Stimulation by glucagon of the incorporation of U-14C-labeled substrates into glucose by isolated hepatocytes from fed rats

AMPK antagonizes hepatic glucagon-stimulated cyclic AMP signalling via phosphorylation-induced activation of cyclic nucleotide phosphodiesterase 4B

Biguanides such as metformin have previously been shown to antagonize hepatic glucagon-stimulated cyclic AMP (cAMP) signalling independently of AMP-activated protein kinase (AMPK) via direct inhibition of adenylate cyclase by AMP. Here we show that incubation of hepatocytes with the small-molecule AMPK activator 991 decreases glucagon-stimulated cAMP accumulation, cAMP-dependent protein kinase (PKA) activity and downstream PKA target phosphorylation. Moreover, incubation of hepatocytes with 991 increases the V_max of cyclic nucleotide phosphodiesterase 4B (PDE4B) without affecting intracellular adenine nucleotide concentrations. The effects of 991 to decrease glucagon-stimulated cAMP concentrations and activate PDE4B are lost in hepatocytes deleted for both catalytic subunits of AMPK. PDE4B is phosphorylated by AMPK at three sites, and by site-directed mutagenesis, Ser304 phosphorylation is important for activation. In conclusion, we provide a new mechanism by which AMPK antagonizes hepatic glucagon signalling via phosphorylation-induced PDE4B activation.

The diabetes drug Metformin decreases hepatic glucose production and activates AMP-activated protein kinase (AMPK). Here the authors provide evidence that AMPK activation antagonizes glucagon signalling by activating PDE4B, lowering cAMP levels and decreasing PKA activation.

Effect of a novel hypoglycemic agent, KAD-1229 on glucose metabolism and fructose-2,6-bisphosphate content in isolated hepatocytes of normal rats

The effects of a novel hypoglycemic agent, calcium(2s)-2-benzyl-3-(cis-hexahydro-2-isoindolinylcarbonyl) propionate dihydrate (KAD-1229), which is a benzyl succinate derivative, on liver metabolism were investigated using isolated hepatocytes from normal rats. In the presence of 10 mM glucose, KAD-1229 increased the L-lactate production (41.1 +/- 0.9 versus 60.9 +/- 2.6 mumol of lactate/g of cells/30 min; P < 0.05) and inhibited gluconeogenesis in hepatocytes (0.94 +/- 0.02 versus 0.70 +/- 0.03 mumol of [2-14C]-pyruvate converted to glucose/g of cells/20 min; P < 0.05). These effects by KAD-1229 were accompanied by an increase in the cellular content of fructose-2,6-bisphosphate (F-2,6-P2), which is one of the important regulators of hepatic glucose metabolism, in a dose-dependent manner (0.05-2.5 mM). KAD-1229 also stimulated the oxidation of [2-14C]-pyruvate and [6-14C]-glucose in the tricarboxylic acid cycle (+18 and +31%, respectively), indicating that stimulation of tricarboxylic acid cycle activity and/or enhancement of the glycolytic flux rate had occurred. Moreover, KAD-1229 did not modify the activities of 6-phosphofructo 2-kinase or fructose-2,6-bisphosphatase, but increased significantly the accumulation of fructose 6-phosphate in hepatocytes. These results suggest that KAD-1229 has extrapancreatic effects on hepatic glucose metabolism, that its actions are mediated through the inhibition of fructose-1,6-bisphosphatase and stimulation of both the 6-phosphofructo 1-kinase reaction and tricarboxylic acid cycle activity by increasing the F-2,6-P2 content in hepatocytes, and that these multiple effects may account in part for the ability of KAD-1229 to reduce blood glucose levels in vivo.

