The effect of streptozotocin-induced diabetes on hepatic hexose transport

3-O-methyl-D-glucose (which is not metabolized in isolated parenchymal cells) was used to characterize the hexose transport process in hepatocytes prepared from 24 h fasted rats. The Vmax and Km obtained were 161 +/- 12 nmol/mg dry wt./min and 39 +/- 4 mM respectively (Europe-Finner GN, 1984, Biosci. Rep. 4, 483-489). Streptozotocin-induced diabetes decreased the Km of the system by 50% to a value of 19 +/- 6 mM without causing any change in the Vmax. Short term insulin treatment of cells prepared from 24 h diabetic rats appeared to partially return the system to normal.