PFKFB2 and Sepsis: Gene expression of phosphofructokinase 1 was downregulated during acute and prolonged sepsis (Pfkm; Fig. 3.8), but hexose-biphosphate (Hexose-2P; Fig. 3.9) was normal and PFKFB2 (Pfkfbp2), the heart-specific enzyme responsible for the conversion to fructose-2,6-biphosphate, showed decreased expression in acute and prolonged sepsis (Fig. 3.10).