Dose-response effects of lactate infusions on gluconeogenesis from lactate in normal man

Lactate is the predominant gluconeogenic precursor in man. To determine the dose-response relationships between plasma lactate concentration and rates of lactate incorporation in plasma glucose (lactate gluconeogenesis, LGN), we infused 17 normal volunteers with sodium lactate for 180 min at rates ranging from 6 to 40 mumol kg-1 min-1 and measured [U-14C]lactate incorporation into plasma glucose, as well as rates of lactate and glucose appearance in plasma. With the highest lactate infusions, plasma lactate increased up to 7 mM (compared to 1.1 +/- 0.13 mM during control sodium bicarbonate infusions, n = 10) and LGN averaged 4.73 +/- 0.23 mumol kg-1 min-1 (compared to 1.57 +/- 0.26 mumol kg-1 min-1 in bicarbonate control experiments, P < 0.001). The data relating plasma lactate concentration to LGN best fit a sigmoidal curve which plateaued at plasma lactate concentrations of approximately 6 mM and yielded an ED50 of 2.04 +/- 0.20 (SD) mM and a Vmax (6.25 +/- 1.2) (SD) (mumol kg-1 min-1). The sum of the basal rate of lactate appearance and the rate of lactate infusion was not significantly different from the overall rates of lactate appearance during the lactate infusions (35.8 +/- 2.2 vs. 34.8 +/- 2.9 mumol kg-1 min-1, P = 0.23). Thus, our results support the view that infusion of exogenous lactate does not suppress endogenous lactate appearance in plasma.

Effect of sulfonylureas on hepatic glycogen metabolism: activation of glycogen phosphorylase

In hepatocytes isolated from fed rats, both tolbutamide and glipizide caused a dose-dependent activation of glycogen phosphorylase, possibly by a Ca2+-mediated mechanism. Maximal effects (about twofold) were already obtained when drugs were used at 0.5 mmol/L, the calculated concentrations of tolbutamide and glipizide responsible for the half-maximal effects being 60 and 30 mumol/L, respectively. The activation of glycogen phosphorylase caused the mobilization of glycogen and increased the cellular concentration of hexose 6-phosphates (glucose 6-phosphate plus fructose 6-phosphate) and that of fructose 2,6-bisphosphate. Under the influence of sulfonylureas, glucose formation was slightly stimulated while the rate of L-lactate production was more markedly incremented, indicating that sulfonylureas canalize the metabolic flux coming from glycogen mainly to the glycolytic pathway. These results suggest that a glycogenolytic action of sulfonylureas could collaborate to raise hepatic fructose 2,6-bisphosphate concentration in the fed animal.

Effect of glipizide on hepatic fructose 2,6-bisphosphate concentration and glucose metabolism

Glipizide raised, in a dose-dependent manner, the concentration of fructose 2,6-bisphosphate in hepatocytes isolated from 24-hour fasted rats and incubated in the presence of 10 mmol/L glucose. Simultaneously, the rate of L-lactate production, as well as the rate of 3H2O formation from (3-3H)glucose, increased markedly. The concentration of glipizide calculated as corresponding to the half-maximal effect in these metabolic parameters was 12 to 15 mumol/L. In hepatocytes isolated from fed rats, either normal or made diabetic by treatment with alloxan, glipizide inhibited the conversion of both (U-14C)pyruvate and (U-14C)lactate to (14C)glucose; an inverse correlation was established between hepatocyte fructose 2,6-bisphosphate levels and the rate of gluconeogenesis. The increase of fructose 2,6-bisphosphate concentration elicited by glipizide, which occurs without a significant modification of either 6-phospho-fructo 2-kinase activity or hepatocyte cyclic AMP levels, seems to be related to a significant accumulation of hexose 6-phosphates (glucose 6-phosphate and fructose 6-phosphate) in the hepatic cells.

