EFFECTS OF NORADRENALINE AND FLOW ON LACTATE UPTAKE IN THE PERFUSED RAT HINDLIMB

Skeletal muscle can release or take up lactate depending on the lactat e concentration gradient across the cell membrane. In the perfused rat hindlimb without arterial lactate, both noradrenaline (NA) infusion a nd increased flow promote lactate release and oxygen consumption (Vo(2 )) However, it is unclear whether NA or increased flow rate have simil ar effects on lactate uptake. The present study compares these effects in the rat hindlimb perfused at a basal flow rate of 0.33 mL min(-1) g(-1) and 25 degrees C in the presence of added arterial lactate. When 10 mmol L-1 L-(+)-lactate was added to the arterial perfusate, lactat e was taken up (16 +/- 1.0 mu mol g(-1) h(-1), n = 13) by the hindlimb with a 35% higher Vo(2) than that without added lactate. Doubling per fusion flow rate enhanced lactate uptake and Vo(2) by 120% and 40%, re spectively. Glucose uptake was also increased (by 253%) with increased flow, infusion of NA increased perfusion pressure, Vo(2) and glucose uptake similarly to those induced by increased flow rate. However, lac tate uptake was inhibited by NA. This inhibition was not altered by th e beta-adrenergic antagonist propranolol. Vasopressin also showed simi lar effects to NA to decrease lactate uptake associated with increased Vo(2) and vasoconstriction. These data indicate that in the presence of a high arterial lactate concentration, NA has opposite effects from increased flow rate on skeletal muscle lactate uptake although both h ave similar effects on lactate release in the absence of arterial lact ate. Inhibition of lactate uptake may relate to the vasoconstrictive a ction of NA.