Effect of phenylpyruvate on pyruvate dehydrogenase activity in rat brain mitochondria

1. The effects of phenylpyruvate, a metabolite produced in phenylketonuria, on the pyruvate dehydrogenase-complex activity were investigated in rat brain mitochondria. 2. Pyruvate dehydrogenase activity was measured by two methods, one measuring the release of (14)CO(2) from [1-(14)C]pyruvate and the other measuring the acetyl-CoA formed by means of the coupling enzyme, pigeon liver arylamine acetyltransferase (EC 2.3.1.5). In neither case was there significant inhibition of the pyruvate dehydrogenase complex by phenylpyruvate at concentrations below 2mm. 3. However, phenylpyruvate acted as a classical competitive inhibitor of the coupling enzyme arylamine acetyltransferase, with a K(i) of 100mum. 4. It was concluded that the inhibition of pyruvate dehydrogenase by phenylpyruvate is unlikely to be a primary enzyme defect in phenylketonuria.     

Age-related changes in activities of hepatic phosphofructokinase, pyruvate kinase and pyruvate dehydrogenase in liver and adipose tissue of the swiss albino mouse

The activities of phosphofructokinase, pyruvate kinase and pyruvate dehydrogenase were examined in liver as a function of age in Swiss albino mice. The hepatic activity of phosphofructokinase and total pyruvate dehydrogenase peaked in mice between 8 and 12 weeks of age and then decreased to a value that remained stable in mature animals older than 24 weeks of age. Yet, the activity of pyruvate kinase and pyruvate dehydrogenase in the active form in liver remained unchanged in mice up to 12 weeks of age. As mice matured, a progressive increase in the activity of both pyruvate kinase and the active form of pyruvate dehydrogenase in liver was observed while phosphofructokinase was unaltered. The pyruvate dehydrogenase complex, both total activity and the proportion of the enzyme in the active form, in the epididymal fat pad of the mouse showed no consistent age trend. The observed increase in the activity of both pyruvate kinase and the active form of pyruvate dehydrogenase should provide an augmented capacity for the generation of acetyl-CoA units for de novo fatty acid synthesis in livers of mature mice.     

Unidirectional actions of insulin and Ca2+-dependent hormones on adipocyte pyruvate dehydrogenase

Norepinephrine and epinephrine, in the presence of the beta-adrenergic antagonist propranolol (10(-5) M), stimulated adipocyte pyruvate dehydrogenase at low concentrations but inhibited the enzyme at higher concentrations. The alpha-adrenergic agonist, phenylephrine, rapidly stimulated pyruvate dehydrogenase activity in a dose-dependent manner with maximal stimulation observed at 10(-6) M. The stimulation of pyruvate dehydrogenase by phenylephrine was mediated via alpha 1-receptors. Inhibition of pyruvate dehydrogenase by catecholamines was mediated via beta-adrenergic receptors, since the beta-agonist, isoproterenol, and dibutyryl cAMP produced similar effects. Like insulin, alpha-adrenergic agonists increased the active form of pyruvate dehydrogenase without changing the total enzyme activity and cellular ATP concentration. The effects induced by maximally effective concentrations of insulin and alpha-adrenergic agonists were nonadditive. The ability of phenylephrine and methoxamine to stimulate pyruvate dehydrogenase and phosphorylase and to inhibit glycogen synthase was not affected by the removal of extracellular Ca2+. Similarly, the stimulation of pyruvate dehydrogenase and glycogen synthase by insulin was also observed under the same conditions. However, when intracellular adipocyte Ca2+ was depleted by incubating cells in a Ca2+-free buffer containing 1 mM ethylene glycol bis(beta-amino-ethyl ether)-N,N,N' -tetraacetic acid, the actions of alpha-adrenergic agonists, but not insulin, on pyruvate dehydrogenase were completely abolished. Vasopressin and angiotensin II also stimulated pyruvate dehydrogenase in a dose-dependent manner with enhancement of glucose oxidation and lipogenesis. Our results demonstrate that the Ca2+ -dependent hormones stimulate pyruvate dehydrogenase and lipogenesis in isolated rat adipocytes, and the action is dependent upon intracellular, but not extracellular, Ca2+.     

