Characterization of nitric oxide dependent changes in carbohydrate hepatic metabolism during septic shock

The role of nitric oxide in the alterations of liver carbohydrate metabolism during septic shock has been studied in fed and starved animals injected with bacterial lipopolysaccharide (LPS). One h after LPS injection an hyperglycemic peak was observed followed by hypoglycemia when the plasma nitric oxide concentration increased. However, in animals pharmacologically treated with nitric oxide donors only hypoglycemia was observed. In isolated hepatocytes from LPS treated rats an impairment of the gluconeogenic flux was observed accompanied by a decrease in the mRNA levels of the glucose transporter GLUT-2 and phosphoenolpyruvate carboxykinase, at the time that increased the mRNA levels of the inducible form of nitric oxide synthase. These results suggest that part of the effects observed in response to LPS challenge are due to early signaling molecules (cytokines and other factors molecules) whereas other effects can be attributed to nitric oxide synthesis which in turn has specific effects on hepatic metabolism.