Stimulatory effect of interleukin-1 upon hepatic metabolism

The liver plays an important role in the acute-phase response to sepsis and injury, and host survival often depends upon an adequate hepatic response. Many of the metabolic sequelae to sepsis and injury are mediated by interleukin-1. This study was undertaken to investigate the impact of interleukin-1 upon hepatic metabolism and whether this mediator acted directly upon the liver. Interleukin-1 (5 rabbit pyrogen dose units) was administered to male Fisher F344 rats (175 to 200 g), and hepatocytes were isolated at three time periods; 2 to 4, 6 to 10, and 12 to 14 hours following an intraperitoneal injection. Alanine transport, gluconeogenesis, nonsecretory protein synthesis, and oxygen consumption were measured simultaneously in freshly isolated hepatocytes. Interleukin-1 stimulated initial rates of alanine uptake over a four-minute period. Peak stimulation of gluconeogenesis occurred at six to ten hours (0.52 +/- .14 v 0.08 +/- .01 nmol alanine converted/10(6) cells/min, P less than 0.05); nonsecretory protein synthesis was significantly stimulated at 12 to 14 hours (2.1 +/- .7 v 0.7 +/- 0.1 nmol valine converted/10(6) cells/min, P less than 0.05). These enhanced metabolic processes were associated with an increased oxygen consumption, with peak oxygen utilization occurring at six to ten hours (69 +/- 2 v 25 +/- 7 nmol of oxygen consumed 10(6) cells/min, P less than 0.05). In order to examine if interleukin-1 exerted its effect directly upon the liver, hepatocytes from normal rats were incubated in vitro with this mediator for two hours. Under these experimental conditions, interleukin-1 did not reproduce the stimulatory effect obtained following in vivo administration.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)

Sensitivity of pathway rate to activities of substrate-cycle enzymes: application to gluconeogenesis and glycolysis

In a study of metabolic regulation, it is frequently useful to consider the degree to which an enzyme can influence the rate of its pathway. The most productive expression of rate-controlling influence is the fractional change in pathway rate per fractional change in enzyme activity (called control strength or sensitivity coefficient). We have developed a system for considering how a substrate-cycle enzyme's control strength depends on its flux and reaction order and on related features of other enzymes of its pathway. We have applied this system to the gluconeogenic pathway of rat liver and the glycolytic pathway of bovine sperm, where enough fluxes and reaction orders have been published to allow valid estimates of several control strengths. In normal fed animals where gluconeogenesis is slow and unidirectional substrate-to-product and product-to-substrate fluxes are comparable, all substrate-cycle limbs have very high and similar control strengths regardless of their flux rates and positions in the pathway. The activity of a step affects all substrate-cycle control strengths similarly as it affects unidirectional end-to-end fluxes relative to net rate. Control strengths of non-substrate-cycle enzymes are negligible compared to those of substrate cycles. In fasting animals, on the other hand, where unidirectional Pyr----Glc flux is much greater than Glc----Pyr flux, upstream enzymes (near Pyr) have a regulatory advantage over downstream enzymes (near Glc). In this circumstance, control strength of each substrate-cycle enzyme is inversely related to rate limitingness between its substrate and the pathway substrate. Because the Pyr/PEP cycle is significantly rate limiting, the control strength of the Pyr----PEP limb is much greater than that of pyruvate kinase and all downstream enzymes. In the glycolytic pathway of bovine sperm, strong product inhibition of hexokinase detracts greatly from its rate limitingness and control strength, which are very small despite its position at the beginning of the pathway and its large free energy. Because the glucose-transport-hexokinase segment is not rate limiting, phosphofructo 1-kinase has almost as much control strength as it would have as the first enzyme of the pathway, and because the F6P/FDP cycle is only moderately rate limiting, Fru-1,6-P2ase and enzymes further downstream have substantial control strengths. When glycolysis is accelerated by stimulation of phosphofructo 1-kinase, control strength shifts from phosphofructo-1-kinase and all downstream enzymes to the transporthesokinase segment.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 400 WORDS)

Role of fructose 2,6-bisphosphate in the control by glucagon of gluconeogenesis from various precursors in isolated rat hepatocytes

Hepatocytes from overnight-starved rats were incubated with 1-20 mM-fructose, -dihydroxyacetone, -glycerol, -alanine or -lactate and -pyruvate with or without 0.1 microM-glucagon. The production of glucose and lactate was measured, as was the content of fructose 2,6-bisphosphate. The concentrations of fructose (below 5 mM) and dihydroxyacetone (above 1 mM) that gave rise to an increase in fructose 2,6-bisphosphate were those at which a glucagon effect on the production of glucose and lactate could be observed. Glycerol had no effect on fructose 2,6-bisphosphate content or on production of lactate, and glucagon did not stimulate the production of glucose from this precursor. With alanine or lactate/pyruvate as substrates, glucagon stimulated glucose production whether the concentration of fructose 2,6-bisphosphate was increased or not. The extent of inactivation of pyruvate kinase by glucagon was not affected by the presence of the various gluconeogenic precursors. The role of fructose 2,6-bisphosphate in the effect of glucagon on gluconeogenesis from precursors entering the pathway at the level of triose phosphates or pyruvate is discussed.

