Effects of pregnancy and lactation on the activities of some gluconeogenic and urea-cycle enzymes in sheep liver

Abstract

SUMMARY: The effect of reproductive state on the activity in sheep liver of the gluconeogenic enzymes glucose-6-phosphatase and fructose-1,6-diphosphatase, and of the urea cycle enzymes arginase and the arginine synthetase system, was investigated. The sheep were Blackface ewes that were killed during pregnancy, lactation and after the lambs were weaned, together with non-breeding controls.The total activities in the liver of glucose-6-phosphatase, and of arginase, fell during pregnancy and rose during lactation in proportion to liver hypertrophy, reaching maximum values late in lactation.In breeding ewes total hepatic fructose-l,6-diphosphatase activity differed little from that in the controls except in the period 14 days before to 13 days after parturition, during which the activity was 10 times higher than at other times. The arginine synthetase system declined in activity during late pregnancy. There were 2 peaks in activity after parturition, one at 30 dayspost partumand one at 30 days after the lambs were weaned. The peaks possibly were associated with periods of resorption of maternal proteins.