone infusion, but decreased significantly by 18 hours after th e infusion had ceased (1.77% +/- 0.12% per day v 1.29% +/- 0.10%, P <. 05). The rate of protein synthesis in lymphocytes was acutely sensitiv e to the effect of the hormone infusion, decreasing from 7.15% +/- 1.0 2% per day to 2.47% +/- 0.5% (P <.05). However, measurements made 18 h ours after the end of the hormone infusion indicated that lymphocyte p rotein synthesis returned to the preinfusion rates. The rate of albumi n synthesis was unaltered during infusion of the stress hormones, but was significantly increased when measured 18 hours after ending the ho rmone infusion (6.84% +/- 0.43% per day v 7.99% +/- 0.45%, P <.05). Th us, tissues respond differently to stress hormone infusion, demonstrat ing the importance of studying multiple organ systems when assessing t he regulation of protein metabolism. Copyright (C) 1996 by W.B. Saunde rs Company