Regulatory roles of the N-terminal domain based on crystal structures of human pyruvate dehydrogenase kinase 2 containing physiological and synthetic ligands

Pyruvate dehydrogenase kinase (PDHK) regulates the activity of the pyruvate dehydrogenase multienzyme complex. PDHK inhibition provides a route for therapeutic intervention in diabetes and cardiovascular disorders. We report crystal structures of human PDHK isozyme 2 complexed with physiological and synthetic ligands. Several of the PDHK2 structures disclosed have C-terminal cross arms that span a large trough region between the N-terminal regulatory (R) domains of the PDHK2 dimers. The structures containing bound ATP and ADP demonstrate variation in the conformation of the active site lid, residues 316-321, which enclose the nucleotide beta and gamma phosphates at the active site in the C-terminal catalytic domain. We have identified three novel ligand binding sites located in the R domain of PDHK2. Dichloroacetate (DCA) binds at the pyruvate binding site in the center of the R domain, which together with ADP, induces significant changes at the active site. Nov3r and AZ12 inhibitors bind at the lipoamide binding site that is located at one end of the R domain. Pfz3 (an allosteric inhibitor) binds in an extended site at the other end of the R domain. We conclude that the N-terminal domain of PDHK has a key regulatory function and propose that the different inhibitor classes act by discrete mechanisms. The structures we describe provide insights that can be used for structure-based design of PDHK inhibitors.     

Amino acid residues responsible for the recognition of dichloroacetate by pyruvate dehydrogenase kinase 2

Dichloroacetate (DCA) is a promising anticancer and antidiabetic compound targeting the mitochondrial pyruvate dehydrogenase kinase (PDHK). This study was undertaken in order to map the DCA-binding site of PDHK2. Here, we present evidence that R114, S83, I157 and, to some extent, H115 are essential for DCA binding. We also show that Y80 and D117 are required for the communication between the DCA-binding site and active site of PDHK2. These observations provide important insights into the mechanism of DCA action that may be useful for the design of new, more potent therapeutic compounds.     

Metabolism and transport of glutamine and glucose in vascularly perfused small intestine of the rat

1. The proportion of active (dephosphorylated) pyruvate dehydrogenase in rat heart mitochondria was correlated with total concentration ratios of ATP/ADP, NADH/NAD+ and acetyl-CoA/CoA. These metabolites were measured with ATP-dependent and NADH-dependent luciferases. 2. Increase in the concentration ratio of NADH/NAD+ at constant [ATP]/[ADP] and [acetyl-CoA]/[CoA] was associated with increased phosphorylation and inactivation of pyruvate dehydrogenase. This was based on comparison between mitochondria incubated with 0.4mM- or 1mM-succinate and mitochondria incubated with 0.4mM-succinate+/-rotenone. 3. Increase in the concentration ratio acetyl-CoA/CoA at constant [ATP]/[ADP] and [NADH][NAD+] was associated with increased phosphorylation and inactivation of pyruvate dehydrogenase. This was based on comparison between incubations in 50 micrometer-palmitotoyl-L-carnitine and in 250 micrometer-2-oxoglutarate +50 micrometer-L-malate. 4. These findings are consistent with activation of the pyruvate dehydrogenase kinase reaction by high ratios of [NADH]/[NAD+] and of [acetyl-CoA]/[CoA]. 5. Comparison between mitochondria from hearts of diabetic and non-diabetic rats shows that phosphorylation and inactivation of pyruvate dehydrogenase is enhanced in alloxan-diabetes by some factor other than concentration ratios of ATP/ADP, NADH/NAD+ or acetyl-CoA/CoA.     

