Effect of acetate and octanoate on tricarboxylic acid cycle metabolite disposal during propionate oxidation in the perfused rat heart.

Tricarboxylic acid cycle pool size is determined by anaplerosis and metabolite disposal. The regulation of the latter during propionate metabolism was studied in isolated perfused rat hearts in the light of the characteristics of NADP-linked malic enzyme, which is inhibited by acetyl-CoA. The acetyl-CoA concentration was varied by infusions of acetate and octanoate, and the rate of metabolite disposal was calculated from a metabolic balance sheet compiled from the relevant metabolic fluxes. Propionate addition increased the tricarboxylic acid cycle pool size 4-fold and co-infusion of acetate or octanoate did not change it further. Propionate caused a decrease in the CoA-SH concentration and a 10-fold increase in the propionyl-CoA concentration. A paradoxical increase in the CoA-SH concentration was observed upon co-infusion of acetate in the presence of propionate, an effect probably caused by competitive inhibition of propionate activation. A more pronounced decline in the propionyl-CoA concentration was observed upon the co-infusion of octanoate. In a metabolic steady state, acetate and octanoate reduced propionate disposal only slightly, but did not increase the tricarboxylic acid cycle pool size. The results are in accord with the notion that the tricarboxylic acid pool size is mainly regulated by the anaplerotic mechanisms.