Age-dependent changes in rat hepatic fructose 2, 6-bisphosphate, 6-phosphofructo-2-kinase/fructose 2, 6-bisphosphatase and pyruvate kinase activity in response to a high protein diet or starvation.

Plasma insulin (I), glucagon (G) and glucose, hepatic glycogen, fructose 2, 6-bisphosphate (F2, 6-P2), fructose 1, 6-bisphosphate, phosphoenolpyruvate, and some liver key enzymes involved in glycolysis (6-phosphofructo-2-kinase/fructose-2, 6-bisphosphatase (6-PF-2kinase/F-2,6-P2ase), activity ratio (velocity at suboptimal substrate concentration/maximum velocity) of pyruvate kinase (PK-L] and in gluconeogenesis (phosphoenolpyruvate carboxykinase activity) have been compared in young (2 months) and old (16 months) rats upon starvation or transition to a high protein (HP) diet. In the 10 and 24 hours after the dietary switch, plasma glucose decreased less and hepatic glycogen was less depleted in the old rats. The ratios of plasma I/G and of hepatic 6-PF-2kinase/F-2,6-P2ase were higher in the old rats and their decrease delayed at both time points, as was the concentration of hepatic F-2,6-P2 and the activity ratio of PK-L (before and after removal of endogenous noncovalent factors). The consistency of these differences indicate that the mechanisms for control of glycolysis/gluconeogenesis are similar in young and old rats, but it appears that in old rats starved or fed HP diet, the switch from glycolysis to gluconeogenesis is delayed. This suggests that as a result of the slowness of the hormonal changes the process of phosphorylation/dephosphorylation, which is so important in the short-term regulation of the glycolysis/gluconeogenesis pathway, may be impaired with age.