The chronically reserpinized rat: decreased glycolytic activity in the submandibular gland

Some of the enzymes and metabolites of the glycolytic pathway of an animal model for cystic fibrosis (the chronically reserpine-treated rat) were investigated. The activities of the enzymes phosphofructokinase (P less than 0.002), enolase (P less than 0.03), pyruvate kinase (P less than 0.005), and lactate dehydrogenase (P less than 0.009) were decreased whereas the activity of glycerol-3-phosphate dehydrogenase was unaffected in the submandibular glands of the treated animals. For metabolites, the reserpine treatment resulted in an increased concentration of glycogen (P less than 0.0002) and phosphoenolpyruvate (P less than 0.001) and a decreased concentration of pyruvate (P less than 0.005) and lactate (P less than 0.002) in the glands. The concentration of glucose and glycerate-2-phosphate was unaffected. The perchloric acid-soluble part of the proteins was also increased (P less than 0.0001) in the submandibular glands of the reserpine-treated animals, as was the activity of ribonuclease. These findings point to a disturbance in the metabolism of glucose and a possible acidosis in the submandibular glands of this animal model for cystic fibrosis.