Hepatic fructose-1,6-diphosphatase deficiency. A cause of lactic acidosis and hypoglycemia in infancy

An 8-month-old female, maintained on breast feeding for 6 months, experienced numerous attacks of hyperventilation when weaned to baby food and was admitted with severe lactic acidosis (20 mM) and hypoglycemia. Physical examination was negative except for hepatomegaly. Fasting (18 hr) after stabilization on a high carbohydrate diet resulted in hypoglycemia (plasma glucose 40 mg/100 ml), lactic acidosis (6-10 mM), and a rise in plasma alanine. Glucagon produced a glycemic response after 6 hr, but not after 18 hr fasting. Intravenous galactose increased plasma glucose (Delta 45 mg/100 ml) but intravenous fructose, glycerol, and alanine caused a 40-50% fall in plasma glucose and a significant rise in lactate (Delta 3-4 mM). Liver biopsy showed fatty infiltration. Liver slices incubated with galactose, lactate, fructose, alanine, or glycerol converted only galactose to glucose. Hepatic glycolytic intermediates were increased below the level of fructose-1,6-diphosphate and decreased above. Hepatic phosphorylase, glucose-6-phosphatase, amylo-1,6-glucosidase, phosphofructokinase, fructose-1-phosphate aldolase, and fructose-1,6-diphosphate aldolase levels were normal, but no fructose-1,6-diphosphatase (FDPase) activity was detected. Further studies on the liver homogenate of this patient revealed the presence of an acid-precipitable activator of FDPase. Normal plasma glucose and lactate levels were maintained on an 800 cal diet of 66% carbohydrate (sucrose and fructose excluded). 5% protein, and 20% fat. When carbohydrate was reduced to 35% and protein or fat increased to 23 and 53% respectively, lactic acidosis and hypoglycemia recurred. These studies show that a deficiency of FDPase produced infantile lactic acidosis and hypoglycemia and can be controlled by an appropriate diet.