Effect of growth hormone on glycogenesis in cerebral cortical slices.

Abstract

The uptake of glucose by cerebral cortical slices of rats was found to be enhanced by insulin by Rafaelsen (1961) and Genes and Charnaya (1966). This was confirmed by Prasannan and Subrah‐manyam (1965) and more recently by Nelson, Schultz, Pasoneau and Wry (1968). Eisenberg and Seltzer (1962) and Gotistein, Held, Sebenng and Walpurger (1965) obtained evidence for a direct effect of insulin on the entry of glucose into brain and on its metabolism in this tissue. A marked resynthesis of glycogen was demonstrated with glucose as substrate by Lebaron (1955) and Mcilwain and Tresize (1956) in cerebral cortical slices of the guinea pig. Prasannan and Subrahmanyam (1965) obtained evidence for a similar resynthesis of glycogen in cerebral cortical slices of the rat. Addition of 0.2 unit of insulin per 3.5 ml of incubating medium gave rise to an increase of 60 per cent in the resynthesis of glycogen in these slices. The incorporation of 14C from labelled glucose into glycogen and CO2 by cerebral cortical slices of normal and alloxan diabetic rats and the stimulation of the incorporation into glycogen by insulin in vitro was reported by Visweswaran, Prasannan and Subrahmanyam (1969). An insulin‐like action of growth hormone on the carbohydrate metabolism was reported by Ketterer, Randle and Young (1967) and Manchester and Young (1961). It was believed to be due to the formation of a polypeptide breakdown product of growth hormone which has biological insulin‐like properties. Park, Brown, Cornbluth, Daughaday and Krahl. (1952) reported an increased uptake of glucose by isolated rat diaphragm due to the action of growth hormone which is similar to that of insulin. Hence, it was considered appropriate to study the incorporation of 14C from labelled glucose into glycogen and CO2 by cerebral slices of growth hormone treated rats and the effect of growth hormone treatment on the activities of the enzymes concerned with glycogenesis in rat cerebral cortex.