Lipid and fatty acid composition of brush border membrane of rat intestine during starvation

Alterations in the lipid and fatty acid composition of brush border membrane (BBM) of small intestine were studied in well-fed, starved, and refed rats. The ratios of cholesterol/phospholipid (mol/mol), sphingomyelin/phosphatidylcholine (mol/mol), protein/lipid (w/w), and free fatty acids (w/w) decreased whereas the total phospholipid (w/w) ratio and the double-bond index increased in BBM of the intestine of the starved rat compared to that of the well-fed rat. Analyses of fatty acids showed higher percentage of stearic and arachidonic acids whereas oleic and linoleic acids decreased under starvation. The acyl chain of starved rat BBM was less ordered compared with that of well-fed rat BBM. On refeeding, these changes were restored to well-fed levels. The change in membrane state under starvation is associated with alterations in the lipid and fatty acid composition of BBM and may be responsible for functional changes that occur under nutritional stress.     

In vitro metabolism of nicotine in liver of ageing mice

14-C-nicotine was incubated with 10000 X g supernatant fraction of liver homogenate from female mice (C3H/TIF/BOM) 2, 12 and 18 months old. The rate of metabolism was measured by the determination of the oxidative nicotine metabolite continine and by determining the disappearance of nicotine. No significant changes between different ages were found either in the continine formation or the rate of disappearance of nicotine.     

Enzymatic hydrolysis of anchovy oil: production of glycerides enriched in polyunsaturated fatty acids

In an attempt to produce the polyunsaturated fatty acid (PUFA)-enriched glycerides, commercially available Turkish anchovy oil (PUFA content of 27%), was hydrolyzed with 1,3-specific Rhizomucor miehei lipase. After the hydrolysis, the triglyceride (TG), diglyceride (DG), monoglyceride (MG), and free fatty acid (FFA) composition of the reaction mixture was determined, and fatty acid components of these fractions were analyzed. R. miehei lipase released PUFA extremely slowly, resulting in their accumulation in the TG and DG fractions, especially in TG. The PUFA content in the glyceride mixture (including TG, DG, and MG) increased as hydrolysis progressed. The effects of operational parameters (pH, temperature, time, and enzyme concentration) on the extent of hydrolysis were investigated. Based on these results, optimal reaction conditions were established. At optimal conditions (pH 4.0, 35 degrees C, 3 h, and enzyme concentration of 500 U/g oil), the level of PUFA in the glyceride mixture was raised to 40%. The individual TG and DG fractions contained 45 and 30% PUFA, respectively. Less than 2% of the total PUFA was lost in the FFA fraction.     

Effect of prolonged starvation on the activities of malic enzyme and acetylcholinesterase in tissues of Japanese quail

During starvation muscle protein degradation is increased but the mechanism for this is uncertain. In this study Japanese quail were starved for 5 days and the activities of malic enzyme and acetylcholinesterase were determined in various tissues. SDS-polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis showed that the soluble proteins with molecular weights corresponding to 160, 120, 108, 99 and 38 kDa were absent in the liver of the starved group. In the pectoral muscle the soluble proteins with molecular weights corresponding to 69, 41 and 34 kDa were missing. The activity of malic enzyme in the liver, heart and pectoral muscle of the starved group decreased markedly whereas that of acetylcholinesterase increased markedly in the pectoral muscle (P < 0.005). It is concluded that in prolonged starvation acetylcholinesterase synthesis may be induced in tissues being subjected to protein catabolism and that this enzyme may be involved as a protease in protein degradation.     

Weanling and adult rats differ in fatty acid and carnitine metabolism during sepsis

Increased oxidation of fat is an important host response to sepsis, and carnitine is essential for long-chain fatty acid oxidation. Because neonates have low levels of carnitine, their ability to respond to a septic insult may be impaired. The purpose of this study was to compare fatty acid and carnitine metabolism in septic weanling (60 to 85 g) and septic adult (285 to 310 g) rats. Sepsis was induced in weanling and adult male Sprague-Dawley rats by cecal ligation and puncture (CLP). The rats were killed 16 hours after CLP or sham operation, and serum glucose, lactate, beta-hydroxybutyrate, fatty acid, carnitine, liver fatty acid, and tissue carnitine levels were measured. The data suggest that during sepsis weanling rats may be more dependent on fatty acid oxidation than adult rats are, as evidenced by their elevated serum fatty acid and acylcarnitine levels, and relative hypoglycemia and hyperketonemia. In addition, although total serum carnitine levels were increased in both adult and weanling septic rats, tissue carnitine levels of weanling rats became significantly depleted during sepsis, unlike in adult rats. This study supports further investigation regarding the role of exogenous carnitine in newborn sepsis.     

