Diabetes affects similarly the catalytic subunit and putative glucose-6-phosphate translocase of glucose-6-phosphatase

The effect of streptozocin diabetes on the expression of the catalytic subunit (p36) and the putative glucose-6-phosphate translocase (p46) of the glucose-6-phosphatase system (G6Pase) was investigated in rats. In addition to the documented effect of diabetes to increase p36 mRNA and protein in the liver and kidney, a approximately 2-fold increase in the mRNA abundance of p46 was found in liver, kidney, and intestine, and a similar increase was found in the p46 protein level in liver. In HepG2 cells, glucose caused a dose-dependent (1-25 mM) increase (up to 5-fold) in p36 and p46 mRNA and a lesser increase in p46 protein, whereas insulin (1 microM) suppressed p36 mRNA, reduced p46 mRNA level by half, and decreased p46 protein by about 33%. Cyclic AMP (100 microM) increased p36 and p46 mRNA by >2- and 1.5-fold, respectively, but not p46 protein. These data suggest that insulin deficiency and hyperglycemia might each be responsible for up-regulation of G6Pase in diabetes. It is concluded that enhanced hepatic glucose output in insulin-dependent diabetes probably involves dysregulation of both the catalytic subunit and the putative glucose-6-phosphate translocase of the liver G6Pase system.     

Upregulation of hepatic glucose 6-phosphatase gene expression in rats treated with an inhibitor of glucose-6-phosphate translocase

The multicomponent hepatic glucose 6-phosphatase (Glc-6-Pase) system catalyzes the terminal step of hepatic glucose production and plays a key role in the regulation of blood glucose. We used the chlorogenic acid derivative S 3483, a reversible inhibitor of the glucose-6-phosphate (Glc-6-P) translocase component, to demonstrate for the first time upregulation of Glc-6-Pase expression in rat liver in vivo after inhibition of Glc-6-P translocase. In accordance with its mode of action, S 3483-treatment of overnight-fasted rats induced hypoglycemia and increased blood lactate, hepatic Glc-6-P, and glycogen. The metabolic changes were accompanied by rapid and marked increases in Glc-6-Pase mRNA (above 35-fold), protein (about 2-fold), and enzymatic activity (about 2-fold). Maximal mRNA levels were reached after 4 h of treatment. Glycemia, blood lactate, and Glc-6-Pase mRNA levels returned to control values, whereas Glc-6-P and glycogen levels decreased but were still elevated 2 h after S 3483 withdrawal. The capacity for Glc-6-P influx was only marginally increased after 8.5 h of treatment. Prevention of hypoglycemia by euglycemic clamp did not abolish the increase in Glc-6-Pase mRNA induced by S 3483 treatment. A similar pattern of hypoglycemia and possibly of associated counterregulatory responses elicited by treatment with the phosphoenolpyruvate carboxykinase inhibitor 3-mercaptopicolinic acid could account for only a 2-fold induction of Glc-6-Pase mRNA. These findings suggest that the significant upregulation of Glc-6-Pase gene expression observed after treatment of rats in vivo with an inhibitor of Glc-6-P translocase is caused predominantly either by S 3483 per se or by the compound-induced changes of intracellular carbohydrate metabolism.     

The flavonoid silibinin decreases glucose-6-phosphate hydrolysis in perfused rat hepatocytes by an inhibitory effect on glucose-6-phosphatase.

BACKGROUND/AIMS: The flavonoid silibinin has been reported to be beneficial in several hepatic disorders. Recent evidence also suggests that silibinin could be beneficial in the treatment of type 2 diabetes, owing to its anti-hyperglycemic properties. However, the mechanism(s) underlying these metabolic effects remains unknown. METHODS: The effects of silibinin on liver gluconeogenesis were studied by titrating hepatocytes from starved rats with sub-saturating concentrations of various exogenous substrates in a perifusion system. Hepatocytes from fed rats were also used to investigate glycogenolysis from endogenous glycogen. The effect of silibinin on glucose-6-phosphatase kinetics was determined in intact and permeabilized rat liver microsomes. RESULTS: Silibinin induced a dose-dependent inhibition of gluconeogenesis associated with a potent decrease in glucose-6-phosphate hydrolysis. This effect was demonstrated whatever the gluconeogenic substrates used, i.e. dihydroxyacetone, lactate/pyruvate, glycerol and fructose. In addition, silibinin decreased the glucagon-induced stimulation of both gluconeogenesis and glycogenolysis, this being associated with a reduction of glucose-6-phosphate hydrolysis. Silibinin inhibits glucose-6-phosphatase in rat liver microsomes in a concentration-dependent manner that could explain the decrease in glucose-6-phosphate hydrolysis seen in intact cells. CONCLUSION: The inhibitory effect of silibinin on both hepatic glucose-6-phosphatase and gluconeogenesis suggests that its use may be interesting in treatment of type 2 diabetes.     

