EFFECTS OF SELENIUM ON THE GLYCOLYSIS AND GLUCONEOGENESIS SYSTEM IN RAT-LIVER

We studied the effect of selenium on the glycolysis and gluconeogenesi s system in the rat liver. Significant decreases in glucose level in t he serum were observed from the 4 th day after daily intraperitoneal ( i.p.) administration of selenite (173 mug/kg, 78.9 mug/kg of selenium base equivalent). Selenium was also effective in reducing a precursor of gluconeogenesis, lactate, alanine or glycerol, in the serum. Moreov er, there were significant decreases in the activities of pyruvate car boxylase and glucose-6-phosphatase, a rate-limiting enzyme of gluconeo genesis, in the liver of selenium-treated rates. On the contrary, the activities of glycokinase and phosphofructokinase, a rate-limiting enz yme of glycolysis, in the liver of rat treated with selenium significa ntly increased in comparison with the control group. These data, there fore, indicated that the hypoglycemic effect of selenium might be due to the acceleration of glucose metabolism and the inhibition of glucos e synthesis in the liver, suggesting a decrease in a source of precurs or supply for the gluconeogenesis.