Enhancement of glycolysis and CO2 formation from glycerol by hydroxyl radical scavengers in rat hepatocytes.

Two agents possessing hydroxyl radical scavenger activity, dimethyl sulfoxide and tris(hydroxymethyl)aminomethane, increased the production of lactate plus pyruvate in rat hepatocytes cultured for 2 hours. Enhancement of lactate plus pyruvate formation was no longer observed in rat hepatocytes cultured for 24 hours. The formation of CO2 from glucose and from glycerol in suspensions of freshly isolated rat hepatocytes was also enhanced by the two hydroxyl radical scavengers. These results suggest that glycolysis in hepatocytes is suppressed by hydroxyl radicals formed endogenously due to oxidant stress resulting from cell isolation and that the suppression can be relieved by antioxidants.