Gluconeogenic-glycolytic capacities and metabolic zonation in liver of rats with streptozotocin, non-ketotic as compared to alloxan, ketotic diabetes.

Activities (mumol X min-1 X g liver) and zonal distributions of key enzymes of carbohydrate metabolism were studied in livers of streptozotocin-diabetic rats and compared to the values in alloxan-diabetes. Streptozotocin led to a non-ketotic diabetes with blood glucose being increased by more than fivefold but ketone bodies being in the normal range, while alloxan produced a ketotic diabetes with blood glucose, acetoacetate and beta-hydroxybutyrate being elevated by more than fivefold. Portal insulin was decreased to about 20% in streptozotocin- and more drastically to about 7% in alloxan-diabetes. Conversely, portal glucagon was increased in the two states to about 250% and 180%, respectively. The glucogenic key enzyme phosphoenolpyruvate carboxykinase (PEPCK) was enhanced in streptozotocin- and alloxan-diabetes to over 300%, while the glycolytic pyruvate kinase L (PKL) was lowered to 65% and 80%, respectively. The normal periportal to perivenous gradient of PEPCK of about 3:1, as measured in microdissected tissue samples, was maintained with elevated activities in the two zones. The normal periportal to perivenous gradient of PKL of 1:1.7 was diminished with lowered activities in the two zones. The glucogenic glucose-6-phosphatase (G6Pase) was increased in streptozotocin- and alloxan-diabetes to 130% and 140%, respectively, while the glucose utilizing glucokinase (GK) was decreased to 60% and 50%, respectively. The normal periportal to perivenous gradient of G6Pase, demonstrated histochemically, remained unaffected. Carnitine palmitoyltransferase (CPT) was increased to over 190% and acetyl-CoA carboxylase (ACC) was decreased to 60% in streptozotocin, non-ketotic diabetes, while the two enzymes were altered more drastically to 400% and 50%, respectively, in alloxan, ketotic diabetes.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)