Effects of D-mannoheptose and D-glycero-D-gulo-heptose upon D-glucose metabolism and insulinotropic action in rat pancreatic islets and D-glucose phosphorylation by hexokinase isoenzymes: comparison with D-mannoheptulose.

The possible use of D-mannoheptose or D-glycero-D-gulo-heptose as substitute of D-mannoheptulose for specific inhibition of D-glucose phosphorylation, metabolism and insulinotropic action was investigated in the present study. The two aldoheptoses failed to duplicate the effect of D-mannoheptulose upon the phosphorylation of D-glucose by yeast hexokinase, bovine heart hexokinase or human B-cell glucokinase. They were poorly phosphorylated by the low-Km hexokinase isoenzymes or liver B-cell glucokinase. D-mannoheptose failed to reproduce the inhibitory action of D-mannoheptulose upon D-glucose metabolism by isolated rat pancreatic islets. Whilst D-glycero-D-gulo-heptose failed to affect glucose-induced insulin release, D-mannoheptose slightly enhanced glucose-induced insulin release when tested at low concentrations (0.75-1.5 mM) and progressively decreased insulin output at higher concentration (3. 0-20.0 mM) in islets exposed to a high (16.7 mM), but not physiological (8.3 mM), concentration of D-glucose. D-mannoheptose, however, also caused a modest inhibition of insulin release evoked by 2-ketoisocaproate. It is concluded, therefore, that neither D-mannoheptose nor D-glycero-D-guloheptose can be considered as suitable substitutes of D-mannoheptulose.