Pentamidine activates T1 the hepatic microsomal glucose 6-phosphate transport protein of the glucose-6-phosphatase system.

The mechanism of activation of hepatic microsomal glucose-6-phosphatase (EC 3.1.3.9) in vitro by pentamidine has been investigated in both intact and fully disrupted microsomes. The major effect of pentamidine is a 4.7-fold reduction in the Km of glucose-6-phosphatase activity in intact diabetic rat liver microsomes. The site of action of pentamidine is T1 the hepatic microsomal glucose 6-phosphate transport protein. The activation of T1 by pentamidine may contribute to the disturbed blood glucose homeostasis seen in many patients after the administration of the drug pentamidine.     

Type I glycogen storage diseases: disorders of the glucose-6-phosphatase complex

Glycogen storage disease type I (GSD-I) is a group of autosomal recessive disorders with an incidence of 1 in 100,000. The two major subtypes are GSD-Ia (MIM232200), caused by a deficiency of glucose-6-phosphatase (G6Pase), and GSD-Ib (MIM232220), caused by a deficiency in the glucose-6-phosphate transporter (G6PT). Both G6Pase and G6PT are associated with the endoplasmic reticulum (ER) membrane. G6PT translocates glucose-6-phosphate (G6P) from the cytoplasm into the lumen of the ER, where G6Pase hydrolyses the G6P into glucose and phosphate. Together G6Pase and G6PT maintain glucose homeostasis. G6Pase is expressed in gluconeogenic tissues, the liver, kidney, and intestine. However G6PT, which transports G6P efficiently only in the presence of G6Pase, is expressed ubiquitously. This suggests that G6PT may play other roles in tissues lacking G6Pase. Both GSD-Ia and GSD-Ib patients manifest phenotypic G6Pase deficiency, characterized by growth retardation, hypoglycemia, hepatomegaly, nephromegaly, hyperlipidemia, hyperuricemia, and lactic academia and the current treatment is a dietary therapy. GSD-Ib patients also suffer from chronic neutropenia and functional deficiencies of neutrophils and monocytes, which is treated with granulocyte colony stimulating factor to restore myeloid function. The GSD-Ia and GSD-Ib genes have been cloned. To date, 76 G6Pase and 69 G6PT mutations have been identified in GSD-I patients. A database of the residual enzymatic activity retained by the G6Pase missense mutants is facilitating the correlation of the disease phenotype with the patients' genotype. While the molecular basis for the GSD-I disorders are now known and symptomatic therapies are available, many aspects of the diseases are still poorly understood, and there are no cures. Recently developed animal models of the disorders are now being exploited to delineate the disease more precisely and develop new, more causative therapies.     

Comparative reactivity of carbamyl phosphate and glucose 6-phosphate with the glucose-6-phosphatase of intact microsomes

The ability of glucose 6-phosphate and carbamyl phosphate to serve as substrates for glucose-6-phosphatase (D-glucose-6-phosphate phosphohydrolase; EC 3.1.3.9) of intact and disrupted microsomes from rat liver was compared at pH 7.0. Results support carbamyl phosphate and glucose 6-phosphate as effective substrates with both. Km values for carbamyl phosphate and glucose 6-phosphate were greater with intact than with disrupted microsomes, but Vmax values were higher with the latter. The substrate translocase-catalytic unit concept of glucose-6-phosphatase function is thus confirmed. The Km values for 3-O-methyl-D-glucose and D-glucose were larger when determined with intact than with disrupted microsomes. This observation is consistent with the involvement of a translocase specific for hexose substrate as a rate-influencing determinant in phosphotransferase activity of glucose-6-phosphatase.     