Effect of phenylpyruvate on enzymes involved in fatty acid synthesis in rat brain

1. The effects of phenylpyruvate, a metabolite produced in phenylketonuria, on the pyruvate dehydrogenase-complex activity were investigated in rat brain mitochondria. 2. Pyruvate dehydrogenase activity was measured by two methods, one measuring the release of ¹⁴CO₂ from [1-¹⁴C]pyruvate and the other measuring the acetyl-CoA formed by means of the coupling enzyme, pigeon liver arylamine acetyltransferase (EC 2.3.1.5). In neither case was there significant inhibition of the pyruvate dehydrogenase complex by phenylpyruvate at concentrations below 2mm. 3. However, phenylpyruvate acted as a classical competitive inhibitor of the coupling enzyme arylamine acetyltransferase, with a K_i of 100μm. 4. It was concluded that the inhibition of pyruvate dehydrogenase by phenylpyruvate is unlikely to be a primary enzyme defect in phenylketonuria.     

Membrane enzymes associated with the dissimilation of some citric acid cycle substrates and production of extracellular oxidation products in chemostat cultures of Pseudomonas fluorescens

Enzyme activities forming extracellular products from succinate, fumarate, and malate were examined using washed cell suspensions of Pseudomonas fluorescens from chemostat cultures. Membrane-associated enzyme activities (glucose, gluconate, and malate dehydrogenases), producing large accumulations of extracellular oxidation products in carbon-excess environments, have previously been found in P. fluorescens. Investigations carried out here have demonstrated the presence in this microorganism of a malic enzyme activity which produces extracellular pyruvate from malate in carbon-excess environments. Although the three membrane dehydrogenase enzymes decrease significantly in carbon-limited chemostat cultures, malic enzyme activity was found to increase fourfold under these conditions. The regulation of malate dehydrogenase and malic enzyme by malate or succinate was similar. Malate dehydrogenase increased and malic enzyme decreased in carbon-excess cultures. The opposite effect was observed in carbon-limited cultures. When pyruvate or glucose was used as the carbon source, malate dehydrogenase was regulated similarly by the available carbon concentration, but malic enzyme activity producing extracellular pyruvate was not detected. While large accumulations of extracellular oxalacetate and pyruvate were produced in malate-excess cultures, no extracellular oxidation products were detected in succinate-excess cultures. This may be explained by the lack of detectable activity for the conversion of added external succinate to extracellular fumarate and malate in cells from carbon-excess cultures. In cells from carbon-limited (malate or succinate) cultures, very active enzymes for the conversion of succinate to extracellular fumarate and malate were detected. Washed cell suspensions from these carbon-limited cultures rapidly oxidized added succinate to extracellular pyruvate through the sequential action of succinate dehydrogenase, fumarase, and malic enzyme. Succinate dehydrogenase and fumarase activities producing extracellular products were not detected in cells from chemostat cultures using pyruvate or glucose as the carbon source. Uptake activities for succinate, malate, and pyruvate also were found to increase in carbon-limited (malate or succinate) and decrease in carbon-excess cultures. The role of the membrane-associated enzymes forming different pathways for carbon dissimilation in both carbon-limited and carbon-excess environments is discussed.     

Effect of thiamine phosphates on the activity of regulatory enzymes of the pyruvate dehydrogenase complex

The effect of thiamine triphosphate (ThTP) and thiamine diphosphate (ThDP) on the activity of rat liver pyruvate dehydrogenase complex regulatory enzymes (kinase and phosphatase) was studied in experiments with isolated enzyme preparations. It is shown that ThDP caused a pronounced activation of pyruvate dehydrogenase phosphatase (Ka is equal to 65.0 nM). ThTP inhibits phosphatase competitively against the substrate--the phosphorylated pyruvate dehydrogenase complex. The both thiamine phosphates inhibit the pyruvate dehydrogenase kinase activity almost similarly in concentrations exceeding 10 microM. The physiological significance of the antagonistic action of ThDP and ThTP on the pyruvate dehydrogenase phosphatase activity is discussed.     

