Distribution of newly formed hepatic glycogen in adrenalectomized rats as observed by radioautography after injection of 3H-galactose

Author(s):  
J. E. Michaels ◽  
J. T. Hung ◽  
E. L. Cardell ◽  
R. R. Cardell

In order to study early events of glycogen synthesis, we have used adrenalectomized (ADX) rats fasted overnight and injected with the synthetic glucocorticoid dexamethasone (DEX) to stimulate glycogen synthesis. Rats were given DEX 0-5 hr prior to sacrifice and injected with 2 mCi 3H-galactose 1 hr prior to sacrifice. Liver was prepared for light (LM) and electron microscopic (EM) radioautography by routine procedures.The concentration of silver grains over hepatic cytoplasm was measured in LM radioautographs using a Zeiss Videoplan. The hepatocytes were categorized as unlabeled if no silver grains (gr) were present, lightly labeled (<10gr/100 μm2 cytoplasm) or intensely labeled (>10 gr/1002 μm cytoplasm). Although very few hepatocytes showed heavy labeling after 1 hr treatment with DEX, by 2 hr after DEX treatment 8% of the cells distributed throughout the lobule were intensely labeled.

Author(s):  
J.E. Michaels ◽  
S.A. Garfield ◽  
S.S. Smith ◽  
J.T. Hung ◽  
R.R. Cardell

The effects on glycogen synthesis of short- and long-term stimulation with dexamethasone (DEX) were studied in adrenalectomized, overnight-fasted rats by light (LM) and electron microscopic (EM) radioautography (RAG). Rats were injected with DEX 3 hr (short-term) or 14 hr (long-term) prior to labeling by intravenous injection of 2 mCi 3H-galactose, a glycogen precursor. Liver was prepared for LM and EM RAG by routine procedures.Short-term rats were sacrificed 1, 6 and 12 hr after labeling. One hr after injection of label (Fig. 1) equal percentages (44%) of heavily (> 10 grains/100 μm2 hepatocyte cytoplasm) and lightly (<10 grains/100 μm2 cytoplasm) labeled hepatocytes were evident. Six hr after labeling, heavily labeled cells increased slightly as labeled and unlabeled glycogen became evident. The appearance of unlabeled glycogen was evidence that glycogen synthesis continued between 1 and 6 hr, as circulating label fell to a level below that necessary for radioautographic labeling to occur. Twelve hr after labeling (Fig. 2) the percentage of heavily labeled hepatocytes (31%) decreased to less than at one hour as unlabeled glycogen increased. These results indicated that although glycogen synthesis had continued, some loss of label had occurred.


Author(s):  
J.E. Michaels ◽  
S.A. Garfield ◽  
J.T. Hung ◽  
S.S. Smith ◽  
R.R. Cardell

3H-galactose (gal) and 3H-glucose (glu) were compared to determine which compound was preferable for pulse labeling newly formed hepatic glycogen. Control fed rats were used to achieve substantial and consistent levels of hepatic glycogen and to stimulate glycogen synthesis.Rats fed once daily for 4 hr achieved hepatic glycogen levels > 3% wet weight liver prior to injection by tail vein of a tracer dose of 3H-gal or 3H-glu. The rats were sacrificed 15-120 min later and liver was prepared by routine techniques for light (LM) and electron microscopic (EM) radioautography (RAG) and biochemical analysis.


1976 ◽  
Vol 156 (3) ◽  
pp. 585-592 ◽  
Author(s):  
P D Whitton ◽  
D A Hems

1. A total loss of capacity for net glycogen synthesis was observed in experiments with the perfused liver of starved adrenalectomized rats. 2. This lesion was corrected by insulin or cortisol in vivo (over 2-5h), but not by any agent tested in perfusion. 3. The activity of glycogen synthetase a, and its increase during perfusion, in the presence of glucose plus glucogenic substrates, were proportional to the rate of net glycogen accumulation. 4. This complete inherent loss of capacity for glycogen synthesis after adrenalectomy is greater than any defect in hepatic metabolism yet reported in this situation, and is not explicable by a decrease in the rate of gluconegenesis (which supports glycogen synthesis in the liver of starved rats). The short-term (2-5h) stimulatory effect of glucocorticoids in the intact animal, on hepatic glycogen deposition, may be mediated partly through insulin action, although neither insulin or cortisol appear to act directly on the liver to stimulate glycogen synthesis.