Structures of bovine glutamate dehydrogenase complexes elucidate the mechanism of purine regulation

Glutamate dehydrogenase is found in all organisms and catalyses the oxidative deamination of l-glutamate to 2-oxoglutarate. However, only animal GDH utilizes both NAD(H) or NADP(H) with comparable efficacy and exhibits a complex pattern of allosteric inhibition by a wide variety of small molecules. The major allosteric inhibitors are GTP and NADH and the two main allosteric activators are ADP and NAD(+). The structures presented here have refined and modified the previous structural model of allosteric regulation inferred from the original boGDH.NADH.GLU.GTP complex. The boGDH.NAD(+).alpha-KG complex structure clearly demonstrates that the second coenzyme-binding site lies directly under the "pivot helix" of the NAD(+) binding domain. In this complex, phosphates are observed to occupy the inhibitory GTP site and may be responsible for the previously observed structural stabilization by polyanions. The boGDH.NADPH.GLU.GTP complex shows the location of the additional phosphate on the active site coenzyme molecule and the GTP molecule bound to the GTP inhibitory site. As expected, since NADPH does not bind well to the second coenzyme site, no evidence of a bound molecule is observed at the second coenzyme site under the pivot helix. Therefore, these results suggest that the inhibitory GTP site is as previously identified. However, ADP, NAD(+), and NADH all bind under the pivot helix, but a second GTP molecule does not. Kinetic analysis of a hyperinsulinism/hyperammonemia mutant strongly suggests that ATP can inhibit the reaction by binding to the GTP site. Finally, the fact that NADH, NAD(+), and ADP all bind to the same site requires a re-analysis of the previous models for NADH inhibition.     

Stimulation of histone deacetylase activity by metabolites of intermediary metabolism

Histone deacetylases (HDACs) function in a wide range of molecular processes, including gene expression, and are of significant interest as therapeutic targets. Although their native complexes, subcellular localization, and recruitment mechanisms to chromatin have been extensively studied, much less is known about whether the enzymatic activity of non-sirtuin HDACs can be regulated by natural metabolites. Here, we show that several coenzyme A (CoA) derivatives, such as acetyl-CoA, butyryl-CoA, HMG-CoA, and malonyl-CoA, as well as NADPH but not NADP(+), NADH, or NAD(+), act as allosteric activators of recombinant HDAC1 and HDAC2 in vitro following a mixed activation kinetic. In contrast, free CoA, like unconjugated butyrate, inhibits HDAC activity in vitro. Analysis of a large number of engineered HDAC1 mutants suggests that the HDAC activity can potentially be decoupled from "activatability" by the CoA derivatives. In vivo, pharmacological inhibition of glucose-6-phosphate dehydrogenase (G6PD) to decrease NADPH levels led to significant increases in global levels of histone H3 and H4 acetylation. The similarity in structures of the identified metabolites and the exquisite selectivity of NADPH over NADP(+), NADH, and NAD(+) as an HDAC activator reveal a previously unrecognized biochemical feature of the HDAC proteins with important consequences for regulation of histone acetylation as well as the development of more specific and potent HDAC inhibitors.     

Kinetic characterization of the pyruvate and oxoglutarate dehydrogenase complexes from human heart

The Michaelis constant values for the highly purified pyruvate dehydrogenase complex (PDC) from human heart are 25, 13 and 50 microM for pyruvate, CoA and NAD, respectively. Acetyl-CoA produces a competitive inhibition of PDC (Ki = 35 microM) with respect to CoA, whereas NADH produces the same type of inhibition with respect to NAD (Ki = 36 microM). The oxoglutarate dehydrogenase complex (OGDC) from human heart has active sites with two different affinities for 2-oxoglutarate ([S]0.5 of 30 and 120 microM). ADP (1 mM) decreases the [S]0.5 values by a half. The inhibition of OGDC (Ki = 81 microM) by succinyl-CoA is of a competitive type with respect to CoA (Km = 2.5 microM), whereas that of NADH (Ki = 25 microM) is of a mixed type with respect to NAD (Km = 170 microM).     

