SEPSIS MODIFIES THE CONTRIBUTION OF DIFFERENT ORGANS TO WHOLE-BODY PROTEIN-SYNTHESIS IN RATS

1. Protein synthesis rate was measured in the liver, muscle, intestine and whole body of septic rats and pair-fed controls by administration of a large dose of L-[(UC)-C-14]valine. Sepsis was induced by intrave nous injection of live bacteria, and protein synthesis measurements we re carried out 48 h later. 2. Septic rats exhibited a reduction in foo d intake to between 10 and 50% of the normal level on the 2 days after infection. Animals lost body weight and the relative organ weight was increased in liver, unchanged in intestine and decreased in skeletal muscle. 3. The fractional protein synthesis rate of the whole body exc luding liver was increased by 19% in septic rats in comparison with pa ir-fed controls, but the absolute protein synthesis rate was similar i n the two groups because of the low protein content of the infected gr oup. 4. The fractional protein synthesis was increased in whole intest ine and liver but was decreased in skeletal muscle. In muscle and live r, the difference between infected and pair-fed animals was more prono unced for the absolute than for the fractional protein synthesis rate. In intestine, the fractional protein synthesis rate was similarly inc reased in whole intestine and the muscular layer of ileum. This sugges ts different regulation of protein synthesis in skeletal and smooth mu scles. 5. The present investigation shows a complete redistribution of protein synthesis in sepsis. Liver represents about a third of the wh ole-body protein synthesis instead of 15% and becomes predominant over synthesis of muscle.