INSULIN: INDUCER OF PYRUVATE KINASE.

The hepatic pyruvate kinase activity markedly decreased when rats were made diabetic by alloxan injection. Insulin treatment induced new synthesis of pyruvate kinase which was prevented by injection of ethionine and actinomycin D. The evidence indicated that the increased pyruvate kinase activity induced by inisulin entails at a certain stage a stimulation of the synthesis of certain RNA species relevant to the production of this enzyme.