Crystal structure of an asymmetric complex of pyruvate dehydrogenase kinase 3 with lipoyl domain 2 and its biological implications

A homodimer of pyruvate dehydrogenase kinase (PDHK) is an integral part of pyruvate dehydrogenase complex (PDC) to which it is anchored primarily through the inner lipoyl-bearing domains (L2) of transacetylase component. The catalytic cycle of PDHK and its translocation over the PDC surface is thought to be mediated by the "symmetric" and "asymmetric" modes, in which the PDHK dimer binds to two and one L2-domain(s), respectively. Whereas the structure of the symmetric PDHK/L2 complex was reported, the structural organization and functional role of the asymmetric complex remain obscure. Here, we report the crystal structure of the asymmetric PDHK3/L2 complex that reveals several functionally important features absent from the previous structures. First, the PDHK3 subunits have distinct conformations: one subunit exhibits "open" and the other "closed" configuration of the putative substrate-binding cleft. Second, access to the closed cleft is additionally restricted by local unwinding of the adjacent alpha-helix. Modeling indicates that the target peptide might gain access to the PDHK active center through the open but not through the closed cleft. Third, the ATP-binding loop in one PDHK3 subunit adopts an open conformation, implying that the nucleotide loading into the active site is mediated by the inactive "pre-insertion" binding mode. Altogether our data suggest that the asymmetric complex represents a physiological state in which binding of a single L2-domain activates one of the PDHK protomers while inactivating another. Thus, the L2-domains likely act not only as the structural anchors but also modulate the catalytic cycle of PDHK.     

A kinetic study of the alpha-keto acid dehydrogenase complexes from pig heart mitochondria.

The kinetic mechanisms of the 2-oxoglutarate and pyruvate dehydrogenease complexes from pig heart mitochondria were studied at pH 7.5 and 25 degrees. A three-site ping-pong mechanism for the actin of both complexes was proposed on the basis of the parallel lines obtained when 1/v was plotted against 2-oxoglutarate or pyruvate concentration for various levels of CoA and a level of NAD+ near its Michaelis constant value. Rate equations were derived from the proposed mechanism. Michaelis constants for the reactants of the 2-oxoglutarate dehydrogenase complex reaction are: 2-oxoglutarate, 0.220 mM; CoA, 0.025 mM; NAD+, 0.050 mM. Those of the pyruvate dehydrogenase complex are: pyruvate, 0.015 mM; CoA, 0.021 mM; NAD+, 0.079 mM. Product inhibition studies showed that succinyl-CoA or acetyl-CoA was competitive with respect to CoA, and NADH was competitive with respect to NAD+ in both overall reactions, and that succinyl-CoA or acetyl-CoA and NADH were uncompetitive with respect to 2-oxoglutarate or pyruvate, respectively. However, noncompetitive (rather than uncompetitive) inhibition patterns were observed for succinyl-CoA or acetyl-CoA versus NAD+ and for NADH versus CoA. These results are consistent with the proposed mechanisms.     

Regulation of kinase reactions in pig heart pyruvate dehydrogenase complex.

1. Pig heart pyruvate dehydrogenase complex is inactivated by phosphorylation (MgATP2-) of an alpha-chain of the decarboxylase component. Three serine residues may be phosphorylated, one of which (site 1) is the major inactivating site. 2. The relative rates of phosphorylation are site 1 greater than 2 greater than site 3. 3. The kinetics of the inactivating phosphorylation were investigated by measuring inactivation of the complex with MgATP2-. The apparent Km for the Mg complex of ATP was 25.5 microM; ADP was a competitive inhibitor (Ki 69.8 microM) and sodium pyruvate an uncompetitive inhibitor (Ki 2.8 microM). Inactivation was accelerated by increasing concentration ratios of NADH/NAD+ and of acetyl-CoA/CoA. 4. The kinetics of additional phosphorylations (predominantly site 2 under these conditions) were investigated by measurement of 32P incorporation into non-radioactive pyruvate dehydrogenase phosphate containing 3-6% of active complex, and assumed from parrallel experiments with 32P labelling to contain 91% of protein-bound phosphate in site 1 and 9% in site 2. 5. The apparent Km for the Mg complex of ATP was 10.1 microM; ADP was a competitive inhibitor (Ki 31.5 microM) and sodium pyruvate an uncompetitive inhibitor (Ki 1.1 mM). 6. Incorporation was accelerated by increasing concentration ratios of NADH/NAD+ and of acetyl-CoA/CoA, although it was less marked at the highest ratios.     