Calcitonin increases pyruvate carboxylase activity in hepatic mitochondria of rats

The effect of calcitonin (CT) on calcium content and enzyme activity in the hepatic mitochondria of intact rats was investigated. A single subcutaneous administration of CT (80 MRC mU/100 g BW) produced a significant increase in the content of calcium, the activity of pyruvate carboxylase, succinate dehydrogenase and ATPase 15 min after the hormone treatment. The significant increases in calcium content and pyruvate carboxylase activity were also observed 30 min after CT administration, while succinate dehydrogenase and ATPase activity began to decrease. A physiological dose of CT (20 MRC mU/100 g BW) caused a marked increase in calcium content and pyruvate carboxylase activity but not succinate dehydrogenase of ATPase-activity. The removal of calcium by 10 mM EGTA washing of the mitochondria produced a remarkable reduction in pyruvate carboxylase activity increased by CT administration. The addition of calcium ion of 2.5 x 10(-2) - 2.5 x 10(1) nmoles Ca2+ per mg mitochondrial protein produced a marked increase in pyruvate carboxylase activity. The present results suggest that calcium taken up by the hepatic mitochondria after CT administration activates pyruvate carboxylase.     

Glucose metabolism in perfused skeletal muscle. Pyruvate dehydrogenase activity in starvation, diabetes and exercise.

1. The interconversion of pyruvate dehydrogenase between its inactive phosphorylated and active dephosphorylated forms was studied in skeletal muscle. 2. Exercise, induced by electrical stimulation of the sciatic nerve (5/s), increased the measured activity of (active) pyruvate dehydrogenase threefold in intact anaesthetized rated within 2 min. No further increase was seen after 15 min of stimulation. 3. In the perfused rat hindquarter, (active) pyruvate dehydrogenase activity was decreased by 50% in muscle of starved and diabetic rats. Exercise produced a twofold increase in its activity in all groups; however, the relative differences between fed, starved and diabetic groups persisted. 4. Perfusion of muslce with acetoacetate (2 mM) decreased (active) pyruvate dehydrogenase activity by 50% at rest but not during exercise. 5. Whole-tissue concentrations of pyruvate and citrate, inhibitors of (active) pyruvate dehydrogenase kinase and (inactive) pyruvate dehydrogenase phosphate phosphatase respectively, were not altered by excerise. A decrease in the ATP/ADP ratio was observed, but did not appear to be sufficient to account for the increase in (active) pyruvate dehydrogenase activity. 6. The results suggest that interconversion of the phosphorylated and dephosphorylated forms of pyruvate dehydrogenase plays a major role in the regulation of pyruvate oxidation by eomparison of enzyme activity with measurements of lactate oxidation in the perfused hindquarter [see the preceding paper, Berger et al. (1976)] suggest that pyruvate oxidation is also modulated by the concentrations of substrates, cofactors and inhibitors of (active) pyruvate dehydrogenase activity.     

Action of degradative enzymes on the light fraction of bovine septa protein polysaccharide

1. The administration of cortisol and of other glucocorticoid steroids to starved mice produced an increase in liver glycogen content, an elevation of glycogen-synthetase activity and a predominantly particulate localization of both phosphorylase and glycogen-synthetase enzymes. 2. Three daily doses of actinomycin D caused a marked glycogen depletion, a significant decrease in glycogen-synthetase activity, the solubilization of phosphorylase and glycogen synthetase and the following effects on the activities of various other enzymes: a decrease in UDP-glucose pyrophosphorylase and phosphoglucomutase, an increase in glucose 6-phosphate dehydrogenase and no change in glucose 6-phosphatase, 6-phosphogluconate dehydrogenase, pyruvate kinase and UDP-glucose dehydrogenase. 3. Glucose ingestion, but not cortisol administration, reversed the effects of actinomycin D on liver glycogen content and on the activities of phosphorylase and glycogen synthetase.     

Effect of chronic ethanol or acetaldehyde on hepatic alcohol and aldehyde dehydrogenases, aminotransferases and glutamate dehydrogenase

Ethanol or acetaldehyde orally administered (15% and 2% respectively in drinking water) to male Wistar rats for three months induced alterations in the main liver enzymes responsible for ethanol metabolism, aspartate and alanine aminotransferases and NAD glutamate dehydrogenase. Ethanol produced a significant decrease in the activity of soluble alcohol dehydrogenase, while acetaldehyde induced alterations both in soluble and mitochondrial aldehyde dehydrogenases: soluble activity was significantly higher than in the control and ethanol-treated groups, and mitochondrial activity was significantly diminished. Both soluble aspartate and alanine aminotransferases showed pronounced increases by the chronic effect of acetaldehyde, while mitochondrial activities were practically unchanged by the effect of ethanol or acetaldehyde. Mitochondrial NAD glutamate dehydrogenase showed a rise in its activity both by the effect of chronic ethanol and acetaldehyde consumption. The level of metabolites assayed in liver extracts showed marked differences between ethanol and acetaldehyde treatment which indicates that ethanol produced a remarkable increase in glutamate, aspartate and free ammonia together with marked decrease in pyruvate and 2-oxoglutarate concentrations. Acetaldehyde consumption induced a significant decrease in 2-oxoglutarate and pyruvate concentrations. These observations suggest that ethanol has an important effect on the urea cycle enzymes, while the effect of acetaldehyde contributes to the impairment of the citric acid cycle.     

