High-fat (HFD) and high-sucrose diets (HSD) reduce insulin suppression of glucose production in vivo, increase the capacity for gluconeogenesis in vitro, and increase glucose-6-phosphatase (G-6-Pase) activity in whole cell homogenates. The present study examined the effects of HSD and HFD on in vivo gluconeogenesis, the catalytic and glucose-6-phosphate translocase subunits of G-6-Pase, glucokinase (GK) translocation, and glucose cycling. Rats were fed a high-starch control diet (STD; 68% cornstarch), HSD (68% sucrose), or HFD (45% fat) for 7-13 days. The ratio of 3 H in C6:C2 of glucose after 3 H2O injection into 6-to 8-h-fasted rats was significantly increased in HSD (0.68 Ϯ 0.07) and HFD (0.71 Ϯ 0.08) vs. STD (0.40 Ϯ 0.10). G-6-Pase activity was significantly higher in HSD and HFD vs. STD in both intact and disrupted liver microsomes. HSD and HFD significantly increased the amount of the p36 catalytic subunit protein, whereas the p46 glucose-6-phosphate translocase protein was increased in HSD only. Despite increased nonglycerol gluconeogenesis and increased G-6-Pase, basal glucose and insulin levels as well as glucose production were not significantly different among groups. Hepatocyte cell suspensions were used to ascertain whether diet-induced adaptations in glucose phosphorylation and GK might serve to compensate for upregulation of G-6-Pase. Tracer-estimated glucose phosphorylation and glucose cycling (glucose 7 glucose 6-phosphate) were significantly higher in cells isolated from HSD only. After incubation with either 5 or 20 mM glucose and no insulin, GK activity (nmol⅐mg protein Ϫ1 ⅐min
Ϫ1) in digitonin-treated eluates (translocated GK) was significantly higher in HSD (32 Ϯ 4 and 146 Ϯ 6) vs. HFD (4 Ϯ 1 and 83 Ϯ 10) and STD (9 Ϯ 2 and 87 Ϯ 9). Thus short-term, chronic exposure to HSD and HFD increase in vivo gluconeogenesis and the G-6-Pase catalytic subunit. Exposure to HSD diet also leads to adaptations in glucose phosphorylation and GK translocation.glucose-6-phosphatase; liver; glucose metabolism; glucokinase IN VIVO ESTIMATES SUGGEST that some prediabetic states (31, 44) and type 2 diabetes (56, 64) are characterized by increased gluconeogenesis. Accelerated gluconeogenesis in both prediabetic states and type 2 diabetes likely results from many factors, including increased precursor delivery, alterations in the hormonal milieu, and intrahepatic adaptations that increase the conversion of precursors into glucose (56,64). In prediabetic states, increased gluconeogenesis does not result in the overproduction of glucose. This autoregulation of glucose production appears to involve reciprocal regulation of glycogenolysis (64). The development of fasting hyperglycemia and progression into type 2 diabetes likely involves an impairment in autoregulation of glucose production. Although pancreatic insufficiency would certainly contribute to the reduced ability to restrain basal glucose production in type 2 diabetes, intrahepatic adaptations such as reduced tyrosine kinase activity, increased phosphatidylin...