Skip to main content
SpringerLink
Log in

Role of the rat liver in the disposal of a glucose gavage

  • Published:
Molecular and Cellular Biochemistry Aims and scope Submit manuscript

Abstract

An oral gavage of either 3, 1 or 0.1 mmoles of glucose was given to rats under standard feeding conditions or food deprived for 24 hr. The blood flow of the portal and suprahepatic veins as well as the hepatic balances for glucose, lactate, alanine and pyruvate were estimated.

In fed rats, after the administration of an oral 3 mmoles load, the liver actually released 310 µmoles of glucose and 90 of lactate, amounts that could be accounted for by the uptake of alanine (148 µmoles) and small loss of glycogen (275 µmoles of glycosyl residues). In starved rats, however, the liver took a very high proportion (c. 71%) of the glucose absorbed, both as glucose (780 µmoles), lactate and pyruvate (892 µmoles) or alanine (134 µmoles). The synthesis of glycogen was considerably limited, accounting for only 205 µmoles, and leaving practically one mmol of glucose equivalent energy available for liver function and the synthesis of other compounds. Practically all glycogen was synthesized directly from glucose, since the synthesis from 3 C carriers was less than a 5%. Smaller gavages (1 or 0.1 mmoles) resulted in a much lower liver uptake activity.

The strikingly different activity of the liver with respect to the available glucose and 3 C fragments could not be explained alone by the circulating levels of these compounds, suggesting a very deep influence of the intestine in hepatic function. The liver plays a very passive role in fed animals, with a very small involvement in the disposal of a glucose load, whereas it takes on an important role when the overall availability of energy is diminished.

This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.

Access this article

Log in via an institution

Price excludes VAT (USA)
Tax calculation will be finalised during checkout.

Instant access to the full article PDF.

Institutional subscriptions

Similar content being viewed by others

References

  1. Exton JH: Gluconeogenesis. Metabolism 21: 197–207, 1972

    Google Scholar 

  2. Felig P: The glucose-alanice cycle. Metabolism 22: 179–207, 1973

    Google Scholar 

  3. Hers HG: The control of glycogen metabolism in the liver. Annu Rev Biochem 45: 167–189, 1976

    Google Scholar 

  4. Miller TB, Larner J: Mechanism of control of hepatic glycogenesis by insulin. J Biol Chem 248: 3483–3488, 1978

    Google Scholar 

  5. Smadja C, Morin J, Ferré P, Girard J: Metabolic fate of a gastric glucose load in unrestrained rats bearing a portal vein catheter. Am J Physiol 254: E407-E413, 1988

    Google Scholar 

  6. Madison LL: Role of insulin in the hepatic handling of glucose. Arch Intern Med 123: 284–292, 1969

    Google Scholar 

  7. Felig P, Wahren J, Hendler R: Influence of oral glucose ingestion on splanchnic glucose and gluconeogenic substrate metabolism in man. Diabetes 24: 468–475, 1975

    Google Scholar 

  8. Newgard CB, Hirsch LJ, Foster DW, McGarry JD: Studies on the mechanism by which exogenous glucose is converted into liver glycogen in the rat. J Biol Chem 258: 8046–8052, 1983

    Google Scholar 

  9. Abumrad NN, Cherrington AD, Williams PE, Lacy WW, Rabin D: Absorption and disposition of a glucose load in the conscious dog. Am J Physiol 242: E398-E406, 1982

    Google Scholar 

  10. Ferrannini E, Bjorkman O, Reichard GA, Pilo A, Olsson M, Wahren J, DeFronzo RA: The disposal of an oral glucose load in healthy subjects. A quantitative study Diabetes 34: 580–588, 1985

    Google Scholar 

  11. Elia M, Folmer P, Schlatmann A, Goren A, Austin S: Carbohydrate fat and protein metabolism in muscle and in the whole body after mixed meal ingestion. Metabolism 37: 542–551, 1988

    Google Scholar 

  12. Kelley D, Mitrakou A, Marsh H, Schwenk F, Berm J, Sonnenberg G, Arcangeli M, Aoki T, Sorensen J, Berger M, Sonksen P, Gerich J: Skeletal muscle glycolysis oxidation and storage of an oral glucose load. J Clin Invest 81: 1563–1571, 1988

