Role of glucagon on fatty liver production in birds.

DE OYA, MANUEL, WILLIAM F. PRIGGE, DONNA E. SWENSON, AND FRANCISCO GRANDE. Role of glucagon on fatty liver production in birds. Am. J. Physiol. 221(l) : 25-30. 1971 .-Infusions of glucagon (0.22 pg/kg per min) and of oleic acid (2.0 mEq/kg per hr), maintaining in geese similar levels of plasma free fatty acids (FFA), had d ff i erent effects on plasma and liver triglycerides (TGL). Glucagon caused a small elevation of plasma TGL and marked deposition of TGL in the liver. Oleic acid caused marked elevation of plasma TGL, but no deposition of TGL in the liver. When glucagon infusion (1 .O pg/kg per min) was superimposed on that of oleic acid, plasma TGL decreased sharply and a liver TGL deposit developed. Infusion of glucose added to that of oleic acid caused an elevation of plasma TGL significantly greater than that produced by the infusion of oleic acid alone. These results indicate that glucagon interferes with the release of TGL by the liver. It is suggested that this effect may be due to decreased synthesis of the protein moiety of the lipoproteins resulting from the known catabolic action of glucagon on protein metabolism in the liver.