1985 ◽  
Vol 101 (1) ◽  
pp. 201-206 ◽  
Author(s):  
R R Cardell ◽  
J E Michaels ◽  
J T Hung ◽  
E L Cardell

Hormonal control of hepatic glycogen and blood glucose levels is one of the major homeostatic mechanisms in mammals: glycogen is synthesized when portal glucose concentration is sufficiently elevated and degraded when glucose levels are low. We have studied initial events of hepatic glycogen synthesis by injecting the synthetic glucocorticoid dexamethasone (DEX) into adrenalectomized rats fasted overnight. Hepatic glycogen levels are very low in adrenalectomized rats, and DEX causes rapid deposition of the complex carbohydrate. Investigation of the process of glycogen deposition was performed by light and electron microscopic (EM) radioautography using [3H]galactose as a glycogen precursor. Rats injected with DEX for 2-3 h and [3H]galactose one hour before being killed displayed an increasing number of intensely labeled hepatocytes. EM radioautography revealed silver grains over small (+/- 1 micron) ovoid or round areas of the cytosome that were rich in smooth endoplasmic reticulum (SER) and contained a high concentration of small dense particles. These distinct areas or foci of SER and presumptive glycogen (SERGE) were most numerous during initial periods of glycogen synthesis. After longer exposure to DEX (4-5 h) more typical deposits of cytoplasmic glycogen were evident in the SERGE regions. Several criteria indicated that the SERGE foci contained glycogen or presumptive glycogen: resemblance of the largest dense particles to beta-glycogen particles in EM; association of 3H-carbohydrate with the foci; removal of particles and label with alpha-amylase; and positive reaction with periodic acid-chromic acid-silver methenamine. The concentration of SER in the small foci and the association of newly formed glycogen particles with elements of SER suggest a role for this organelle in the initial synthesis of glycogen.


2021 ◽  
Vol 10 (4) ◽  
pp. 596
Author(s):  
Cristina Barosa ◽  
Rogério T. Ribeiro ◽  
Rita Andrade ◽  
João F. Raposo ◽  
John G. Jones

Dietary fructose overshadows glucose in promoting metabolic complications. Intestinal fructose metabolism (IFM) protects against these effects in rodents, by favoring gluconeogenesis, but the extent of IFM in humans is not known. We therefore aimed to infer the extent of IFM by comparing the contribution of dietary fructose to systemic glucose and hepatic glycogen appearance postprandially. Twelve fasting healthy subjects ingested two protein meals in random order, one supplemented with 50 g 5/95 fructose/glucose (LF) and the other with 50 g 55/45 fructose/glucose (HF). Sources of postprandial plasma glucose appearance and hepatic glycogen synthesis were determined with deuterated water. Plasma glucose excursions, as well as pre- and post-meal insulin, c-peptide, and triglyceride levels were nearly identical for both meals. The total gluconeogenic contribution to plasma glucose appearance was significantly higher for HF versus LF (65 ± 2% vs. 34 ± 3%, p < 0.001). For HF, Krebs cycle anaplerosis accounted for two-thirds of total gluconeogenesis (43 ± 2%) with one-third from Triose-P sources (22 ± 1%). With LF, three-quarters of the total gluconeogenic contribution originated via Krebs cycle anaplerosis (26 ± 2%) with one-quarter from Triose-P sources (9 ± 2%). HF and LF gave similar direct and indirect pathway contributions to hepatic glycogen synthesis. Increasing the fructose/glucose ratio had significant effects on glucose appearance sources but no effects on hepatic glycogen synthesis sources, consistent with extensive IFM. The majority of fructose carbons were converted to glucose via the Krebs cycle.