Glucose production and gluconeogenesis in postabsorptive and starved normal and streptozotocin-diabetic rats

Using a 3-hour primed-continuous infusion of [3-3H]glucose and [2-13C]glycerol, we measured glucose production, gluconeogenesis from glycerol, and total gluconeogenesis (using mass isotopomer distribution analysis [MIDA] of glucose) in postabsorptive and starved normal and streptozotocin-diabetic rats. In normal rats, 48 hours of starvation increased (P < .01) the percent contribution of both gluconeogenesis from glycerol (from 14.4% +/- 1.8% to 25.5% +/- 4.0%) and total gluconeogenesis (from 52.2% +/- 3.9% to 89.8% +/- 1.3%) to glucose production, but the absolute gluconeogenic fluxes were not modified, since glucose production decreased. Diabetic rats showed increased glucose production in the postabsorptive state; this decreased with starvation and was comparable to the of controls after 48 hours of starvation. Gluconeogenesis was increased in postabsorptive diabetic rats (69.0% +/- 1.3%, P < .05 v controls). Surprisingly, this contribution of gluconeogenesis to glucose production was not found to be increased in 24-hour starved diabetic rats (64.4% +/- 2.4%). These rats had significant liver glycogen stores, but gluconeogenesis was also low (42.8% +/- 2.1%) in 48-hour starved diabetic rats deprived of glycogen stores. Moreover, in 24-hour starved diabetic rats infused with [3-13C]lactate, gluconeogenesis was 100% when determined by comparing circulating glucose and liver pyruvate enrichment, but only 47% +/- 3% when calculated from the MIDA of glucose. Therefore, MIDA is not a valid method to measure gluconeogenesis in starved diabetic rats. This was not explained by differences in the labeling of liver and kidney triose phosphates: functional nephrectomy of starved diabetic rats decreased glucose production, but gluconeogenesis calculated by the MIDA method was only 48% +/- 3.3%. We conclude that (1) diabetic rats have increased glucose production and gluconeogenesis in the postabsorptive state; (2) starvation decreases glucose production and increases the contribution of gluconeogenesis, but MIDA is not an appropriate method in this situation; and (3) the kidneys contribute to glucose production in starved diabetic rats.     

Dietary nucleotides correct plasma and liver microsomal fatty acid alterations in rats with liver cirrhosis induced by oral intake of thioacetamide

BACKGROUND/AIMS: Dietary nucleotides modulate a number of metabolic processes, including long-chain polyunsaturated fatty acid metabolism. In this study, we evaluated the effect of dietary nucleotides on plasma and liver microsomal fatty acid profiles in a rat model of liver cirrhosis induced by oral intake of thioacetamide. METHODS: Fifty-four female Wistar rats were assigned to one of the following groups: rats in the thioacetamide group (n=45) were given 300 mg thioacetamide/l in their drinking water for 4 months, and rats in the control group (n=9) received water during the same period. After 4 months of treatment, 9 rats in each group were killed. The remaining rats in the thioacetamide group were divided into two new groups, and the animals in each were allowed to recover for 1 or 2 weeks on either a nucleotide-free diet or the same diet supplemented with 50 mg of each of the following: AMP, GMP, CMP, IMP and UMP per 100 g diet. RESULTS: Saturated (mainly stearic acid), monounsaturated, and n-6 long-chain polyunsaturated fatty acids (mainly arachidonic acid), and also the unsaturation index decreased in plasma of rats with experimental cirrhosis. Administration of the diet supplemented with nucleotides to thioacetamide-treated rats corrected plasma levels of saturated, n-6 long-chain polyunsaturated fatty acids and the unsaturation index. In liver microsomes, the cirrhotic rats showed lower levels of protein and higher levels of palmitic, oleic, linoleic and arachidonic acids. Protein concentrations and levels of all the above-mentioned fatty acids were corrected with the nucleotide-enriched diet. CONCLUSIONS: Dietary nucleotides contribute to correcting plasma and liver microsomal fatty acid alterations in rats with liver cirrhosis induced by chronic oral administration of thioacetamide.     

