Glucose metabolism in the hepatopancreas of the crab Neohelice granulata maintained on carbohydrate-rich or high-protein diets: Anoxia and recovery

Abstract

The effects of 1-h anoxia and 3-h recovery periods were assessed on hepatopancreatic glucose metabolism in the crab Neohelice granulata fed on either a carbohydrate-rich (HC) or high-protein (HP) diet. Anoxia increased pyruvate kinase (PK) and hexokinase (HK) activities in HC-fed animals, coinciding with a decrease in glycogen levels. No significant changes occurred in glucose uptake and glycogen synthesis in either dietary group. In HP-fed crabs, HK activity decreased and PK activity was 40% lower than that found in the HC-fed group after anoxia. Also, anoxia decreased 14CO 2 production, ATP and glycogen levels in hepatopancreas in both groups. During recovery, hemolymph glucose levels decreased in both groups but glucose uptake remained constant. In the HP group, the increase in glycogen synthesis represents an important fate of glucose during recovery from anoxia. In HC-fed crabs, the hepatopancreas glycolytic pathway is involved in the post-anoxia fate of glucose.