Effect of glucagon on alanine 2-oxoglutarate aminotransferase

Alanine-2-oxoglutarate aminotransferase activity in mouse liver is stimulated by the intravenous injection of glucagon. The stimulation is abolished by pretreatment with actinomycin D indicating that the increased activity is probably due to new enzyme formation. Administration of dibutyryl cyclic AMP, isoproterenol, an activator of adenyl cyclase and theophylline, an inhibitor of phosphodiesterase also increases the enzyme activity suggesting the involvement of cyclic AMP in glucagon-mediated increase of enzyme activity.

The effects of valproate on intermediary metabolism in isolated rat hepatocytes and intact rats

Valproate is a valuable anticonvulsant which is associated with hepatotoxicity in some patients. In concentrations in the range found in man during valproate therapy (0.1-1.0 mM), it inhibited pyruvate and palmitate oxidation, urea synthesis and gluconeogenesis by 30-50% in isolated rat hepatocytes. Valproate (100 mg/kg body weight) is also hypoglycaemic and hypoketonaemic in fasted rats. All these inhibitions can be explained in terms of the accumulation of valproyl-CoA and its further metabolites in the matrix of hepatic mitochondria. Although these inhibitions are only partial, and normally well tolerated, they could significantly impair liver function when there is an additional insult, such as may occur with multiple drug therapy or if there is already an inborn error of metabolism. Such an association with inborn errors may explain the higher incidence of valproate-associated toxicity in children. It may be of more value to measure blood urea and ammonia concentrations routinely shortly after starting valproate therapy than to do conventional liver function tests.

Gluconeogenesis in chick embryo isolated hepatocytes

1. The effectiveness of gluconeogenic precursors in hepatocytes isolated from 18 day old chick embryos is:Lactate much much greater than pyruvate greater than alanine = glutamine greater than glycerol and other amino acids. This result is qualitatively and quantitatively similar to hepatocytes isolated after hatching. 2. In the presence of endogenous glycogenolysis, conversion of [U-14C]lactate to glucose was used to estimate gluconeogenic flux and its control by hormones. 3. Glucagon failed to stimulate lactate gluconeogenesis although simultaneously increasing glycogenolysis. Insulin had no effects on gluconeogenesis.

Induction in primary culture of 'gluconeogenic' and 'glycolytic' hepatocytes resembling periportal and perivenous cells

Adult rat hepatocytes were kept in primary culture for 48 h under different hormonal conditions to induce an enzyme pattern which with respect to carbohydrate metabolism approximated that of periportal and perivenous hepatocytes in vivo. 1. Glucagon-treated cells compared with control cells possessed a lower activity of glucokinase, a 4.5-fold higher activity of phosphoenolpyruvate carboxykinase and unchanged levels of glucose-6-phosphatase, phosphofructokinase, fructose-bisphosphatase and pyruvate kinase; they resembled in a first approximation the periportal cell type and are called for simplicity 'periportal'. Inversely, insulin-treated cells compared with control cells contained a 2.2-fold higher activity of glucokinase, a slightly decreased activity of phosphoenolpyruvate carboxykinase, increased activities of phosphofructokinase and pyruvate kinase and unaltered levels of glucose-6-phosphatase and fructose-bisphosphatase; they resembled perivenous cells and are called simply 'perivenous'. Gluconeogenesis and glycolysis were studied under various substrate and hormone concentrations. 2. Physiological concentrations of glucose (5 mM) and lactate (2 mM) gave about 80% saturation of gluconeogenesis from lactate and less than 15% saturation of glycolysis at a simultaneous 40% inhibition of the glycolytic rate by lactate. 3. Comparison of the two cell types showed that under identical assay conditions (5 mM glucose, 2 mM lactate, 0.5 nM insulin, 0.1 muM dexamethasone) gluconeogenesis was 1.5-fold faster in the 'periportal' cells and glycolysis was 2.4-fold faster in the 'perivenous' cells. 4. Metabolic rates were under short-term hormonal control. Insulin increased glycolysis three fold in both cell types with a half-maximal effect at about 0.4 nM, but did not influence the gluconeogenic rate. Glucagon inhibited glycolysis by 70% with a half-maximal effect at about 0.1 nM. Gluconeogenesis was stimulated by glucagon (half-maximal dose: 0.5 nM) 1.8-fold only in 'periportal' cells containing high phosphoenolpyruvate carboxykinase activity, not in the 'perivenous' cells with a low level of this enzyme. 5. A comparison of the two cell types showed that with maximally stimulating hormone concentrations gluconeogenesis was threefold faster in 'periportal' cells and glycolysis was eightfold faster in 'perivenous' cells. The results support the view that periportal and perivenous hepatocytes in vivo catalyse gluconeogenesis and glycolysis at inverse rates.