Pyruvate dehydrogenase complex of ascites tumour. Activation by AMP and other properties of potential significance in metabolic regulation.

1. AMP is an activator of the pyruvate dehydrogenase complex of the Ehrlich--Lettré ascites tumour, increasing its V up to 2-fold, with Ka of 40 microM at pH 7.4. This activation appears to be an allosteric effect on the decarboxylase subunit of the complex. 2. The pyruvate dehydrogenase complex has a Km for pyruvate within the range 17--36 microM depending on the pH, the optimum pH being approx. 7.4, with a V of approx. 0.1 unit/g of cells. The rate-limiting step is dependent on the transformation of the enzyme--substrate complex. The Km for CoA is 15 microM. The Km for NAD+ is 0.7 mM for both the complex and the lipoamide dehydrogenase. The complex is inhibited by acetyl-CoA competitively with CoA; the Ki is 60 microM. The lipoamide dehydrogenase is inhibited by NADH and NADPH competitively with NAD+, with Ki values of 80 and 90 microM respectively. In the reverse reaction the Km values for NADH and NADPH are essentially equal to their Ki values for the forward reaction, the V for the latter being 0.09 of that of the former. Hence the reaction rate of the complex in vivo is likely to be markedly affected by feedback isosteric inhibition by reduced nicotinamide nucleotides and possibly acetyl-CoA.     

Evidence that a 41,000 dalton brain phosphoprotein is pyruvate dehydrogenase

Phosphorylation of a brain protein of M_r=41,000, termed band F₂, is selectively regulated by effectors of pyruvate dehydrogenase kinase (pyruvate, dichloroacetate, NAD, NADH, CoA, and acetyl CoA). Subcellular fractionation studies indicate a mitochondrial localization of a phosphoprotein with this molecular weight. The phosphorylated α-subunit of purified bovine kidney pyruvate dehydrogenase comigrates with band F₂ on polyacrylamide gels and both appear as a doublet band of M_r=41,000?42,000. On the basis of similar regulatory properties, subcellular location and electrophoretic mobility, we propose that band F₂ is the α-subunit of the brain pyruvate dehydrogenase complex. Because band F₂ can be affected by physiological and behavioral treatments, our hypothesis suggests a potential regulatory role for pyruvate dehydrogenase in brain function.     

STEADY STATE KINETICS OF RAT BRAIN PYRUVATE DEHYDROGENASE MULTIENZYME COMPLEX

Abstract— The overall steady state kinetic mechanism of pyruvate dehydrogenase multienzyme complex purified from rat brain has been investigated. Initial rate patterns were a series of parallel lines regardless of which substrate was varied at several fixed concentrations of other substrates. Product inhibition patterns showed that acetyl CoA is competitive vs CoA, that NADH is competitive vs NAD, and that both acetyl CoA and NADH are uncompetitive vs pyruvate. Both acetyl CoA and NADH are noncompetitive vs NAD and CoASH, respectively. These results are inconsistent with classical 'hexa uni' ping-pong mechanisms, but are consistent with a non-classical 3-site ping-pong mechanism.     

