Activating effect of adenosine on rat erythrocyte glycolysis.

1. Adenosine increases the adenine nucleotide pool in rat erythrocytes. Hence, we tested the effect of the nucleoside on the glycolytic pathway in red blood cells. 2. A 2.5-fold increase in the level of fructose-1,6-bisphosphate and a 34% augmentation in lactate pool were observed in rat erythrocytes, 30 min after adenosine treatment. 3. Under conditions preventing adenosine metabolism, 1 microM nucleoside addition to isolated erythrocytes induced an 89% increase in lactate production and an increase in glucose consumption. 4. Activation of red cell phosphofructokinase (PFK) is produced by addition of microM concentrations of adenosine. Our data suggest a role for adenosine in the glycolysis flux regulation through PFK activation.