Depressed gluconeogenesis and ureogenesis in isolated hepatocytes after intermittent hypoxia in rats

1. Rats were exposed to hypobaric hypoxia (equivalent altitude 4500 m), 2 x 2 hr per day, for 5 days. Isolated hepatocytes were prepared on day 6 after 18 hr of fast and also from control normoxic animals. The hepatocytes were incubated (120 min) with various substrates. 2. ATP contents were lower in hepatocytes from exposed as compared to control animals whether at the beginning (14%) or at the end (-6 to -33%) of incubation depending on the substrate. 3. Gluconeogenesis from all precursors (lactate, alanine, pyruvate, glutamine) was significantly reduced (40-50%) in exposed as compared to control animals. 4. Ureogenesis from alanine and from pyruvate + NH4Cl was also markedly depressed in exposed animals but no differences were noticed with glutamine or lactate + NH4Cl and alanine + NH4Cl. 5. Results are discussed in relation to known effects of acute and chronic hypoxia, interrelationship between gluconeogenesis and ureogenesis, taking into account the inhomogeneity of liver and the metabolic properties of periportal and perivenous hepatocytes.