title: Hepatic de novo synthesis of glucose 6-phosphate is not affected in peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor alpha-deficient mice but is preferentially directed toward hepatic glycogen stores after a short term fast.
abstract: Apart from impaired beta-oxidation, Pparalpha-deficient (Pparalpha(-/-)) mice suffer from hypoglycemia during prolonged fasting, suggesting alterations in hepatic glucose metabolism. We compared hepatic glucose metabolism in vivo in wild type (WT) and Pparalpha(-/-) mice after a short term fast, applying novel isotopic methods. After a 9-h fast, mice were infused with [U-(13)C]glucose, [2-(13)C]glycerol, [1-(2)H]galactose, and paracetamol for 6 h, and blood and urine was collected in timed intervals. Plasma glucose concentrations remained constant and were not different between the groups. Hepatic glycogen content was 69 +/- 11 and 90 +/- 31 microM/g liver after 15 h of fasting in WT and Pparalpha(-/-) mice, respectively. The gluconeogenic flux toward glucose 6-phosphate was not different between the groups (i.e. 157 +/- 9 and 153 +/- 9 microM/kg/min in WT and Pparalpha(-/-) mice, respectively). The gluconeogenic flux toward plasma glucose, however, was decreased in PPARalpha(-/-) mice (i.e. 142 +/- 9 versus 124 +/- 13 microM/kg/min) (p < 0.05), accounting for the observed decrease (-15%) in hepatic glucose production in Pparalpha(-/-) mice. Expression of the gene encoding glucose-6-phosphate hydrolase (G6ph) was lower in the PPARalpha(-/-) mice compared with WT mice. In conclusion, Pparalpha(-/-) mice were able to maintain a normal total gluconeogenic flux to glucose 6-phosphate during moderate fasting, despite their inability to up-regulate beta-oxidation. However, this gluconeogenic flux was directed more toward glycogen, leading to a decreased hepatic glucose output. This was associated with a down-regulation of the expression of G6ph in PPARalpha-deficient mice.
authors.affiliation: Center for Liver, Digestive and Metabolic Diseases, Department of Pediatrics, University Hospital Groningen, 9713 G2 Groningen, The Netherlands.
authors.forename: Robert H J
authors.initials: RH
authors.lastname: Bandsma
authors.forename: Theo H
authors.initials: TH
authors.lastname: Van Dijk
authors.forename: Anke ter
authors.initials: At
authors.lastname: Harmsel At
authors.forename: Tineke
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Kok
authors.forename: Dirk-Jan
authors.initials: DJ
authors.lastname: Reijngoud
authors.forename: Bart
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Staels
authors.forename: Folkert
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Kuipers
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D015536:Down-Regulation; D005215:Fasting; D005786:Gene Expression Regulation; D005947:Glucose / Q000378:metabolism*; D019298:Glucose-6-Phosphate / Q000096:biosynthesis*; D006003:Glycogen / Q000378:metabolism*; D007003:Hypoglycemia / Q000378:metabolism*; D008099:Liver / Q000378:metabolism*; D051379:Mice; D010084:Oxidation-Reduction; D012333:RNA, Messenger / Q000032:analysis; D011868:Radioisotopes; D018160:Receptors, Cytoplasmic and Nuclear / Q000172:deficiency* / Q000235:genetics; D013997:Time Factors; D014157:Transcription Factors / Q000172:deficiency* / Q000235:genetics
chemical_list: D012333:RNA, Messenger; D011868:Radioisotopes; D018160:Receptors, Cytoplasmic and Nuclear; D014157:Transcription Factors; D019298:Glucose-6-Phosphate; D006003:Glycogen; D005947:Glucose