Carbohydrate metabolism of goldfish (Carassius auratus L.)

Summary The effect of hypoxia was studied in cold (15°C) and warm (30°C) acclimated goldfish. The hypoxic thresholds, defined as the lowest sustainablePO₂ were found to be 1.6 and 4.0 kPa O₂ at, respectively, 15°C and 30°C. At these levels the fish did not loose either weight or appetite over a 2-months period. While during starvation under normonic conditions a significant weight loss and breakdown of lactate dehydrogenase (90%) was observed, no such changes were found in fed hypoxic animals. In red lateral muscle, white epaxial muscle and liver of goldfish from 4 differently acclimated groups the maximal activities were measured of: glycogen phosphorylase, hexokinase, malate dehydrogenase, glycerol-3-P dehydrogenase, glucose-6-P dehydrogenase, malic enzyme, succinate oxidase, pyruvate carboxylase, phosphoenol-pyruvate carboxykinase, fructose-bisphosphatase and glucose-6-phosphatase. Thermal compensation, according to Precht's typology, was predominantly observed in red muscle and to a lesser extent in white muscle. The liver glucose-6-P dehydrogenase showed a strong inverse response, which points to enhanced synthetic activity at the higher temperature. Hypoxia acclimation exerted weaker responses at 15°C than at 30°C. Changes in liver enzyme activities suggest depressed protein synthesis and enhanced gluconeogenesis in hypoxic animals. In muscle of 30°C-acclimated goldfish hypoxia induces a significant increase of succinate oxidase activity, indicating adaptation of the aerobic energy metabolism. The occurrence of pyruvate carboxylase, never before observed in vertebrate muscle, probably plays an important role in pyruvate catabolism. Because its action produces oxalo-acetate, the enzyme may stimulate pyruvate oxidation and thus prevent early lactate accumulation. Since all gluconeogenic enzymes were shown to be active in goldfish muscle, the possible occurrence of gluconeogenesis in muscle (albeit at low rate) must be accepted. Enzyme activities in goldfish muscle were compared with literature data for a number of other fish species. This comparison indicates that maximal glycolytic flux in goldfish muscle tissue is rather low, although muscular glycogen levels are very high. It is suggested that this is part of the gold-fish's strategy to cope with hypoxia.     

Effect of thyroidectomy on testicular enzymes of the pyruvate/malate cycle involved in lipogenesis

The specific activities of testicular enzymes of the pyruvate/malate cycle involved in lipogenesis after thyroidectomy and thyroxine replacement were studied in prepubertal, pubertal and adult rats. Thyroidectomy induced testicular ATP citrate-lyase, malate dehydrogenase and malic enzyme activities and inhibited isocitrate dehydrogenase (NADP⁺) activity. Thyroxine treatment on thyroidectomized animals reverted all enzyme activities to normal. The result suggests that thyroid hormones have a differential effects on testicular enzymes of the pyruvate/malate cycle involved in lipogenesis.     

Enzyme changes associated with mitoichondrial malic enzyme deficiency in mice

A genetically determined absence of mitochondrial malic enzyme (EC 1.1.1.40) in c3H/c6H mice is accompanied by a four-fold increase in liver glucose-6-phosphate dehydrogenase and a two-fold increase for 6-phosphogluconate dehydrogenase activity. Smaller increases in the activity of serine dehydratase and glutamic oxaloacetic transaminase are observed while the level of glutamic pyruvate transaminase activity is reduced in the liver of deficient mice. Unexpectedly, the level of activity of total malic enzyme in the livers of mitochondrial malic enzyme-deficient mice is increased approximately 50% compared to littermate controls. No similar increase in soluble malic enzyme activity is observed in heart of kidney tissue of mutant mice and the levels of total malic enzyme in these tissues are in accord with expected levels of activity in mitochondrial malic enzyme-deficient mice. The divergence in levels of enzyme activity between mutant and wild-type mice begins at 19--21 days of age. Immunoinactivation experiments with monospecific antisera to the soluble malic enzyme and glucose-6-phosphate dehydrogenase demonstrate that the activity increases represent increases in the amount of enzyme protein. The alterations are not consistent with a single hormonal response.     