Stimulation of alanine transport and metabolism by dibutyryl cyclic AMP in the hepatocytes from fed rats. Assessment of transport as a potential rate-limiting step for alanine metabolism

(1) Cyclic AMP stimulated alanine transport in isolated hepatocytes by approx. 30%, in the range 0.2-5 mM alanine. (2) Alanine utilisation was also stimulated by cyclic AMP. The rates of transport and metabolism were comparable, both in the presence and absence of cyclic AMP. (3) At concentrations of alanine above 1 mM, addition of ouabain, or the reduction of the Na+ concentration, could partially inhibit transport without affecting the rate of metabolism. (4) At these alanine concentrations, stimulation of metabolism by cyclic AMP was associated with a decrease in the intracellular to extracellular alanine concentration ratio. (5) At alanine concentrations below 0.5 mM, or at higher concentrations when transport was inhibited by reducing the Na+ concentration, cyclic AMP caused an increase in the alanine concentration ratio. (6) It is concluded that at concentrations of alanine above 1 mM, alanine transport is not rate-limiting for alanine metabolism in hepatocytes from fed rats, and cyclic AMP stimulates alanine metabolism primarily by an effect on an intracellular reaction. At physiological concentrations of alanine, however, alanine transport appears to be rate-limiting in agreement with a previous report.

A technique for the isolation of chicken hepatocytes and their use in a study of gluconeogenesis

A new technique was developed for the isolation of chicken liver parenchymal cells. Glucose produced from 10 mM lactate was proportional to the amount of cells present. In the time-course study, gluconeogenesis from lactate and fructose was linear up to 60 min. Fructose proved to be the best substrate. Fructose was converted to glucose at the highest rate; this was followed by lactate, pyruvate, and xylitol. Alanine, glycerol, propionate, alpha-ketoglutarate, and succinate proved to be poor substrates. There was no statistical difference between the results obtained with hepatocytes obtained from fed or fasted chickens. The isolated hepatocytes responded to glucagon, dibutyryl-cAMP, and epinephrine. The dose-response for glucagon was a sigmoid-curve and the half-maximum stimulation was given by approximately 1 x 10(-2) micrometers hormone. The same type of curve was obtained with dibutyryl-cAMP, but the half-maximum stimulation was achieved at around 1.0 micrometer. The response to epinephrine was marginal. In the time-course experiment, prior to glucagon stimulation, glucose accumulated at a linear rate (slope = .2484). After the addition of the hormone, the level of cAMP increased by about 30% in the first minute and reached a peak (100%) in about 2 min; thereafter, it decreased to the level prior to the stimulation by the hormone. Two minutes after the addition of glucagon there was a significant increase in the rate of gluconeogenesis; this continued for another 3 min and then at a slower pace (slope = .2566).