Elongation of (omega-14C)oleic acid and (omega-14C)nervonic acid

During feeding experiments with [omega-14C]oleic acid and [omega-14c]nervonic acid to adult rats, 14C-labelled C26, C28 and C30 fatty acids were recovered from the intestinal mucosa, liver, plasma, kidney and stools. The structures of these fatty acids were determined by g.l.c., radio-g.l.c. and mass spectrometry. The Schmidt and Ginger degradation methods indicated that most of the 14C found in these extra-long fatty acids remained in the omega position. These radioactive extra-long fatty acids were found mainly in the polar lipids of rats killed 3 or 15 h after being fed on labelled oleic acid or nervonic acid. Rats killed 63 h later yielded only traces of these extra-long fatty acids. When the rats were given antibiotics or received the same radioactive fatty acids by intravenous injection, the labelled extra-long fatty acids could not be detected in any of the tissues. We conclude that they were probably synthesized by elongation of oleic acid and nervonic acid by intestinal micro-organisms (probably yeasts) and then absorbed by the intestinal mucosa.     

Evaluation of a video-supplement to informed consent: injection drug users and preventive HIV vaccine efficacy trials

In rats injected with bacterial lipopolysaccharide (LPS; 5 gamma mg/g body weight [BWT]), the toxin provokes death within 24 h in 23% of the animals and, in surviving rats, causes a decrease in BWT, hyperlactacidemia, hyperlipacidemia, and hyperketonemia, as well as depletion of both liver and muscle glycogen content. In the liver, LPS severely lowers the ATP and total adenine nucleotide content, ATP/ADP ratio, and adenylate charge. In hepatocytes from LPS-injected rats, the oxidation of D-glucose is first increased 2 h after administration of the toxin, despite close-to-normal phosphorylation of the hexose. In hepatocytes prepared from rats killed 24 h after injection of LPS, the phosphorylation of D-glucose, its incorporation into glycogen, and its oxidation are all severely impaired. This sequence of changes, which coincides with a decreased ratio between pyruvate and lactate production from exogenous D-glucose, is comparable to that found with agents that uncouple oxidative phosphorylation. The injection of LPS also alters the metabolic response of hepatocytes to the dimethyl ester of succinic acid (SAD), in terms, for instance, of the sparing action of the ester upon both the production of 14CO2 by hepatocytes prelabeled with L-[U-14C] glutamine and the output of NH4+, and its inhibitory action on glycogenolysis and futile cycling in the reactions catalyzed by glucokinase and glucose-6-phosphatase. Nevertheless, the infusion of SAD protects the rats against the deleterious effect of LPS upon such variables as the plasma concentration of free fatty acids and beta-hydroxybutyrate, the liver ATP content, and the oxidation of D-glucose, as well as the pyruvate/lactate ratio, in hepatocytes prepared from the LPS-injected rats. The infusion of SAD also virtually suppresses lethality in the LPS-injected animals. It is proposed, therefore, that the infusion of succinic acid esters may represent a novel therapeutic approach in endotoxemia and multiple-organ failure.     

Liver and heart mitochondrial succinate dehydrogenase activity of newborn rats in anoxic hypoxia and starvation

Succinate dehydrogenase activity was determined in the liver and heart of newborn rats after 3 and 48 hours' exposure to anoxic hypoxia (10% O2) and after 48 hours' starvation. Control determinations were made on newborn animals of corresponding ages, full term foetuses (21 days), infantile (1 and 2 weeks) and full grown animals. Hypoxia for 3 h had no influence on succinate dehydrogenase activity at all in either the heart or liver mitochondria of the newborn animals. After 48 h no difference was observed in the liver between the hypoxic animals and the starved controls of the same age, though starvation itself had resulted in a significant increase in activity, as much as 42%. When liver mitochondrial succinate dehydrogenase in normal mitochondria was activated by preincubation mitochondria with the substrate, the activity increase obtained was greater than that resulting from starvation. The increase in activity in the heart of the hypoxic or starved animals was not significant (less than 10%).     

Endometrial carcinoma of prostatic utricle with osseous metastases

The authors studied in rats the effect of starving from 24 to 96 hours after a regimen of single or all-day feeding. They determined in liver homogenate the total activities of beta-N-acetyl glucosaminidase, acid phosphatase and beta-glucuronidase as well as the free activities of the two first-mentioned enzymes. The activity of beta-N-acetyl glucosaminidase was also determined in the blood. It was found that the total activity of beta-N-acetyl glucosaminidase in the liver homogenate increased with the length of starvation. The free and serum activities of the enzymes under investigation showed similar changes. These increases were more marked in rats subjected to a single-feeding regimen before starving. These changes are explained as an expression of the active participation of the lysosomes and their enzymes in the transition to endogenous feeding. The lysosomal membrane was more sensitive in starving animals which had been subjected to a single-feeding regimen.     

