Regulation of pyruvate kinase by 6-phosphogluconate in isolated hepatocytes

Isolated liver parenchymal cells from rats fed a 65% sucrose diet for 14 days were incubated in the presence and absence of 10(-6) M glucagon. The pyruvate kinase obtained from homogenates of the glucagon-treated cells displayed and increased Ks 0.5 for phosphoenolpyruvate (P-enolpyruvate), as well as an increased Ka 0.5 for 6-phosphogluconate (6-P-gluconate), compared to pyruvate kinase from untreated cells. Additionally, glucagon treatment decreased the maximal stimulation of pyruvate kinase by 6-P-gluconate by approximately two-thirds and decreased the Hill coefficient value of pyruvate kinase for 6-P-gluconate from 1.76 to 1.56. 6-Aminonicotinamide, an inhibitor of 6-P-gluconate dehydrogenase, increased 6-P-gluconate levels in isolated liver parenchymal cells three- to sevenfold, depending on the substrates present. The flux of P-enolpyruvate through pyruvate kinase was increased from 18 to 40% in these preparations and was highly correlated with the increase in 6-P-gluconate levels. The results suggest that 6-P-gluconate could regulate pyruvate kinase activity in the intact liver parenchymal cell. Furthermore, the activator would be of greatest importance in the lipogenic animal.