Glycogen synthesis from glucose by direct and indirect pathways in hepatocyte cultures from different nutritional states.

The conversion of glucose to glycogen by direct and indirect pathways was determined from the incorporation of [6-3H,U-14C]glucose into glycogen in hepatocyte cultures isolated from fed, fasted or fasted-refed rats. Mercaptopicolinate, an inhibitor of phosphoenolpyruvate carboxykinase (PEPCK) was used to determine the extent by which 6-tritium is lost by mechanisms not involving flux through PEPCK. Glucose conversion to glycogen was lower in hepatocytes from fasted and higher in hepatocytes from fasted-refed rats than in hepatocytes from rats fed ad libitum. Insulin increased glycogen synthesis in hepatocytes from all nutritional states, and it decreased the 3H/14C ratio incorporated into glycogen. This increased loss of 6-tritium was only in part mercaptopicolinate-sensitive. Lactate and pyruvate (2 mM + 0.2 mM) increased glycogen deposition, largely by stimulation of glucose conversion to glycogen by the direct pathway. Insulin-induced glucokinase mRNA expression was higher in hepatocytes from fed than from fasted or refed rats whereas PEPCK mRNA expression was lowest in hepatocytes from fasted-refed rats. Hepatocyte cultures derived from different nutritional states express differences in glycogen synthesis from glucose by direct and indirect pathways as well as differences in the extent by which pyruvate cycling accounts for loss of 6-tritium.