Influence of leupeptin on protein and amino-acid metabolism in septic rats

We investigated the influence of leupeptin (LP) intraperitoneal injection (40 mumol/2 days) on protein and amino-acid metabolism of septic rats (cecal ligation). All septic rats lost weight (-17 +/- 4 g), which was not prevented by LP administration (-24 +/- 1.8 g, n.s.). LP injection evoked weight loss even in normal rats (p less than 0.05 vs controls). Weight loss was accompanied by enhanced urinary nitrogen losses in all three groups. LP reduced food intake for 47% in control rats. Cecal ligation, and also the administration of LP, led to alterations of amino-acid metabolism. The most important changes were found in muscle free amino-acid concentrations with highly decreased levels of free glutamine. A glutamine deficiency is known to be related to a decreased rate of protein synthesis. The proteolytic rate in incubated soleus muscle was increased for 11.5% and even higher in LP-treated septic rats (+22%). It is concluded that the administration of LP cannot reverse protein catabolism in sepsis--possibly because LP does not influence those enzymes or proteases involved in tissue loss, or LP is inactivated by enzymes in rat tissues.