Pentamidine activates T1 the hepatic microsomal glucose 6-phosphate transport protein of the glucose-6-phosphatase system

The mechanism of activation of hepatic microsomal glucose-6-phosphatase (EC 3.1.3.9) in vitro by pentamidine has been investigated in both intact and fully disrupted microsomes. The major effect of pentamidine is a 4.7-fold reduction in the K_m of glucose-6-phosphatase activity in intact diabetic rat liver microsomes. The site of action of pentamidine is T₁ the hepatic microsomal glucose 6-phosphate transport protein. The activation of T₁ by pentamidine may contribute to the disturbed blood glucose homeostasis see in many patients after administration of the drug pentamidine.     

Quantitative aspects of relationship between glucose 6-phosphate transport and hydrolysis for liver microsomal glucose-6-phosphatase system. Selective thermal inactivation of catalytic component in situ at acid pH.

Studies of the thermal stability of rat liver glucose-6-phosphatase (EC 3.1.3.9) were carried out to further elevate the proposal that the enzymic activity is the result of the coupling of a glucose-6-P-specific translocase and a nonspecific phosphohydrolase-phosphotransferase. Inactivation was observed when micorsomes were incubated at mild temperatures between pH 6.2 and 5.6. The rate of inactivation increased either with increasing hydrogen ion concentration or temperature. However, no inactivation was seen below 15 degrees in media as low as pH 5 or at neutral pH up to 37 degrees. The thermal stability of the enzyme may be controlled by the physical state of the membrane lipids and the degree of protonation of specific residues in the enzyme protein. Microsomes were exposed to inactivating conditions, and kinetic analyses were made of the glucose-6-P phosphohydrolase activities before and after supplementation to 0.4% sodium taurocholate. The results support the postulate and the kinetic characteristics of a given preparation of intact microsomes are determined by the relative capacities of the transport and catalytic components. Before detergent treatment, inactivation (i.e. a decrease in Vmax) was accompanied by a decrease in Km and a reduction in the fraction of latent activity, whereas only Vmax was depressed in disrupted preparations. The possibility that the inactivating treatments caused concurrent disruption of the microsomal membrane was ruled out. It is concluded that exposures to mild heat in acidic media selectively inactivate the catalytic component of the glucose-6-phosphatase system while preserving an intact permeability barrier and a functional glucose-6-P transport system. Analyses of kinetic data obtained in the present and earlier studies revealed several fundamental mathematical relationships among the kinetic constants describing the glucose-6-P phosphohydrolase activities of intact (i.e. the "system") and disrupted microsomes (i.e. the catalytic component). The quantitative relationships appear to provide a means to calculate a velocity constant (VT) and a half-saturation constant (KT) for glucose-6-P influx. The well documented, differential responses of the rat liver glucose-6-phosphatase system induced by starvation, experimental diabetes, or cortisol administration were analyzed in terms of these relationships. The possible influences of cisternal inorganic phosphate on the apparent kinetic constants of the intact system are discussed.     

Glucose 6-phosphate plays a central role in the activation of glycogen synthase by glucose in hepatocytes

The state of activation of glycogen synthase enhanced by glucose, other sugars and gluconeogenic precursors shows a strong positive correlation with the intracellular concentrations of glucose 6-P when ATP concentrations remain constant. The concentrations of glucose 6-P achieved upon incubation of hepatocytes with glucose plus mannoheptulose, an inhibitor of glucokinase and hexokinase, were lower than those found when the incubation was carried out with glucose alone. Under these conditions, in keeping with the decrease in glucose 6-P, the activation of glycogen synthase by glucose was also impaired. On the other hand the inactivation of glycogen phosphorylase was not altered in the presence of mannoheptulose.     

