Glycolytic intermediates in rat heart after endotoxin treatment.

Glycolytic intermediates were determined in rat hearts five hours after an LD50 Escherichia coli endotoxin injection and glucose-6-phosphate (G6P) and fructose-6-phosphate (F6P) were decreased by 40% to 45% relative to control hearts. Levels of other intermediates which alter in severe hypoxia were unchanged. Adenosine triphosphate (ATP) and diphosphate (ADP) remained constant while glycogen was almost 50% depleted. A 30% fall in beta-hydroxybutyrate indicated that fatty acid utilization was decreased. The data were consistent with accelerated glycolysis. Pretreatment with the positive inotropic cardiac glycoside, ouabain, failed to maintain glycolytic intermediates in endotoxified heart at control levels. An identical fall in hexose monophosphates previously observed in rat livers may indicate that endotoxin has a similar action on enzymes regulating carbohydrate metabolism in different organs.