The Role of Hormones in the Regulation of Glycogen Metabolism in the Clawed Toad Xenopus Laevis (Daudin)

The hormonal regulation of amphibian glycogen metabolism was studied in Xenopus laevis as a typical member of the anurans (tailless amphibians).The main focus of this study was given to the effects of various hormones on the glycogen/glucose balance in adult toads. We determined biochemically the liver and muscle glycogen contents as well as the blood glucose and lipid levels for a number of hormones and also diabetes inducing substances. Additionally, we examined ultrastructure changes in hepatocytes induced by the various treatments, and also investigated the activity of carbohydrate-relevant enzymes by histochemistry. With one exception, the liver glycogen content of Xenopus remained basically unchanged by the treatments or was even slightly enhanced. Only human chorionic gonadotropin, through which the vitellogenic response is triggered, prompts a significant decrease of liver glycogen in females. Under the same conditions the male liver glycogen content remained stable. Muscle glycogen contents were not affected by any of the treatments. Blood glucose and lipid levels on the other hand were elevated considerably in both sexes after application of either epinephrine or cortisol. The ultrastructural examination revealed a proliferation of Rough Endoplasmic Reticulum (RER) in hepatocytes from epinephrine treated toads of both sexes as well as from HCG treated females. By histochemistry, we detected an elevated glucose-6-phosphatase activity in the hepatocytes from toads treated with either epinephrine or cortisol. These treatments also led to enhanced glycogen phosphorylase activity in males, and to a slightly elevated glyceraldehyde-3-phosphate dehydrogenase activity in females. Our results show that the hepatic glycogen is extremely stable in adult Xenopus. Only vitellogenesis causes a marked utilization of glycogen. Since the blood glucose levels are elevated in epinephrine or cortisol treated toads without the liver glycogen being affected, we conclude that either protein and/or lipid metabolism are involved in carbohydrate metabolism in Xenopus laevis.