In vitro effects of trapidil on fatty acid and prostaglandin metabolism in platelets

The effects of trapidil, a coronary vasodilator and platelet aggregation inhibitor, on fatty acid metabolism and prostaglandin (PG) formation in platelets were studied using platelet suspensions from six normal subjects. The addition of trapidil to fatty acids in platelet phospholipids decreased palmitoleic acid and arachidonic acid, and increased an unidentified substance, X2 (palmitoleic acid, P < 0.05; arachidonic acid, P < 0.05; X2, P < 0.05). Thrombin stimulation following the addition of trapidil resulted in an increase in stearic acid and a decrease in arachidonic acid, compared with the trapidil-free control samples (stearic acid, P < 0.05; arachidonic acid, P < 0.02). The addition of trapidil tended to increase immunoreactive PGE (iPGE) and iPGF dose-dependently. On the other hand, thrombin stimulation following the addition of trapidil decreased the formation of thromboxane B2 (TXB2) significantly compared with the levels of TXB2 in the trapidil-free samples (10 micrograms/mL trapidil, P < 0.005, 100 micrograms/mL trapidil, P < 0.001). These results show that trapidil increased arachidonic acid mobilization in the platelets.     

Timing of onset of contraceptive effectiveness in Depo-Provera users. II. Effects on ovarian function

1. Microsomal P450 and peroxisomal fatty acid oxidation activities were studied in liver of rats after long-term ethanol consumption. 2. Ethanol increased the microsomal lauric acid omega-hydroxylation and the aminopyrine N-demethylation catalyzed by cytochrome P450. 3. Ethanol increased peroxisomal beta-oxidation of palmitoyl CoA and catalase activity in liver. 4. Both microsomal and peroxisomal activities behaved in a coordinate way in the liver of rats with long-term ethanol consumption. 5. These results would support a role of microsomal omega-hydroxylation and peroxisomal beta-oxidation of fatty acids in an extramitochondrial pathway of lipid oxidation in the liver.     

The fatty liver dystrophy mutant mouse: microvesicular steatosis associated with altered expression levels of peroxisome proliferator-regulated proteins

Fatty liver dystrophy ( fld) is an autosomal recessive mutation in mice characterized by hypertriglyceridemia and fatty liver during neonatal development. The fatty liver in fld/fld mice spontaneously resolves between the age of 14-18 days, at which point the animals develop a neuropathy associated with abnormal myelin formation in peripheral nerve. We have investigated the morphological and biochemical alterations that occur in the fatty liver of neonatal fld/fld mice. Studies at the light and electron microscopic level demonstrated the accumulation of lipid droplets and hypertrophic parenchymal cells in fld neonates, with no apparent liver pathology after resolution of the fatty liver. To better characterize the biochemical basis for the development of fatty liver in fld mice, we compared protein expression patterns in the fatty liver of fld mice and in the liver of phenotypically normal (wild-type) littermates using quantitative two-dimensional gel electrophoresis. We detected 24 proteins with significantly altered expression levels (P < 0.001) in the fld fatty liver, 15 of which are proteins that are altered in abundance by peroxisome proliferating chemicals. As these compounds characteristically elicit changes in the expression of mitochondrial and peroxisomal enzymes involved in fatty acid oxidation, we quantitated rates of fatty acid oxidation in hepatocytes isolated from fld and wild-type mice. These studies revealed that hepatic fatty acid oxidation in fld neonates is reduced by 60% compared to wild-type littermates. In hepatocytes from adult fld mice that no longer exhibit a fatty liver, oxidation rates were similar to those in hepatocytes from age-matched wild-type mice. These findings indicate that altered expression of proteins involved in fatty acid oxidation is associated with triglyceride accumulation in the fld fatty liver.     