Cytophotometric analysis of reaction rates of succinate and lactate dehydrogenase activity in rat liver, heart muscle and tracheal epithelium

Reaction rates of succinate and lactate dehydrogenase activity in cryostat sections of rat liver, tracheal epithelium and heart muscle were monitored by continuous measurement of formazan formation by cytophotometry at room temperature. Incubation media contained polyvinyl alcohol as tissue protectant and Tetranitro BT as final electron acceptor. Control media lacked either substrate or substrate and coenzyme. Controls were also performed by adding malonate (a competitive inhibitor of succinate dehydrogenase), pyruvate (a non-competitive inhibitor of lactate dehydrogenase), oxalate (a competitive inhibitor of lactate dehydrogenase) or N-ethylmaleimide (a blocker of SH groups). A specific malonate-sensitive linear test minus control response for succinate dehydrogenase activity was obtained in liver (1.6 mumol H2cm-3 min-1) and tracheal epithelium (0.8 mumol H2cm-3 min-1) but not in heart muscle. All variations in the incubation conditions tested did not result in a linear test minus control response in the latter tissue. Because the reaction was sensitive to malonate, it was concluded that the initial reaction rate was the specific rate of succinate dehydrogenase activity in heart muscle (9.1 mumol H2 cm-3 min-1). Test minus control reactions for lactate dehydrogenase activity were distinctly non-linear for all tissues tested. This appeared to be due to product inhibition by pyruvate generated during the reaction and therefore it was concluded that the appropriate control reaction was the test reaction in the presence of 20 mM pyruvate. The initial rate of the test minus this control was the true rate of lactate dehydrogenase activity. The lactate dehydrogenase activity thus found in liver parenchyma was 5.0 mumol of H2 generated per cm3 liver tissue per min.     

Effect of chorionic gonadotropin, triamcinolone, progesterone and estrogen on enzymes of placenta and liver in rats

The activity of several enzymes of regulatory importance for the pathways of glycolysis, gluconeogenesis and lipogenesis was investigated in the placenta and liver of pregnant rats and in the liver of non-pregnant female rats. The rats received daily hormonal treatments on Days 15 to 17 of pregnancy and enzyme activities were measured on Day 18. Chorionic gonadotropin induced minor changes in enzyme activity, apart from a decrease in the activity of hepatic enzymes of lipogenesis in non-pregnant rats. Triamcinolone induced a marked increase in enzymes of gluconeogenesis and a decrease in the activity of pyruvate k kinase in the liver of pregnant and non-pregnant rats; in contrast, inverse changes in activity, these enzymes were observed in the placenta. This response in the placenta was considered to arise not from direct hormone effect, but from the accompanying hyperglycemia and hyperinsulinemia. Triamcinolone also increased the activity of hepatic acetyl-CoA carboxylase in pregnant and non-pregnant rats, whereas it reduced the activity of this enzyme in the placent. Estrogen produced changes similar to those of triamcinolone in the liver and placenta, except that it depressed the activity of acetyl-CoA carboxylase in both tissues. Progesterone had little effect on placental and hepatic enzymes. In general, the changes induced by these hormones in the placenta affected fewer enzymes than in the liver, were less extensive in magnitude and not necessarily in the same direction as in the liver. This indicates that the regulatory placental enzymes are subject to specific control mechanisms not necessarily influenced by direct hormone action.     

Effect of streptozotocin-induced diabetes mellitus on the turnover of rat liver pyruvate carboxylase and pyruvate dehydrogenase.

Immunochemical techniques were used to study the effect of streptozotocin-induced diabetes on the amounts of pyruvate carboxylase and pyruvate dehydrogenase and on their rates of synthesis and degradation. Livers from diabetic rats had twice the pyruvate carboxylase activity of livers from normal rats when expressed in terms of DNA or body weight. The changes in catalytic activity closely paralleled changes in immunoprecipitable enzyme protein. Relative rates of synthesis determined by pulse-labelling studies showed that the ratio of synthesis of pyruvate carboxylase to that of average mitochondrial protein was increased 2.0-2.5 times in diabetic animals over that of control animals. Other radioisotopic studies indicated that the rate of degradation of this enzyme was not altered significantly in diabetic rats, suggesting that the increase in this enzyme was due to an increased rate of synthesis. Similar experiments with pyruvate dehydrogenase, the first component of the pyruvate dehydrogenase complex, showed that livers from diabetic rats had approximately the same amount of immunoprecipitable enzyme protein as the control animals, but a larger proportion of the enzyme was in its inactive state. The rates of synthesis and degradation of pyruvate dehydrogenase were not affected significantly by diabetes.     

