Hepatic Lipogenesis in Two Cases With Insulin‐producing Tumor of the Pancreas

The incorporation rate of glycerol‐1.3‐14C and fructose‐U‐14C into glycerides and into the fatty acid moiety of glycerides has been determined in liver slices obtained from liver biopsies taken at operation of two patients with insulin‐producing tumor of the pancreas. Both of these patients had high plasma concentration of insulin. The results were compared with the corresponding incorporation rate in liver slices obtained from fasting controls and controls pretreated with 400 g fructose on the day before operation (gallstone patients). In the insuloma cases the incorporation rate and the distribution of label amongst liver lipids was in conformity with the fasting controls. A changed distribution of label with an increased incorporation of glycerol as well as fructose into the fatty acid moiety of glycerides was found in the patients pretreated with fructose. The results suggest that chronic hyperinsulinemia without increased concentration of plasma glucose does not promote hepatic lipogenesis in man.