Intra- and intermolecular electron transfer processes in redox proteins

Initial velocity and product inhibition experiments were performed to characterize the kinetic mechanism of branched chain ketoacid dehydrogenase (the branched chain complex) activity. The results were directly compared to predicted patterns for a three-site ping-pong mechanism. Product inhibition experiments confirmed that NADH is competitive versus NAD+ and isovaleryl CoA is competitive versus CoA. Furthermore, both NADH and isovaleryl CoA were uncompetitive versus ketoisovaleric acid. These results are consistent with a ping-pong mechanism and are similar to pyruvate dehydrogenase and alpha-ketoglutarate dehydrogenase. However, inhibition patterns for isovaleryl CoA versus NAD+ and NADH versus CoA are not consistent with a ping-pong mechanism. These patterns may result from a steric interaction between the flavoprotein and transacetylase subunits of the complex. To determine the kinetic mechanism of the substrates and feedback inhibitors (NADH and isovaleryl CoA) of the branched chain complex, it was necessary to define the interaction of the inhibitors at nonsaturating fixed substrate (CoA and NAD+) concentrations. While the competitive inhibition patterns were maintained, slope replots for NADH versus NAD+ at nonsaturating CoA concentrations were parabolic. This unexpected finding resembles a linear mixed type of inhibition where the inhibition is a combination of pure competitive and noncompetitive inhibition.     

Inhibition of bovine kidney alpha-ketoglutarate dehydrogenase complex by reduced nicotinamide adenine dinucleotide in the presence or absence of calcium ion and effect of adenosine 5'-diphosphate on reduced nicotinamide adenine dinucleotide inhibition

Micromolar Ca2+ markedly reduces NADH inhibition of bovine kidney alpha-ketoglutarate dehydrogenase complex [Lawlis, V. B., & Roche, T. E. (1980) Mol. Cell. Biochem. 32, 147-152]. Product inhibition patterns from initial velocity studies conducted at less than 10(-9) M or at 1.5 X 10(-5) M Ca2+ with NAD+, CoA, or alpha-ketoglutarate as the variable substrate showed that NADH was a noncompetitive inhibitor with respect to each of these substrates, except at high NAD+ concentrations, where reciprocal plots were nonlinear and the inhibition pattern for NADH vs. NAD+ changed from a noncompetitive to a competitive pattern. From slope and intercept replots, 2-fold to 12-fold higher inhibition constants were estimated for inhibition by NADH vs. the various substrates in the presence of 1.5 X 10(-5) M Ca2+ than for inhibition at less than 10(-9) M Ca2+. These inhibition patterns and the lack of an effect of Ca2+ on the inhibition of the dihydrolipoyl dehydrogenase component suggested that Ca2+-modulated NADH inhibition occurs at an allosteric site with competitive binding at the site by high levels of NAD+. Decarboxylation of alpha-keto[1-14C]glutarate by the resolved alpha-ketoglutarate dehydrogenase component was investigated in the presence of 5.0 mM glyoxylate which served as an efficient acceptor. NADH (0.2 mM) or 1.0 mM ATP inhibited the partial reaction whereas 15 muM Ca2+, 1.0 mM ADP, or 10 mM NAD+ stimulated the partial reaction and reduced NADH inhibition of this reaction. Thus these effectors alter the activity of the alpha-ketoglutarate dehydrogenase complex by binding at allosteric sites on the alpha-ketoglutarate dehydrogenase component. Inhibition by NADH over a wide range of NADH/NAD+ ratios was measured under conditions in which the level of alpha-ketoglutarate was adjusted to give matching control activities at less than 10(-9) M Ca2+ or 1.5 X 10(-5) M Ca2+ in either the presence or the absence of 1.6 mM ADP. These studies establish that both Ca2+ and ADP decreased NADH inhibition under conditions compensating for the effects of Ca2+ and ADP on S0.5 for alpha-ketoglutarate. ADP was particularly effective in reducing NADH inhibition; further studies are required to determine whether this occurs through binding of NADH and ADP at the same, overlapping, or interacting sites.     

Effect of fatty acids and ketones on the activity of pyruvate dehydrogenase in skeletal-muscle mitochondria.

