The effects of dietary sucrose and streptozotocin-diabetes on blood and liver constituents.

The levels of ATP, ADP, AMP, inorganic phosphate and 2,3-DPG have been determined in blood and liver of normal and streptozotocin-diabetic rats maintained for up to 11 months on a diet in which the sole carbohydrate source was either starch or sucrose. The feeding of sucrose to normal rats did not significantly alter the adenine nucleotide or phosphate content of the liver and blood. The diabetic state caused a reduction in the ATP, and an increase in AMP and phosphate content of the liver. The feeding of sucrose to the diabetic animals increased the blood phosphate level. The erythrocyte 2,3-DPG content was unaffected by the alterations of ATP and phosphate levels or by the diabetes.