Dependence of hepatic gluconeogenesis on PO2: inhibitory effects of halothane

The dependence of gluconeogenesis and O2 uptake on PO2 in isolated rat hepatocytes is presented. Maintenance of steady-state PO2 was achieved with an oxystat system (Biochem. J. 236: 765–769, 1986). O2 uptake showed a half-maximal (K0.5) value of 0.5 Torr PO2, whereas the glucose synthesis rate was half-maximal at 1.2 Torr PO2. Halothane at concentrations greater than 1 mM exerted a parallel inhibition of O2 uptake and glucose synthesis at all PO2 levels studied. In contrast, at halothane concentrations less than 1 mM, inhibition of glucose synthesis occurred only at less than 20 Torr PO2. At these low concentrations, halothane was without significant effects on cellular O2 uptake. In isol…