The presence of palmitoyl-L-carnitine and acetoacetate (separately) decreased flux through pyruvate dehydrogenase in isolated mitochondria from rat hind-limb muscle. The effect of acetoacetate was dependent on the presence of 2-oxoglutarate and Ca2+. Palmitoylcarnitine, but not acetoacetate, also decreased the mitochondrial content of active dephospho-pyruvate dehydrogenase (PDHA). This effect was large only in the presence of EGTA. Addition of Ca2+-EGTA buffers stabilizing pCa values of 6.48 or lower gave near-maximal values of PDHA content, irrespective of the presence of fatty acids or ketones when mitochondria were incubated under the same conditions used for the flux studies, i.e. at low concentrations of pyruvate. There was, however, a minor decrement in PDHA content in response to palmitoylcarnitine oxidation when the substrate was L-glutamate plus L-malate. Measurement of NAD+, NADH, CoA and acetyl-CoA in mitochondrial extracts in general showed decreases in [NAD+]/[NADH] and [CoA]/[acetyl-CoA] ratios in response to the oxidation of palmitoylcarnitine and acetoacetate, providing a mechanism for both decreased PDHA content and feedback inhibition of the enzyme in the PDHA form. However, only changes in [CoA]/[acetyl-CoA] ratio appear to underlie the decreased PDHA content on addition of palmitoylcarnitine when mitochondria are incubated with L-glutamate plus L-malate (and no pyruvate) as substrate. The effect of palmitoylcarnitine oxidation on flux through pyruvate dehydrogenase and on PDHA content is less marked in skeletal-muscle mitochondria than in cardiac-muscle mitochondria. This may reflect the less active oxidation of palmitoylcarnitine by skeletal-muscle mitochondria, as judged by State-3 rates of O2 uptake. In addition, Ca2+ concentration is of even greater significance in pyruvate dehydrogenase interconversion in skeletal-muscle mitochondria than in cardiac-muscle mitochondria.     

Recognition of the inner lipoyl-bearing domain of dihydrolipoyl transacetylase and of the blood glucose-lowering compound AZD7545 by pyruvate dehydrogenase kinase 2

Pyruvate dehydrogenase kinase 2 (PDHK2) is a unique mitochondrial protein kinase that regulates the activity of the pyruvate dehydrogenase multienzyme complex (PDC). PDHK2 is an integral component of PDC tightly bound to the inner lipoyl-bearing domains (L2) of the dihydrolipoyl transacetylase component (E2) of PDC. This association has been reported to bring about an up to 10-fold increase in kinase activity. Despite the central role played by E2 in the maintenance of PDHK2 functionality in the PDC-bound state, the molecular mechanisms responsible for the recognition of L2 by PDHK2 and for the E2-dependent PDHK2 activation are largely unknown. In this study, we used a combination of molecular modeling and site-directed mutagenesis to identify the amino acid residues essential for the interaction between PDHK2 and L2 and for the activation of PDHK2 by E2. On the basis of the results of site-directed mutagenesis, it appears that a number of PDHK2 residues located in its R domain (P22, L23, F28, F31, F44, L45, and L160) and in the so-called "cross arm" structure (K368, R372, and K391) are critical in determining the strength of the interaction between PDHK2 and L2. The residues of L2 essential for recognition by PDHK2 include L140, K173, I176, E179, and to a lesser extent D164, D172, and A174. Importantly, certain PDHK2 residues forming interfaces with L2, i.e., K17, P22, F31, F44, R372, and K391, are also critical for the maintenance of enhanced PDHK2 activity in the E2-bound state. Finally, evidence that the blood glucose-lowering compound AZD7545 disrupts the interactions between PDHK2 and L2 and thereby inhibits PDHK2 activity is presented.     

Pulsed EPR analysis of tartrate dehydrogenase active-site complexes.