Acetyl-C0A hydrolase; activity, regulation and physiological significance of the enzyme in brown adipose tissue from hamster

1. Acetate production in hamster brown adipose tissue is a consequence of the existence of an acetyl-CoA hydrolase. The enzyme is soluble and is localised to the mitochondrial matrix. 2. Acetyl-CoA hydrolase has an apparent Km for acetyl-CoA of 51 muM and a specific acitivyty at 30 degrees C of 870 nmol of acetate formed/min per mg 100 000 X g supernatant protein. 3. The enzyme is noncompetitively activated by ADP and inhibited by NADH and the effect of these nucleotides may well serve to regulate the enzyme activity in vivo. 4. A strong product inhibition by CoA is observed. The inhibition is of S-linear-I-hyperbolic noncompetitive nature. 5. The hydrolase has a q10 of 2.0, which represents a 7.3% change in the rat of acetate production per degrees C. The energy of activation is12 200 cal/mol (53905 J/mol). 6. The regulatory role of acetyl-CoA hydrolase for fatty acid oxidation in brown adipose tissue of the hamster (a hibernator) at low as well as at normal body temperature is discussed.     

Always single and single again women: a qualitative study

This study reports the effects of a novel polyunsaturated 3-thia fatty acid, methyl 3-thiaoctadeca-6,9,12,15-tetraenoate on serum lipids and key enzymes in hepatic fatty acid metabolism compared to a saturated 3-thia fatty acid, tetradecylthioacetic acid. Palmitic acid treated rats served as controls. Fatty acids were administered by gavage in daily doses of 150 mg/kg body weight for 10 days. The aim of the present study was: (a) To investigate the effect of a polyunsaturated 3-thia fatty acid ester, methyl 3-thiaoctadeca-6,9,12,15-tetraenoate on plasma lipids in normolipidemic rats: (b) to verify whether the lipid-lowering effect could be consistent with enhanced fatty acid oxidation: and (c) to study whether decreased activity of esterifying enzymes and diversion to phospholipid synthesis is a concerted mechanism in limiting the availability of free fatty acid as a substrate for hepatic triglyceride formation. Repeated administration of the polyunsaturated 3-thia fatty acid ester for 10 days resulted in a reduction of plasma triglycerides (40%), cholesterol (33%) and phospholipids (20%) compared to controls. Administration of polyunsaturated and saturated 3-thia fatty acids (daily doses of 150 mg/kg body weight) reduced levels of lipids to a similar extent and followed about the same time-course. Both mitochondrial and peroxisomal fatty acid oxidation increased (1.4-fold- and 4.2-fold, respectively) and significantly increased activities of carnitine palmitoyltransferase (CPT) (1.6-fold), 2,4-dienoyl-CoA reductase (1.2-fold) and fatty acyl-CoA oxidase (3.0-fold) were observed in polyunsaturated 3-thia fatty acid treated animals. This was accompanied by increased CPT-II mRNA (1.7-fold). 2,4-dienoyl-CoA reductase mRNA (2.9-fold) and fatty acyl-CoA oxidase mRNA (1.7-fold). Compared to controls, the hepatic triglyceride biosynthesis was retarded as indicated by a decrease in liver triglyceride content (40%). The activities of glycerophosphate acyltransferase, acyl-CoA: 1,2-diacylglycerol acyltransferase and CTP:phosphocholine cytidylyltransferase were increased. The cholesterol lowering effect was accompanied by a reduction in HMG-CoA reductase activity (80%) and acyl-CoA:cholesterol acyltransferase activity (33%). In hepatocytes treated with methyl 3-thiaoctadeca-6,9,12,15-tetraenoate, fatty acid oxidation was increased 1.8-fold compared to controls. The results suggest that treatment with methyl 3-thiaoctadeca-6,9,12,15-tetraenoate reduces plasma triglycerides by a decrease in the availability of fatty acid substrate for triglyceride biosynthesis via enhanced fatty acid oxidation, most likely attributed to the mitochondrial fatty acid oxidation. It is hypothesized that decreased phosphatidate phosphohydrolase activity may be an additive mechanism which contribute whereby 3-thia fatty acids reduce triglyceride formation in the liver. The cholesterol-lowering effect of the polyunsaturated 3-thia fatty acid ester may be due to changes in cholesterol/cholesterol ester synthesis as 60% of this acid was observed in the hepatic cholesterol ester fraction.     

Binding of paracetamol metabolites to mouse liver glutathione S-transferases

In mouse liver homogenate with an intact microsomal metabolism covalent binding of [14C]-paracetamol amounted to 1 nmol/mg protein. 65% of the total radioactivity were bound to soluble protein and 35% to microsomes. In the soluble fraction the major radioactivity peak co-chromatographed with glutathione S-transferase activity on Sephacryl S-300. Two different minor labelled fractions with apparent molecular weights of 130 000 and 25 000 daltons were also found. In a second experiment in a reconstituted system of microsomes and supernatant, 86% of the radio-activity was bound to supernatant and 14% by of microsomes. Following ion exchange chromatography of the supernatant on DEAE-Sepharose, the two major radioactivity-containing fractions coincided with GSH-S-transferase activities, but not with selenium-dependent or non-selenium-dependent glutathione peroxidase. The data show that irreversible binding of paracetamol metabolites in mouse liver occurs preferentially to GSH-S-transferases.     

