The role of leucine and its metabolites in protein and energy metabolism

Yehui Duan; Fengna Li; Yinghui Li; Yulong Tang; Xiangfeng Kong; Zemeng Feng; Tracy G Anthony; Malcolm Watford; Yongqing Hou; Guoyao Wu; Yulong Yin

doi:10.1007/s00726-015-2067-1

Back

The role of leucine and its metabolites in protein and energy metabolism

Journal article

Peer reviewed

The role of leucine and its metabolites in protein and energy metabolism

Yehui Duan, Fengna Li, Yinghui Li, Yulong Tang, Xiangfeng Kong, Zemeng Feng, Tracy G Anthony, Malcolm Watford, Yongqing Hou, Guoyao Wu, …

Amino acids, Vol.48(1), pp.41-51

01/2016

DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s00726-015-2067-1

PMID: 26255285

Abstract

Leucine - metabolism

Protein Biosynthesis

Animals

Proteins - metabolism

Energy Metabolism

Humans

Muscle, Skeletal - metabolism

Leucine (Leu) is a nutritionally essential branched-chain amino acid (BCAA) in animal nutrition. It is usually one of the most abundant amino acids in high-quality protein foods. Leu increases protein synthesis through activation of the mammalian target of rapamycin (mTOR) signaling pathway in skeletal muscle, adipose tissue and placental cells. Leu promotes energy metabolism (glucose uptake, mitochondrial biogenesis, and fatty acid oxidation) to provide energy for protein synthesis, while inhibiting protein degradation. Approximately 80 % of Leu is normally used for protein synthesis, while the remainder is converted to α-ketoisocaproate (α-KIC) and β-hydroxy-β-methylbutyrate (HMB) in skeletal muscle. Therefore, it has been hypothesized that some of the functions of Leu are modulated by its metabolites. Both α-KIC and HMB have recently received considerable attention as nutritional supplements used to increase protein synthesis, inhibit protein degradation, and regulate energy homeostasis in a variety of in vitro and in vivo models. Leu and its metabolites hold great promise to enhance the growth and health of animals (including humans, birds and fish).

Metrics

17 Record Views

189 Times Cited - Web of Science

See more details

Details

Title: The role of leucine and its metabolites in protein and energy metabolism
Creators: Yehui Duan - University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, 100039, China
Fengna Li - Scientific Observing and Experimental Station of Animal Nutrition and Feed Science in South-Central, Ministry of Agriculture, Hunan Provincial Engineering Research Center of Healthy Livestock, Key Laboratory of Agro-ecological Processes in Subtropical Region, Institute of Subtropical Agriculture, Chinese Academy of Sciences, No. 644 Yuanda Road, Furong District, Changsha, 410125, Hunan, China. lifengna@isa.ac.cn
Yinghui Li - University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, 100039, China
Yulong Tang - Scientific Observing and Experimental Station of Animal Nutrition and Feed Science in South-Central, Ministry of Agriculture, Hunan Provincial Engineering Research Center of Healthy Livestock, Key Laboratory of Agro-ecological Processes in Subtropical Region, Institute of Subtropical Agriculture, Chinese Academy of Sciences, No. 644 Yuanda Road, Furong District, Changsha, 410125, Hunan, China
Xiangfeng Kong - Scientific Observing and Experimental Station of Animal Nutrition and Feed Science in South-Central, Ministry of Agriculture, Hunan Provincial Engineering Research Center of Healthy Livestock, Key Laboratory of Agro-ecological Processes in Subtropical Region, Institute of Subtropical Agriculture, Chinese Academy of Sciences, No. 644 Yuanda Road, Furong District, Changsha, 410125, Hunan, China
Zemeng Feng - Scientific Observing and Experimental Station of Animal Nutrition and Feed Science in South-Central, Ministry of Agriculture, Hunan Provincial Engineering Research Center of Healthy Livestock, Key Laboratory of Agro-ecological Processes in Subtropical Region, Institute of Subtropical Agriculture, Chinese Academy of Sciences, No. 644 Yuanda Road, Furong District, Changsha, 410125, Hunan, China
Tracy G Anthony - Department of Nutritional Sciences, Rutgers University, New Brunswick, NJ, 08901, USA
Malcolm Watford - Department of Nutritional Sciences, Rutgers University, New Brunswick, NJ, 08901, USA
Yongqing Hou - Hubei Collaborative Innovation Center for Animal Nutrition and Feed Safety, Wuhan Polytechnic University, Wuhan, 430023, Hunan, China
Guoyao Wu - Department of Animal Science, Texas A&M University, College Station, TX, 77843, USA
Yulong Yin - School of Biology, Hunan Normal University, Changsha, 410018, Hunan, China. yinyulong@isa.ac.cn
Publication Details: Amino acids, Vol.48(1), pp.41-51
Date published: 01/2016
Academic Unit: Nutritional Sciences (SEBS)
Language: English
Resource Type: Journal article
Identifiers: 991031654771404646