Diabetes-induced alteration of HMGCoA reductase forms in rat livers

The effects of streptozotocin-induced diabetes on the various forms of 3-hydroxy-3-methylglutaryl coenzyme A reductase (HMGCoA reductase), phosphorylated/dephosphorylated and thiolic/disulphide, were studied in rat liver. Animals were treated twice with 65 mg/kg intraperitoneally of streptozotocin to induce diabetes and sacrificed after 5 days. The relative amounts of the four possible forms of the enzyme were determined in control and diabetic rats. As determined from the total activity, and in agreement with previous reports, the enzyme protein was significantly decreased in streptozotocin-treated rats. However, the percentage of the active thiolic dephosphorylated form was higher in these animals than in controls, suggesting a response of the liver to the decrease both total and specific activity of HMGCoA reductase.