Apparent starvation-induced repression of pancreatic islet glucokinase

Conflicting data were previously reported concerning the effect of starvation upon the glucokinase protein and glucokinase mRNA content of pancreatic islets. In the present study, conducted in fed rats and animals starved for 48 h, the catalytic activity of glucokinase in islet homogenates and the content of this enzyme in islets were both decreased by starvation to the same relative extent. These findings support the view that the altered metabolic and secretory response to D-glucose found in islets from starved rats may be attributable, in part at least, to an apparent repression of glucokinase.