Metabolic Responses to Prolonged Fasting and Subsequent Refeeding in the Pig

Abstract

Metabolic responses associated with prolonged fasting and subsequent refeeding of pigs were investigated. Fasting for 14 or 28 days produced significant increases in serum levels of alanine, aspartic and glutamic acid in the three branched-chain amino acids. Glycine, serine and lysine levels were elevated after 28 days of fasting while the levels of histidine, methionine, threonine and phenylalanine were reduced. Fasting markedly stimulated hepatic and renal gluconeogenesis and the activity of the urea cycle enzymes. Fatty acid synthesis and glucose oxidation were virtually abolished in hepatic and adipose tissue in pigs subjected to a 14- or 28-day fast. After the first day of refeeding, the levels of amino acids returned to the control values. The activity of the hepatic urea cycle enzymes, fructose-1,6-diphosphatase and phosphoenolpyruvate carboxykinase remained elevated after the first day of refeeding but returned to the control levels thereafter. The activity of hepatic glucose-6-phosphate dehydrogenase, malic dehydrogenase and acetyl CoA carboxylase were slightly enhanced in pigs refed for 4 and 8 days. The activity of these enzymes in adipose tissue was enhanced 8 days after refeeding. Hepatic synthesis of fatty acids from glucose was slightly stimulated in refed pigs on days 4 and 8 but returned to control values on day 16. Refeeding did not enhance glucose incorporation into fatty acids in adipose tissue above the values observed in fed controls.