Assessment of postprandial hepatic glycogen synthesis from uridine diphosphoglucose kinetics in obese and lean non-diabetic subjects.
BACKGROUND
Obese patients are frequently characterized by insulin resistance and decreased insulin-mediated glycogen synthesis in skeletal muscle. Whether they also have impaired postprandial hepatic glycogen synthesis remains unknown.


OBJECTIVE
To determine whether postprandial hepatic glycogen synthesis is decreased in obese patients compared to lean subjects.


METHODS
Lean and obese subjects with impaired glucose tolerance were studied over 4h after ingestion of a glucose load. Hepatic uridine diphosphoglucose kinetics were assessed using 13C-galactose infusion, with monitoring of urinary acetaminophen-glucuronide isotopic enrichment to estimate hepatic glycogen kinetics.


RESULTS
Estimated net hepatic glycogen synthesis amounted to 18.6 and 22.6% of the ingested load in lean and obese subjects, respectively.


CONCLUSIONS
Postprandial hepatic glycogen metabolism is not impaired in non-diabetic obese subjects.
Paquot
N
N
Department of Medicine, CHU Sart-Tilman, University of Liège, Belgium.
Schneiter
P
P
Scheen
A J
AJ
Lefèbvre
P J
PJ
Tappy
L
L
D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D001786:Blood Glucose / Q000032:analysis; D005230:Fatty Acids, Nonesterified / Q000097:blood; D005260:Female; D018149:Glucose Intolerance / Q000150:complications / Q000378:metabolism; D006801:Humans; D007328:Insulin / Q000097:blood; D007333:Insulin Resistance; D008099:Liver / Q000378:metabolism*; D008112:Liver Glycogen / Q000096:biosynthesis*; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009765:Obesity / Q000150:complications / Q000378:metabolism*; D019518:Postprandial Period; D013997:Time Factors; D014532:Uridine Diphosphate Glucose / Q000378:metabolism / Q000493:pharmacokinetics*
D001786:Blood Glucose; D005230:Fatty Acids, Nonesterified; D007328:Insulin; D008112:Liver Glycogen; D014532:Uridine Diphosphate Glucose