The characteristics and site of inhibition of gluconeogenesis in rat liver cells by bacterial endotoxin. Stimulation of phosphofructokinase-1.

The characteristics and site of inhibition of gluconeogenesis by endotoxin were investigated in liver cells isolated from control and endotoxin-treated rats. Endotoxin treatment was associated with inhibition (40-50%) of gluconeogenesis from lactate plus pyruvate over a range of concentrations of substrate and of oleate and with or without glucose or glucagon. Similar inhibition was observed with asparagine, proline, glutamine, alanine and a substrate mixture, but not with glycerol, glyceraldehyde, dihydroxyacetone or endogenous substrates. There was no change in cellular ATP content or in the rates of ketogenesis or ureogenesis from asparagine, proline or glutamine. Other effects on isotopic fluxes, metabolite contents, enzyme activities and control coefficients were consistent with the suggestion that the effects of endotoxin on gluconeogenesis are exerted at the level of phosphofructokinase-1, and not at phosphoenolpyruvate carboxykinase, pyruvate kinase, pyruvate carboxylase or glucokinase.