1989 ◽  
Vol 159 (2) ◽  
pp. 522-527 ◽  
Author(s):  
Michael N. Goodman ◽  
Lorianne K. Masuoka ◽  
Jeffrey S. deRopp ◽  
A.Daniel Jones

1989 ◽  
Vol 17 (5) ◽  
pp. 922-923
Author(s):  
RODERICK F. G. J. KING ◽  
DAVID ALEXANDER ◽  
MICHAEL J. McMAHON

1986 ◽  
Vol 251 (5) ◽  
pp. E584-E590 ◽  
Author(s):  
C. H. Lang ◽  
G. J. Bagby ◽  
H. L. Blakesley ◽  
J. L. Johnson ◽  
J. J. Spitzer

In the present study hepatic glycogenesis by the direct versus indirect pathway was determined as a function of the glucose infusion rate. Glycogen synthesis was examined in catheterized conscious rats that had been fasted 48 h before receiving a 3-h infusion (iv) of glucose. Glucose, containing tracer quantities of [U-14C]- and [6-3H]glucose, was infused at rates ranging from 0 to 230 mumol X min-1 X kg-1. Plasma concentrations of glucose, lactate, and insulin were positively correlated with the glucose infusion rate. Despite large changes in plasma glucose, lactate, and insulin concentrations, the rate of hepatic glycogen deposition (0.46 +/- 0.03 mumol X min-1 X g-1) did not vary significantly between glucose infusion rates of 20 and 230 mumol X min-1 X kg-1. However, the percent contribution of the direct pathway to glycogen repletion gradually increased from 13 +/- 2 to 74 +/- 4% in the lowest to the highest glucose infusion rates, with prevailing plasma glucose concentrations from 9.4 +/- 0.5 to 21.5 +/- 2.1 mM. Endogenous glucose production was depressed (by up to 40%), but not abolished by the glucose infusions. Only a small fraction (7-14%) of the infused glucose load was incorporated into liver glycogen via the direct pathway irrespective of the glucose infusion rate. Our data indicate that the relative contribution of the direct and indirect pathways of hepatic glycogen synthesis are dependent on the glucose load or plasma glucose concentration and emphasize the predominance of the indirect pathway of glycogenesis at plasma glucose concentrations normally observed after feeding.


1984 ◽  
Vol 247 (6) ◽  
pp. E714-E718
Author(s):  
M. Freemark ◽  
S. Handwerger

The interactions between ovine placental lactogen (oPL) and insulin in the regulation of fetal liver glycogen metabolism have been studied in cultured hepatocytes from fetal rats on day 20 of gestation. Both oPL (0.75–22.5 micrograms/ml) and insulin (0.01–1 microM) stimulated dose-dependent increases in [14C]glucose incorporation into glycogen. However, the dose-response curves for the two hormones were not parallel and the maximum effect of oPL was 3.4 times greater than that of insulin (P less than 0.001). The two hormones had synergistic effects on [14C]glucose incorporation at low concentrations and additive effects at maximum concentrations. Ovine growth hormone (oGH) also stimulated [14C]glucose incorporation into glycogen but with a potency only 12.3% that of oPL. Cycloheximide (20 microM) abolished the stimulation of [14C]glucose incorporation by insulin (1 microM), oPL (5 micrograms/ml), and oGH (100 micrograms/ml). Although the glycogenic actions of oPL and insulin may depend on new protein synthesis, the results of these studies suggest that these hormones stimulate glycogen synthesis in fetal liver by different mechanisms. Because the glycogenic actions of oPL are potentiated by insulin, these hormones may act in concert to promote hepatic glycogen storage in the fetus.


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