Influence of prior exercise and liver glycogen content on the sensitivity of the liver to glucagon

The purpose of the present study was to test the hypothesis that a prior period of exercise is associated with an increase in hepatic glucagon sensitivity. Hepatic glucose production (HGP) was measured in four groups of anesthetized rats infused with glucagon (2 mug.kg(-1).min(-1) iv) over a period of 60 min. Among these groups, two were normally fed and, therefore, had a normal level of liver glycogen (NG). One of these two groups was killed at rest (NG-Re) and the other after a period of exercise (NG-Ex; 60 min of running, 15-26 m/min, 0% grade). The two other groups of rats had a high hepatic glycogen level (HG), which had been increased by a fast-refed diet, and were also killed either at rest (HG-Re) or after exercise (HG-Ex). Plasma glucagon and insulin levels were increased similarly in all four conditions. Glucagon-induced hyperglycemia was higher (P<0.01) in the HG-Re group than in all other groups. HGP in the HG-Re group was not, however, on the whole more elevated than in the NG-Re group. Exercised rats (NG-Ex and HG-Ex) had higher hyperglycemia, HGP, and glucose utilization than rested rats in the first 10 min of the glucagon infusion. HG-Ex group had the highest HGP throughout the 60-min experiment. It is concluded that hyperglucagonemia-induced HGP is stimulated by a prior period of exercise, suggesting an increased sensitivity of the liver to glucagon during exercise.