Effect of exercise intensity and starvation on activation of branched-chain keto acid dehydrogenase by exercise

Branched-chain keto acid (BCKA) dehydrogenase activity was examined in rat skeletal muscle as a function of exercise intensity and nutritional status. The activity of BCKA dehydrogenase increased with increasing exercise intensity, showing increases over resting values of 76, 172, and 245% at 10, 20, and 30 m X min-1. The exercise-induced increase in BCKA dehydrogenase activity was the same in the gastrocnemius and in the quadriceps muscles. Rapid removal of the muscle after death is essential because the activity of BCKA dehydrogenase decreased rapidly after death. Thus the likely reasons Wagenmakers et al. (Biochem. J. 223: 815-821, 1984) found exercise caused a much smaller increase in BCKA dehydrogenase activity than Kasperek et al. [Am. J. Physiol. 248 (Regulatory Integrative Comp. Physiol. 17): R166-R171, 1985] are differences in muscle removal time and the duration of exercise. Starvation for 24 h before exercise increased the exercise-induced activation of BCKA dehydrogenase by 160%, which suggests that the increased BCKA dehydrogenase activity is in response to an increased requirement for citric acid cycle intermediates.