    Google Scholar 

  13. Rémesy C, Demigné C: Changes in availability of gluconeogenic and ketogenic substrates and liver metabolism in fed or starved rats. Ann Nutr Metab 27: 57–70, 1983

    Google Scholar 

  14. Casado J, Pastor-Anglada M, Remesar X: Hepatic uptake of amino acids at mid-lactation in the rat. Biochem J 245: 297–300, 1987

    Google Scholar 

  15. Pilkis SJ, El-Maghrabi MR, Claus TH: Hormonal regulation of hepatic gluconeogenesis and glycolysis. Annu Rev Biochem 57: 755–783, 1988

    Google Scholar 

  16. Katz J, McGarry JD: The glucose paradox: Is glucose a substrate for liver metabolism? J Clin Invest 74: 1901–1909, 1984

    Google Scholar 

  17. Katz J, Kuwajima M, Foster DW, McGarry JD: The glucose paradox: new perspectives on hepatic carbohydrate metabolism. Trends Biochem Sci 11: 136–140, 1986

    Google Scholar 

  18. Hers HG: The conversion of fructose-1-14C and sorbitol-1-14C to liver and muscle glycogen in the rat. J Biol Chem 214: 373–381, 1955

    Google Scholar 

  19. Huang MT, Veech RL: Role of the direct and indirect pathways for glycogen synthesis in rat liver in the postprandial state. J Clin Invest 81: 872–878, 1988

    Google Scholar 

  20. Watford M: What is the metabolic fate of dietary glucose? Trends Biochem Sci 13: 329–330, 1988

    Google Scholar 

  21. Jungermann K, Katz N: Functional hepatocelular heterogeneity. Hepatology 2: 385–395, 1982

    Google Scholar 

  22. Pilkis SJ, Regen DM, Claus TH, Cherrington AD: Role of hepatic glycolysis and gluconeogenesis in glycogen synthesis. Bio Essays 2: 273–276, 1985

    Google Scholar 

  23. Soley M, Chieri R, Llobera M, Herrera E: Glucose infused through the portal vein enhance liver gluconeogenesis and glyogenesis from (3-14C)pyruvate in the starved rat. Int J Biochem 17: 685–688, 1985

    Google Scholar 

  24. Kuwajima M, Golden S, Katz J, Unger RH, Foster DW, McGarry JD: Active hepatic glycogen synthesis from gluconeogenic precursors despite high tissue levels of fructose 26-bisphosphate. J Biol Chem 261: 2632–2637, 1986a

    Google Scholar 

  25. Kuwajima M, Newgard CB, Foster DW, McGarry JD: The glucose-phosphorylating capacity of liver as measured by three independent assays. J Biol Chem 261: 8849–8853, 1986

    Google Scholar 

  26. Ballé C, Bevers U, Engelhardt R, Jungerman K: Intracellular mechanism of action of sympathetic hepatic nerves on glucose and lactate balance in perfused rat liver. Fur J Biochem 170: 193–199, 1987

    Google Scholar 

  27. Katz J, Golden S, Wals PA: Glycogen synthesis by rat hepatocytes. Biochem J 180: 389–402, 1979

    Google Scholar 

  28. Boyd ME, Albright EB, Foster DW, McGarry JD: In vitro reversal of the fasting state of liver metabolism in the rat. Reevaluation of the roles of insulin and glucose. J Clin Invest 68: 142–152, 1981

    Google Scholar 

  29. Lang CH, Bagby GJ, Blakesley HL, Johnson JL, Spitzer JJ: Plasma glucose concentration determines direct versus indirect liver glycogen synthesis. Am J Physiol 251: E584-E590, 1986

    Google Scholar 

  30. Moeri R, Golay A, Schutz Y, Temler E, Jéquier E, Felber JP: Oxidative and nonoxidative glucose metabolism following graded doses of oral glucose in man. Diabete Metab 14: 1–7, 1988

    Google Scholar 

  31. Fernández-López JA, Casado J, Argilés JM, Alemany M: Intestinal handling of a glucose gavage by the rat. Mol Cell Biochem 113; 43–53, 1992

    Google Scholar 

  32. Katz ML, Bergman EN: Simultaneous measurement of hepatic and portal venous flow in the sheep and dog. Am J Physiol 216: 946–952, 1969

    Google Scholar 

  33. Golden S, Chenoweth M, Dunn A, Okajima F, Katz J: Metabolism of tritium- and 14-labelled alanine in rats. Am J Physiol 241: E121-E128, 1981

