L. Posho et al., CONTROL OF GLUCOSE-METABOLISM IN NEWBORN PIG ENTEROCYTES - EVIDENCE FOR THE ROLE OF HEXOKINASE, Biochimica et biophysica acta. Molecular cell research, 1224(2), 1994, pp. 213-220
The objective of the present work was to identify the regulatory step(
s) in the post-natal development of a high glycolytic capacity previou
sly evidenced in newborn pig enterocytes (Darcy-Vrillon et al. (1994)
Pediat. Res., 36, 175-181. Glucose entry via the Na+/glucose cotranspo
rter, estimated by the uptake of the non-metabolizable analogue methyl
alpha-D-[U-C-14]glucopyranoside, slightly decreased between birth and
2 days of sucking. The flux of glucose metabolized into the pentose c
ycle pathway slightly increased but could not account for the 3-fold i
ncrease observed in the glycolytic capacity. Whereas the maximal activ
ity of 6-phosphofructo-1-kinase did not change between stages, there w
as a significant increase in hexokinase activity as well as in the flu
x of glucose phosphorylated. These findings suggest that the stimulati
on of glucose phosphorylation through hexokinase is the key event lead
ing to an increased glycolytic capacity of small intestinal cells at t
he onset of sucking.