Abstract
Fetal and maternal sheep were studied to determine whether changes in gluconeogenic enzyme activities could be detected in the liver and/or kidney associated with nutritional deprivation. Thirteen ewes and 16 fetuses were sacrificed in the fed state while 13 ewes with 17 fetuses were sacrificed after five days of fasting, all at 125 days gestation (term = 147 days). Fetal weight was decreased in the fasted versus fed group (2.86 ± .56 versus 3.61 ± .58 kg, p <.001). Weights of fetal liver (66 ± 16 versus 105 ± 27 gm), fetal kidney (9.3 ± 1.9 versus 12.4 ± 1.9 gm) and maternal kidney (74.9 ± 8.3 versus 88.0 ± 9.3 gm) were all significantly decreased with fasting (p < .001). Tissues were analyzed for glucose-6-phosphatase (G-6-P), fructose-1, 6-diphosphatase (FDP), glutamate-oxaloacetate aminotransferase (GOT) and glutamate-pyruvate aminotransferase (GPT). In both fetus and mother, G-6-P and FDP were increased during fasting when measured per gm liver tissue and per mg protein (p <.001). GOT and GPT were also increased in fetal liver but not in kidney with fasting. However, activities of the enzymes per whole fetal liver or kidney were not different between fed and fasted states. Therefore, although gluconeogenic enzyme activities increased in relative activity per unit weight in fetal tissues during fasting, total enzyme activity is unchanged due to a decrease in liver and kidney mass.
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Lemons, J., Moorehead, H., Reyman, D. et al. 1226 THE EFFECT OF FASTING ON OVINE FETAL AND MATERNAL GLUCONEOGENIC ENZYMES. Pediatr Res 19, 315 (1985). https://doi.org/10.1203/00006450-198504000-01256
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1203/00006450-198504000-01256