Inhibition of key enzymes of carbohydrate metabolism in regenerating mouse liver by ascorbic acid.

The effect of ascorbic acid on the key enzymes of carbohydrate metabolism e.g. hexokinases, phosphofructokinase, pyruvate kinase, lactate dehydrogenase, glucose-6-phosphate dehydrogenase and malic enzyme was determined in regenerating mouse liver. All the enzymes showed a significant increase in the activity during regeneration. Ascorbic acid reduced the activities of the enzymes in regenerating liver. A decrease in liver weight in ascorbic acid treated animals may be correlated with its effect on these enzymes as glycolytic pathway is the main source of energy required by the dividing cells.     

The regulation of pyruvate oxidation during membrane depolarization of rat brain synaptosomes.

Studies were performed to elucidate factors involved in the regulation of pyruvate dehydrogenase activity in rat brain synaptosomes during membrane depolarization. Addition of 24 mM-KCl to synaptosomes resulted in increases in rates of O2 consumption (90%) and [1-(14)C]pyruvate decarboxylation (85%) and in the active/total ratio of extractable pyruvate dehydrogenase (90--100%) within 10 s. Neither pyruvate (10 mM) nor dichloroacetate (10 mM) affected the activation state of the enzyme complex. Also, the activation state of pyruvate dehydrogenase was unaffected by addition of 1 mM-octanoate, L-(--)-carnitine, 3-hydroxybutyrate, glutamate, citrate, lactate, L-malate, acetate, acetaldehyde or ethanol. Removal of Ca2+ by using EGTA lowered the active/total ratio to about 70%, although the rate of O2 consumption and pyruvate decarboxylation was unaffected. Rates of pyruvate decarboxylation in the presence of carbonyl cyanide p-trifluoromethoxyphenylhydrazone in the presence and absence of NaF and EGTA demonstrated a linear correlation with changes in the activity of the enzyme complex. This observation indicated that a change in the activation state of pyruvate dehydrogenase from 90 to 100% active could result in a 27% increase in the rate of pyruvate decarboxylation. It is suggested that the pyruvate dehydrogenase complex is an important site for the regulation of substrate utilization in rat brain synaptosomes. Further, the phosphorylation/dephosphorylation system and direct feedback-inhibitory effects on the enzyme complex both play a significant role in rapidly adapting pyruvate decarboxylation to changes in the requirements for mitochondrial energy production.     

Effects of fasting on the control of fatty-acid synthesis in hepatoma 7777 and host liver. Role of long-chain fatty acyl-CoA,, the mitochondrial citrate transporter and pyruvate dehydrogenase activity.

The effects of fasting on the rate of fatty acid synthesis, the properties of the mitochondrial citrate transporter and on pyruvate dehydrogenase activity were investigated in "poorly-differentiated" tmorris hepatoma 7777 and in host liver preparations. The properties of the citrate transporter from hepatoma mitochondria were similar to those of host liver mitochondria, with the exception that the Km for the liver mitochondrial citrate transporter was 248 plus or minus 20 mu M while that in hepatoma mitochondria was less than 75 mu M. The acid-insoluble CoA content was 180 plus or minus 20 pmol/mg protein in the hepatoma and remained essentially unchanged in the fasted state, while the acid-insoluble CoA levels in livers from fed rats was 720 plus or minus 80 pmol/mg protein and were increased to 1050 plus or minus 50 pmol/mg protein during fasting. After a 36-h fast, the rate of lipogenesis and the percentage of pyruvate dehydrogenase present in the active form were each decreased by approximately 80% in host liver preparations. In contrast, the rate of lipogenesis by hepatoma slices did not decrease during fasting, and essentially all pyruvate dehydrogenase present was in the active form of hepatomas obtained from either fed or fasted animals. Implications concerning the identification of possible regulatory sites in the control of lipogenesis were discussed in relation to the above observations.