Fatty acids and fatty aldehydes of buffalo seminal plasma and sperm lipid

Analysis of the fatty acids of total and neutral lipids, glycolipids, phospholipids and gangliosides of buffalo spermatozoa and seminal plasma showed that there were high levels of polyunsaturated acids. Neutral lipids were the richest in polyunsaturated acids (55% in spermatozoa and 61% in seminal plasma). The major saturated acid of all the principal classes was stearic acid and the major unsaturated acid was docosahexaenoic acid (22:6omega3) except in the neutral lipids in which it was arachidonic acid (20:4omega6). The major aldehyde was palmitaldehyde (16:0) in buffalo sperm lipids and docosanal (22:0) in seminal plasma. More than 50% of the total aldehydes was contributed by aldehydes with a chain length greater than 18 carbon atoms.     

Competition between lactate and fatty acids as sources of ATP in the isolated working rat heart

Fatty acid oxidation is generally considered the major source of energy in the heart, although lactate oxidation can be a major contributor to ATP production, depending on the concentration and availability of other competing substrates. In this study, isolated working rat hearts were used to directly determine the relationship between lactate and fatty acid oxidation to overall ATP production from exogenous sources. A range of lactate from 0.5 to 8.0 mM lactate was added to hearts perfused with buffer containing 5.5 mM glucose, and either 0.4 or 1.2 mM palmitate over a 100 min period. Rates of glycolysis, glucose oxidation, lactate oxidation, and palmitate oxidation were determined. In the presence of 0.5 mM lactate and 0.4 mM palmitate, lactate oxidation provided 17% of the ATP production and palmitate oxidation provided 68%, with the remainder coming from glucose oxidation and glycolysis. In the presence of 0.4 mM palmitate, an increase in lactate from 0.5 to 8.0 mM increased the steady state rates of lactate oxidation from 1239+/-236 to 5247+/-940 nmol/min/g dry weight, respectively. The contribution of lactate oxidation to total ATP production increased to 37%, with palmitate oxidation now contributing only 52% of the total ATP produced. At 8.0 mM lactate and 1.2 mM palmitate, lactate oxidation contributed 13% of the total ATP production, while palmitate oxidation contributed 81%. This data demonstrates that under near physiological conditions of lactate (0.5 mM) and fatty acids (0.4 mM), the preferred energy substrate of the heart remains to be fatty acids, and that only at high levels of lactate, such as can be observed during exercise or severe stress, does lactate oxidation become a significant source of ATP production.     

Fuel utilization and glucose hyperalimentation after liver resection

Clinical studies and experiments in rats were carried out to elucidate changes in fuel utilization after hepatectomy. In addition, the effect of glucose hyperalimentation on energy metabolism in the liver remnant was studied. Respiratory quotient (RQ) and substrate oxidation rate for fat and glucose were evaluated by indirect calorimetry in eight patients who had undergone liver resection. Patients had a reduced nonprotein RQ of approximately 0.85 and a reduced ratio of glucose to fat oxidation of approximately 2.0 on the 1st and 2nd postoperative days. After 80% hepatectomy, rats received either 30 kcal.kg-1.day-1 (group 1) or 200 kcal.kg-1.day-1 (group 2) of glucose for 48 h. In both rat groups, hepatic mitochondrial ATP synthesis 12 and 24 h after hepatectomy was accelerated when palmitic acid was used as the substrate and suppressed when pyruvate was used compared with sham-operated groups. This suggests that the energy substrate of the remnant liver was principally fatty acids rather than glucose, which seems to occur also in humans. Hepatic energy charge was within normal limits in group 1 (0.862 +/- 0.008) but decreased significantly in group 2 (0.818 +/- 0.006, p < 0.01) 12 h after hepatectomy. An abundance of glucose in the early postoperative period therefore caused a hepatic energy derangement by suppressing endogenous fat oxidation. This suppression was corroborated by the findings of lower immunoreactive glucagon and nonesterified fatty acid concentration in group 2. Therefore, glucose hyperalimentation in the early postoperative period after liver resection is not recommended.