Overexpression of protein targeting to glycogen in cultured human muscle cells stimulates glycogen synthesis independent of glycogen and glucose 6-phosphate levels

There is growing evidence that glycogen targeting subunits of protein phosphatase-1 play a critical role in regulation of glycogen metabolism. In the current study, we have investigated the effects of adenovirus-mediated overexpression of a specific glycogen targeting subunit known as protein targeting to glycogen (PTG) in cultured human muscle cells. PTG was overexpressed both in muscle cells cultured at high glucose (glycogen replete) or in cells incubated for 18 h in the absence of glucose and then incubated in high glucose (glycogen re-synthesizing). In both glycogen replete and glycogen resynthesizing cells, PTG overexpression caused glycogen to be synthesized at a linear rate 1-5 days after viral treatment, while in cells treated with a virus lacking a cDNA insert (control virus), glycogen content reached a plateau at day 1 with no further increase. In the glycogen replete PTG overexpressing cells, glycogen content was 20 times that in controls at day 5. Furthermore, in cells undergoing glycogen resynthesis, PTG overexpression caused a doubling of the initial rate of glycogen synthesis over the first 24 h relative to cells treated with control virus. In both sets of experiments, the effects of PTG on glycogen synthesis were correlated with a 2-3-fold increase in glycogen synthase activity state, with no changes in glycogen phosphorylase activity. The alterations in glycogen synthase activity were not accompanied by changes in the intracellular concentration of glucose 6-phosphate. We conclude that PTG overexpression activates glycogen synthesis in a glucose 6-phosphate-independent manner in human muscle cells while overriding glycogen-mediated inhibition. Our findings suggest that modulation of PTG expression in muscle may be a mechanism for enhancing muscle glucose disposal and improving glucose tolerance in diabetes.     

Mutations in the glucose-6-phosphate transporter (G6PT) gene in patients with glycogen storage diseases type 1b and 1c.

Glycogen storage diseases type 1 (GSD 1) are a group of autosomal recessive disorders characterized by impairment of terminal steps of glycogenolysis and gluconeogenesis. Mutations of the glucose-6-phosphatase gene are responsible for the most frequent form of GSD 1, the subtype 1a, while mutations of the glucose-6-phosphate transporter gene (G6PT) have recently been shown to cause the non 1a forms of GSD, namely the 1b and 1c subtypes. Here, we report on the analysis by single-stranded conformation polymorphism (SSCP) and/or DNA sequencing of the exons of the G6PT in 14 patients diagnosed either as affected by the GSD 1b or 1c subtypes. Mutations in the G6PT gene were found in all patients. Four of the detected mutations were novel mutations, while the others were previously described. Our results confirm that the GSD 1b and 1c forms are due to mutations in the same gene, i.e. the G6PT gene. We also show that the same kind of mutation can be associated or not with evident clinical complications such as neutrophil impairment. Since no correlation between the type and position of the mutation and the severity of the disease was found, other unknown factors may cause the expression of symptoms, such as neutropenia, which dramatically influence the severity of the disease.     

Prolonged blood glucose reduction in mrp-2 deficient rats (GY/TR(-)) by the glucose-6-phosphate translocase inhibitor S 3025

Chlorogenic acid derivatives are potent inhibitors of hepatic glucose production by inhibition of the glucose-6-phosphate translocase component of the hepatic glucose-6-phosphatase system. The pharmacological proof of concept was clearly demonstrated during i.v. infusion of potent derivatives (S 4048, S 3483) in rats. However, the blood glucose lowering effect of S 4048 after bolus i.v. injection lasted only 60-90 min. Plasma clearance of S 4048 was very high, and the parent compound was rapidly and efficiently excreted into the bile of Wistar and GY/TR(-) rats, indicating that mrp-2 was not involved in this hepatobiliary elimination process. About 72% of the total administered radioactivity appeared in the bile within 20 min after i.v. bolus injection of the radiolabeled analogue [(3)H]S 1743 in a Wistar rat. However, in GY/TR(-) rats the dicarboxylic analogue of S 4048, S 3025, was cleared from the plasma less rapidly than its parent compound and its biliary elimination was comparatively low. In contrast, S 3025 exhibited comparable pharmacokinetics and biliary elimination profile as S 4048 in Wistar rats, suggesting that biliary elimination of S 3025 is facilitated by mrp-2, functionally absent in GY/TR(-) rats. Targeting to mrp-2 resulted in a significantly prolonged reduction of blood glucose levels in GY/TR(-) rats after i.v. bolus administration of S 3025.     

Mutarotase (aldose-1-epimerase) catalyzed anomerization of glucose-6-phosphate

Data obtained by direct polarimetric analysis show that glucose-6-phosphate is a mutarotase (aldose-1-epimerase) substrate; that the enzyme is most active against glucose-6-phosphate at slightly acid pH; and that the monoanion form of glucose-6-phosphate is probably the form involved with mutarotase.