Metabolic effects of oxalate in the perfused rat liver

The effects of oxalate on the metabolism of the isolated perfused rat liver were investigated. The main purpose was to verify if oxalate is also active in intact organs as demonstrated in isolated cells. The results revealed that the action of oxalate in the perfused liver resembles only partially that observed in isolated hepatocytes. In the perfused liver, oxalate inhibited gluconeogenesis from alanine, pyruvate and lactate, inhibited glycolysis and stimulated glycogenolysis. These observations confirm previous measurements with isolated hepatocytes. However, additional effects, not observed in isolated hepatocytes, were found. In the perfused liver, oxalate stimulated glucose production from dihydroxyacetone, glycerol or sorbitol. Moreover, the effects of oxalate in the perfused rat liver occurred at concentrations well above those reported for isolated hepatocytes, revealing that the compound is less toxic in the intact tissue. In vivo, the metabolic effects reported here can only be expected to occur at supra-physiological concentrations of oxalate, as in the case of a chronic renal failure.