Subcellular responses of hepatocytes to diabetes in control-fed rats

Abstract

The biochemistry and ultrastructure of hepatocytes from streptozotocin-diabetic rats adapted to a controlled feeding schedule are described. The microsomal enzyme glucose-6-phosphatase (G-6-Pase), required for glucose release from the hepatocyte was monitored in homogenate preparations at times after the initiation of feeding in rats trained to a 6 h feeding, 18 h fasting cycle. G-6-Pase specific activity which is increased in ad lib fed diabetic rats was not further increased with time after the initiation of feeding in the feeding trained animals. However, the known elevation in G-6-Pase latent activity of the diabetic rat was reduced during the feeding cycle of times of minimum and maximum plasma glucose. Enzyme latency is a reflection of the multicomponent nature of G-6-Pase activity; therefore, plasma glucose levels may influence elements of that multicomponent system. Hepatic rough and smooth endoplasmic reticulum (RER + SER) fractions from the diabetic animals exhibited high and equivalent G-6-Pase specific activities independent of feeding or fasting. Ultrastructural observations of periportal hepatocytes showed a high content of SER correlated with the high G-6-Pase specific activity and closely associated with dispersed particles of glycogen at all times after the initiation of feeding. Also, an increase in SER was observed in the fasted normal animals although particulate glycogen was nearly absent. These findings support earlier work indicating that diabetes stimulates the proliferation of hepatic SER and that the membranes of this organelle are altered from those of the normal animal.