Nicotinamide adenine dinucleotide phosphate-converting enzymes and adenosine triphosphate citrate lyase in some tissues and organs of New Zealand obese mice with special reference to the enzyme pattern of the pancreatic islets.

In order to obtain a quantitative estimate of the capacity of the pancreatic islets for provision of cytoplasmic acetyl-coenzyme A and for the turnover of nicotinamide adenine dinucleotide phosphate and its reduced form (NADP+/NADPH), the following enzymes were assayed in islets taken from New Zealand Obese mice: adenosine triphosphate citrate lyase (EC 4.1.3.8), malate dehydrogenase (decarboxylating) (NADP+) (EC 1.1.1.40), glutathione reductase (EC 1.6.4.2) and isocitrate dehydrogenase (NADP+) (EC 1.1.1.42). In addition, the activity of isocitrate dehydrogenase (NAD+) (EC 1.1.1.41) was determined. For comparative purposes the activities in exocrine pancreas, liver, heart muscle, kidney cortex and skeletal muscle were also determined. Specimens of pancreatic islets and the other tissues were microdissected from freeze-dried sections. In comparison with the other tissues, adenosine triphosphate citrate lyase was particularly active in the islets. The NADP+/NAPH-converting enzymes had activities, which suggested a rapid turnover of the islet NADP+/NADPH pool.