Electrical stimulation of the liver cell: activation of glycogenolysis

To examine the role of ionic factors in the regulation of glycogen metabolism, we examined the effects of electrical stimulation on liver glycogen cycle enzymes. Passage of electric current through a suspension of rat hepatocytes caused the conversion of glycogen phosphorylase to its active (a) form and the simultaneous conversion of glycogen synthase to its inactive (D) form. The rise in phosphorylase a activity was dependent on the magnitude of current flow, was detectable after 5 s of current flow, and was rapidly reversible on cessation of stimulation. The activation of phosphorylase by shocking was completely eliminated by depletion of cellular Ca2+ and was restored by readdition of Ca2+. Cyclic AMP and cyclic GMP levels were unaffected by shocking. It is concluded that shocking, in the absence of any hormone or exogenous chemical, causes an increase in cytosol Ca2+, which in turn leads to activation of phosphorylase and inactivation of synthase. Electrical stimulation may serve as a model system for studying the role of ions in metabolic regulation.

Effect of glucose on carbohydrate synthesis from alanine or lactate in hepatocytes from starved rats

In hepatocytes from starved rats, 10mM-glucose suppressed in incorporation of 2mM labelled alanine into glucose+glycogen by more than 40%, whereas no inhibition was observed with labelled lactate as substrate. Addition of glycerol instead of glucose did not show this inhibition. The inhibitory effect could also be demonstrated in label-free experiments.

The role of glucagon in the regulation of plasma lipids

The role of glucagon in regulating plasma lipid concentrations (nonesterified fatty acids, ketone bodies, and triglycerides) is reviewed. The effects of glucagon-induced insulin secretion upon this lipid regulation are discussed that may resolve conflicting reports in the literature are resolved. In addition, the unresolved problem concerning the pharmacologic versus physiologic effects of glucagon is stressed. Glucagon's role in stimulating lipolysis at the adipocyte serves two important functions. First, it provides plasma nonesterified fatty acids for energy metabolism and secondly, it ensures substrate for hepatic ketogenesis. In vitro, glucagon's lipolytic activity has been consistently observed, but in vivo, this activity has sometimes been obscured by the effects of glucagon-induced insulin secretion. Frequently, a biphasic response has been reported in which a direct lipolytic response is followed by a glucagon-induced insulin suppression of plasma nonesterified fatty acid concentration. When the glucagon-induced insulin secretion has been controlled by various in vivo techniques, glucagon's lipolytic activity in vivo has frequently been demonstrable. In the 1960s, in vitro liver perfusion experiments demonstrated that glucagon enhanced hepatic ketogenesis independent of glucagon's lipolytic activity. However, this direct effect of glucagon on the hepatocyte was not universally accepted because of conflicting reports in the literature. Failure to observe an in vitro ketogenic effect of the hormone in some studies may have been due to suboptimal experimental conditions. Certain factors are now known to influence the ketogenic response, such as the concentration of fatty acids in the media and the nutritional status of the animal. Under optimal in vitro conditions with liver preparations from fed animals, the ketogenic response to physiologic concentrations of glucagon has been demonstrated. However, further study is necessary to define the quantitative ketogenic role of the hormone. In spite of this early in vitro work, glucagon was not definitely shown to be ketogenic in vivo (independent of fatty acid availability) both in the rat and in diabetic man until 1975. Since these observations, several reports have confirmed the ketogenic action of glucagon in vivo by direct hepatic catheterization experiments. Glucagon's role in decreasing hepatic triglyceride synthesis and secretion in vitro has been repeatedly shown but the mechanism is unresolved. This lipid regulatory action of glucagon has been more difficult to demonstrate in vivo because of the many variables that affect triglyceride synthesis. Under specific experimental conditions, however, glucagon has been shown to decrease plasma triglyceride concentration in man at both physiologic and pharmacologic concentrations. Hepatic catheterization experiments have also confirmed this effect in man. The regulation of lipids by glucagon fits well into its role as a stress hormone...

Isolation and characterization of hepatocytes and Kupffer cells

Simplified isolation procedures are described for the parenchymal cell of the liver and the major non-parenchymal cell, the Kupffer cell. Hepatocytes are obtained in a purity of approximately 100%; a yield 10 X 10(6) cells/g liver tissue and the viability is greater than 85%. The recovery of Kupffer cells is 82%, viability 87% and purity 67%. Characterization of Kupffer cells is by the peroxidatic reaction, of hepatocytes by gluconeogenesis and also culture on collagen plates in a non-protein medium yielding albumin.

