EFFECTS OF STARVATION, DIABETES AND CARBON-TETRACHLORIDE INTOXICATIONON RAT-KIDNEY CORTEX AND LIVER PYRUVATE-CARBOXYLASE LEVELS

Pyruvate carboxylase (PC) has been quantified in rat liver and kidney cortex under experimental conditions that modify the gluconeogenic res ponse in both organs: fasting, carbon tetrachloride-induced liver dege neration and alloxan-induced diabetes. Enzymatic activity has been ass ayed by a (CO2)-C-14-fixation method. The amount of enzyme,ne has been determined by competitive ELISA using antibodies raised against the p urified rat kidney cortex enzyme. Purified fractions of rat-liver and rat-kidney cortex PC have been used as standards. Fasting and carbon t etrachloride administration induced a significant increase (25% to 30% ) in the amount of enzyme in liver and kidney cortex. Alloxan-induced diabetes produced a nearly two-fold increase in the hepatic levels of enzyme without a significant modification in the content of the renal enzyme. These results are discussed on the basis of the different meta bolic implications of both organs during the physiological or toxic tr eatments.