Effects of Manganese on Carbohydrate Metabolism and Mitochondrial Enzymes in Rats

Abstract: The effect of daily intraperitoneal administration of Mn2+ (4 mg/kg) was investigated on the metabolism of carbohydrates and certain enzymes involved in the oxidation of glucose in the rat liver and blood at the intervals of 30, 60 and 90 days after exposure. Mn2+ had no effect on the contents of blood reducing sugars and proteins, however the levels of pyruvic and lactic acids were reduced at 60 and 90 days after the metal treatment. The contents of liver glycogen and proteins remained unaffected while pyruvic acid content was decreased in Mn2+ treated rat liver throughout the experimental period. The activities of glycogen phosphorylase and lactate dehydrogenase decreased while that of phosphoglucoisomerase and glucose-6-phosphatase increased in the post mitochondrial supernatant at 60 and 90 days of Mn2+ exposure. The levels of hexokinase decreased and FDP-aldolase and fructose-1, 6-diphosphatase increased throughout the experimental period. The magnitude of alteration was found to be greater with the increase in the duration of Mn2+ treatment. Several of the mitochondrial enzymes in the liver were inhibited in the manganese exposed rats which may be responsible to inhibit the rate of dehydrogenation of Kreb cycle's intermediates alongwith the linked respiratory chain and eventually oxidation in the rat liver.