Hepatic gluconeogenesis in chickens

Gluconeogenesis by isolated hepatocytes resulted in glucose release but insignificant rates of glycogen synthesis. The effectiveness of precursors was similar for hepatocytes from fed and starved chickens except for impaired gluconeogenesis from pyruvate when compared to lactate in lactate starved chicken hepatocytes. The impairment was caused by limitations in cytosolic NADH production as a result of the mitochondrial location of phosphoenolpyruvate carboxykinase in chicken liver. The order of effectiveness of precursors on hepatic gluconeogenesis was generally similar to the effects of precursors on increasing the plasma glucose concentration in vivo. The exceptions were caused by interactions with other precursors in vivo. The alteration of the NADH/NAD+ ratio by ethanol and ATP/ADP ratio by adenosine could play significant roles in the control of precursor conversion to glucose. Physiological glucagon concentrations stimulated gluconeogenesis from precursors entering the pathway both above and below the level of triose phosphates, and its effect were mimicked by dibutyryl cyclic AMP. Previous results on the effects of precursor and glucagon injection on the plasma glucose concentration of chickens in vivo can largely be explained by effects at the hepatic level. Isolated chicken and rat hepatocytes share many common features. Qualitatively the ordering of gluconeogenic effectiveness was similar but quantitive differences existed as a result of differing activities and cellular locations of enzymes. Neither preparation readily synthesised glycogen and the sensitivity to glucagon was similar.

Zinc accumulation and metabolism in primary cultures of adult rat liver cells. Regulation by glucocorticoids

Adult rat liver parenchymal cells were isolated by the collagenase perfusion technique and cultured as a monolayer for up to 20 h. The quantity of zinc accumulated from the extracellular environment was significantly increased by adding physiological concentrations of certain glucocorticosteroids to the medium. The degree of stimulation was directly related to glucocorticoid potency. Sex steroids, certain peptide hormones and prostaglandins E2 and F2alpha did not influence zinc accumulation. Control cells exhibited a decline of zinc accumulation after 4 h in culture although uptake processes were still operative. When dexamethasone, the most potent glucocorticoid used, was present in the medium the cells accumulated zinc at a linear rate greater than that seen in control cells, for at least 20 h. The dexamethasone-induced stimulation of zinc accumulation was relatively specific since 45Ca, 14C-labelled amino acids and [35S]cystine accumulation was not influenced by the hormone. A lag of 4 h was observed before an effect of dexamethasone on zinc accumulation could be detected. Moreover, the hormone-stimulated phase of accumulation was blocked when the cells were simultaneously incubated with either actinomycin D or cycloheximide. The additional complement of zinc accumulated by the dexamethasone-treated cells was localized in the cytosol fraction. Gel filtration and ion-exchange chromatography confirmed that this additional cytosol zinc was bound to metallothionein. [35S]Cystine was incorporated into metallothionein in hormone-treated cells indicating that the protein was synthesized de novo during periods of enhanced zinc accumulation.

The effects of bioregulators upon amino acid transport and protein synthesis in isolated rat hepatocytes

Isolated rat hepatocytes prepared by an enzyme perfusion technique possess a functional amino acid transport system and retain the capacity to synthesize protein. Amino acid transport was studied using the non-metabolizable amino acid analog alpha-aminoisobutyric acid. The transport process was time, temperature and concentration dependent. Similarly, leucine incorporation into protein was time and temperature dependent being optimal at 3m degrees C. Amino acid, fetal calf serum, growth hormone and glucose all produced small, reproducible increases in protein synthesis rates. Bovine serum albumin diminished the uptake of alpha-aminoisobutyric acid and leucine incorporation into protein. The amino acid content on either side of the cell membrane was found to affect transport into or out of the cellular compartment (transconcentration effects). High cell concentrations decreased transport and protein synthesis as a result of isotopic dilution of labelled amino acids with those released by the hepatocytes. This was consistent with the capacity of naturally occurring amino aicds to compete with alpha-aminoisobutyric acid for uptake into the hepatocyte. In order to define more precisely the effects of bioregulators on transport and protein synthesis it will be necessary to define and subfractionate cellular compartments and proteins which are the specific targets of cellular regulation.