Biochemical correlation of glycogen content and activity of some enzymes of carbohydrate metabolism in rat liver during early stages of carcinogenesis.

The livers of rats treated for 12 weeks with N-nitrosomorpholine (80 mg/1 drinking water) were investigated on the day of carcinogen withdrawal (12 + 0 weeks) and 8 weeks after cessation of treatment (12 + 8 weeks). The glycogen content in relation to the DNA and protein content of the liver and the activities of glycogen synthetase, glycogen phosphorylase, glucose-6-phosphatase, and glucose-6-phosphate dehydrogenase were determined in the liver homogenates. The glycogen content of the livers was slightly elevated at both times investigated. Phosphorylase and synthetase activities showed no clear alterations in livers of treated animals as compared with controls. Glucose-6-phosphatase activity was significantly reduced at 12 + 0 weeks and returned to normal values at 12 + 8 weeks. The activity of glucose-6-phosphate dehydrogenase was unchanged at 12 + 0 weeks, but exhibited a significant increase at 12 + 8 weeks. Polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis with staining of the gels by an assay specific for the glucose-6-phosphate-dehydrogenase-catalysed reaction revealed the same pattern of active bands in treated and untreated animals but with higher activities in two bands originating from extracts of nitrosomorpholine-treated livers.