title: Stimulation of non-oxidative glucose utilization by L-carnitine in isolated myocytes.
abstract: The effects of L-carnitine on 14CO2 release from [1-14C]pyruvate oxidation (an index of pyruvate dehydrogenase activity, PDH), [2-14C]pyruvate, and [6-14C]glucose oxidation (indices of the acetyl-CoA flux through citric acid cycle), and [U-14C]glucose (an index of both PDH activity and the flux of acetyl-CoA through the citric acid cycle), were studied using isolated rat cardiac myocytes. L-carnitine increased the release of 14CO2 from [1-14C]pyruvate, and decreased that of [2-14C]pyruvate in a time and concentration-dependent manner. At a concentration of 2.5 mM, L-carnitine produced a 50% increase of CO2 release from [1-14C]pyruvate and a 50% decrease from [2-14C]pyruvate oxidation. L-carnitine also increased CO2 release from [1-14C]pyruvate oxidation by 35%, and decreased that of [2-14C]pyruvate oxidation 30%, in isolated rat heart mitochondria. The fatty acid oxidation inhibitor, etomoxir, stimulated the release of CO2 from both [1-14]pyruvate and [2-14C]pyruvate. These results were supported by the effects of L-carnitine on the CO2 release from [6-14C]- and [U-14C]glucose oxidation. L-carnitine (5 mM) decreased the CO2 release from [6-14C]glucose by 37%, while etomoxir (50 microM) increased its release by 24%. L-carnitine had no effect on the oxidation of [U-14C]glucose. L-carnitine increased palmitate oxidation in a time- and concentration-dependent manner in myocytes. Also, it increased the rate of efflux of acetylcarnitine generated from pyruvate in myocytes. These results suggest that L-carnitine stimulates pyruvate dehydrogenase complex activity and enhances non-oxidative glucose metabolism by increasing the mitochondrial acetylcarnitine efflux in the absence of exogenous fatty acids.
authors.affiliation: Duke University Medical Center, Department of Surgery, Durham, North Carolina 27710, USA.
authors.forename: S
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Abdel-aleem
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Sayed-Ahmed
authors.forename: M A
authors.initials: MA
authors.lastname: Nada
authors.forename: S C
authors.initials: SC
authors.lastname: Hendrickson
authors.forename: J
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: St Louis
authors.forename: J E
authors.initials: JE
authors.lastname: Lowe
mesh_terms: D000108:Acetylcarnitine / Q000378:metabolism; D000818:Animals; D002245:Carbon Dioxide / Q000378:metabolism; D002331:Carnitine / Q000494:pharmacology*; D002478:Cells, Cultured; D004305:Dose-Response Relationship, Drug; D004852:Epoxy Compounds / Q000494:pharmacology; D005947:Glucose / Q000378:metabolism*; D007004:Hypoglycemic Agents / Q000494:pharmacology; D008297:Male; D008928:Mitochondria / Q000378:metabolism; D009206:Myocardium / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000648:ultrastructure; D010084:Oxidation-Reduction; D010168:Palmitates / Q000378:metabolism; D011768:Pyruvate Dehydrogenase Complex / Q000378:metabolism; D051381:Rats; D017207:Rats, Sprague-Dawley
chemical_list: D004852:Epoxy Compounds; D007004:Hypoglycemic Agents; D010168:Palmitates; D011768:Pyruvate Dehydrogenase Complex; D002245:Carbon Dioxide; D000108:Acetylcarnitine; D005947:Glucose; C054207:etomoxir; D002331:Carnitine