title: Effect of a meal feeding schedule on hepatic glycogen synthesis and gluconeogenesis in rats.
abstract: We investigated the effect of a meal feeding schedule (MFS) on food intake, hepatic glycogen synthesis, hepatic capacity to produce glucose and glycemia in rats. The MFS comprised free access to food for a 2-hour period daily at a fixed mealtime (8.00-10.00 a.m.) for 13 days. The control group was composed of rats with free access to food from day 1 to 12, which were then starved for 22 h, refed with a single meal at 8.00-10.00 a.m. and starved again for another 22 h. All experiments were performed at the meal time (i.e. 8.00 a.m.). The MFS group exhibited increased food intake and higher glycogen synthase activity. Since gluconeogenesis from L-glutamine or L-alanine was not affected by MFS, we conclude that the increased food intake and higher glycogen synthase activity contributed to the better glucose maintenance showed by MFS rats at the fixed meal time.
authors.affiliation: Department of Pharmacy and Pharmacology, State University of Maringá, Maringá, Paraná, Brazil.
authors.forename: M R
authors.initials: MR
authors.lastname: Batista
authors.forename: R
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Curi
authors.forename: F B
authors.initials: FB
authors.lastname: Lima
authors.forename: G
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Lopes
authors.forename: R B
authors.initials: RB
authors.lastname: Bazotte
mesh_terms: D000409:Alanine / Q000378:metabolism; D000818:Animals; D001786:Blood Glucose / Q000032:analysis; D005247:Feeding Behavior; D005508:Food Deprivation; D005943:Gluconeogenesis; D005947:Glucose / Q000378:metabolism; D005973:Glutamine / Q000378:metabolism; D006006:Glycogen Synthase / Q000378:metabolism; D019344:Lactic Acid / Q000378:metabolism; D008099:Liver / Q000201:enzymology / Q000378:metabolism; D008112:Liver Glycogen / Q000096:biosynthesis* / Q000378:metabolism; D008297:Male; D051381:Rats; D017208:Rats, Wistar; D013997:Time Factors; D014508:Urea / Q000378:metabolism
chemical_list: D001786:Blood Glucose; D008112:Liver Glycogen; D005973:Glutamine; D019344:Lactic Acid; D014508:Urea; D006006:Glycogen Synthase; D005947:Glucose; D000409:Alanine