Metabolic Response to Realimentation Following Chronic Starvation in the Adult Male Rat

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Abstract
Changes in liver weight, liver glycogen and lipid concentrations, and certain hepatic enzyme activities were studied during realimentation of adult male rats previously starved 9 to 12 days. Liver weight increased nearly twofold during the first 48 hours of refeeding and then declined to normal at 96 hours post-refeeding. Composition of the hepatic tissue showed similar marked changes. Glycogen concentration increased rapidly to a maximum of 157 mg/g fresh liver at 24 hours post-refeeding, then declined to 48 mg/g at 72 hours post-refeeding. Lipid concentration which increased during starvation decreased rapidly during the first 12 hours of refeeding, then increased to 69 to 88 mg/g liver at 72 to 96 hours after refeeding. Assays for glucokinase, isocitrate dehydrogenase (NADP-linked) and glucose-6-phosphate dehydrogenase revealed differential responses in activity during realimentation. The response in G-6-P-DH activity, however, was markedly affected by the protein content of the refeeding diet.