    Google Scholar 

  34. Good CA, Kramer H, Somogyi M: The determination of glycogen. J Biol Chem 100: 485–494, 1933

    Google Scholar 

  35. Windmueller HG, Spaeth AE: Respiratory fuels and nitrogen metabolism in vivo in small intestine of fed rats. Quantitative importance of glutamine glutamate and aspartate. J Biol Chem 255: 107–112, 1980

    Google Scholar 

  36. Rich-Denson C, Kimura RE: Evidence in vivo that most of the intraluminally absorbed glucose is absorbed intact into the portal vein and not metabolized to lactate. Biochem J 254: 931–934, 1988

    Google Scholar 

  37. Seglén PO: Autorregulation of glycoglysis respiration gluconeogenesis and glycogen synthesis in isolated parenchymal rat liver cells under aerobic and anaerobic conditions. Biochem Biophys Acta 338: 317–336, 1974

    Google Scholar 

  38. Niewoehner CB, Nuttall FO: Disposition of a glucose load in fed rats and rats adapted to a high carbohydrate diet. Am J Physiol 256: E811-E817, 1989

    Google Scholar 

  39. Cori CF, Cori GT: Carbohydrate metabolism. Annu Rev Biochem 10: 151–180, 1941

    Google Scholar 

  40. Mallette LE, Exton JH, Park CR: Effects of glucagon on amino acid transport and utilization in the perfused rat liver. J Biol Chem 244: 5713–5723, 1969

    Google Scholar 

  41. Cahill GF, Herrera MG, Morgan AP, Soeldner J, Steinke J, Levy PL, Reichard GA, Kipnis DM: Hormone-fuel interrelationships during fasting. J Clin Invest 45: 1751–1769, 1966

    Google Scholar 

  42. Issad T, Pénicaud L, Ferré P, Kande J, Baudon MA, Girard J: Effects of fasting on tissue glucose utilization in conscious resting rats Major glucose-sparing effect in working muscles. Biochem J 246: 241–244, 1987

    Google Scholar 

  43. Langhans W, Geary N, Scharrer E: Liver glycogen contents decreases during meals in rats. Am J Physiol 243: R450-R453, 1982

    Google Scholar 

  44. Scofield RF, Kosugi K, Schumann WC, Kumaran K, Landau BR: Quantitative estimation of the pathways followed in the conversion to glycogen of glucose administered to the fasted rat. J Biol Chem 260: 8777–8782, 1985

    Google Scholar 

  45. Casado J, Remesar X, Pastor-Anglada M: Hepatic uptake of gluconeogenic substrates in late-pregnant and mid-lactating rats. Biosci Rep 7: 587–592, 1987

    Google Scholar 

  46. McGarry JD, Kuwajima M, Newgard CB, Foster DW, Katz J: From dietary glucose to liver glycogen: the full circle round. Annu Rev Nutr 7: 51–73, 1987

    Google Scholar 

  47. Pallardo FV, Williamson DH: Comparison of the flux of carbon to hepatic glycogen deposition and fatty acid and cholesterol synthesis on refeeding rats fed ad libitum or meal-fed rats with a chow-diet meal. Biochem J 257: 607–610, 1989

    Google Scholar 

  48. Niewoehner CB, Nuttall FQ: Relationship of hepatic glucose uptake to intrahepatic glucose concentration in fasted rats after glucose load. Diabetes 37: 1559–1566, 1988

    Google Scholar 

  49. Janssens P, Hems R, Ross B: The metabolic fate of lactate in renal cortical tubules. Biochem J 190: 27–37, 1980

    Google Scholar 

Download references

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Departament de Bioquímica i Fisiologia, Universitat de Barcelona, Barcelona, Spain

    J. Casado, J. A. Fernández-López, M. J. Argilés & M. Alemany

Authors
  1. J. Casado
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  2. J. A. Fernández-López
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  3. M. J. Argilés
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  4. M. Alemany
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

About this article

Cite this article

Casado, J., Fernández-López, J.A., Argilés, M.J. et al. Role of the rat liver in the disposal of a glucose gavage. Mol Cell Biochem 113, 33–41 (1992). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00230883

Download citation

  • Received:

  • Accepted:

  • Issue Date:

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00230883

Key words

Search

Navigation