Mn2+.tartrate dehydrogenase.substrate complexes have been examined by electron spin echo envelope modulation spectroscopy. The occurrence of dipolar interactions between Mn2+ and 2H on [2H]pyruvate and [4-2H]NAD(H) confirms that Mn2+ binds at the enzyme active site. The 2H signal arising from labeled pyruvate was lost if the sample was incubated at room temperature, indicating that the enzyme catalyzes exchange between the pyruvate methyl protons and solvent protons. Mn-133Cs dipolar coupling was also observed, which suggests that the monovalent cation cofactor also binds in the active site. The tartrate analogue oxalate was observed to have a significant effect on the binding of NAD(H). Oxalate appears to constrain the binding of NAD(H) so that the nicotinamide portion of the cofactor is held in close proximity to Mn2+. Spectra of enzyme complexes prepared with (R)-[4-2H]NADH showed a more intense 2H signal than analogous complexes prepared with (S)-[4-2H]NADH, demonstrating that the pro-R position of NADH is closer to Mn2+ than the pro-S position and suggesting that tartrate dehydrogenase is an A-side-specific dehydrogenase. Oxalate also affected Cs+ binding; the intensity of the 133Cs signal increased in the presence of oxalate, which suggest that oxalate facilitates binding of Cs+ to the active site or that Cs+ binds closer to Mn2+ when oxalate is present. In addition to signals from substrates, electron spin echo envelope modulation spectra revealed 14N signals that arose from coordination to Mn2+ by nitrogen-containing ligands from the protein; however, the identity of this ligand or ligands remains obscure.     

Regulation of pyruvate dehydrogenase by fatty acid in isolated rat liver mitochondria.

The mechanism by which fatty acid addition leads to the inactivation of pyruvate dehydrogenase in intact rat liver mitochondria was investigated. In all cases the fatty acid octanoate was added to mitochondria oxidizing succinate. Addition of fatty acid caused an inactivation of pyruvate dehydrogenase in mitochondria incubated under State 3 conditions (glucose plus hexokinase), in uncoupled, oligomycin-treated mitochondria, and in rotenone-menadione-treated mitochondria, but not in uncoupled mitochondria or in mitochondria incubated under State 4 conditions. A number of metabolic conditions were found in which pyruvate dehydrogenase was inactivated concomitant with an elevation in the ATP/ADP ratio. This is consistent with the inverse relationship between the ATP/ADP ratio and the pyruvate dehydrogenase activity proposed by various laboratories. However, in several other metabolic conditions pyruvate dehydrogenase was inactivated while the ATP/ADP ratio either was unchanged or even decreased. This observation implies that there are likely other regulatory factors involved in the fatty acid-mediated inactivation of pyruvate dehydrogenase. Incubation conditions in State 3 were found in which the ATP/ADP and the acetyl-CoA/CoASH ratios remained constant and the pyruvate dehydrogenase activity was correlated inversely with the NADH/NAD+ ratio. Other State 3 conditions were found in which the ATP/ADP and the NADH/NAD+ ratios remained constant while the pyruvate dehydrogenase activity was correlated inversely with the acetyl-CoA/CoASH ratio. Further evidence supporting these experiments with intact mitochondria was the observation that the pyruvate dehydrogenase kinase activity of a mitochondrial extract was stimulated strongly by acetyl-CoA and was inhibited by NAD+ and CoASH. In contrast to acetyl-CoA, octanoyl-CoA inhibited the kinase activity. These results indicate that the inactivation of pyruvate dehydrogenase by fatty acid in isolated rat liver mitochondria may be mediated through effects of the NADH/NAD+ ratio and the acetyl-CoA/CoASH ratio on the interconversion of the active and inactive forms of the enzyme complex catalyzed by pyruvate dehydrogenase kinase and pyruvate dehydrogenase phosphatase.     

Persistence of the effect of insulin on pyruvate dehydrogenase activity in rat white and brown adipose tissue during the preparation and subsequent incubation of mitochondria.

Increases in the amount of the active non-phosphorylated form of pyruvate dehydrogenase in rat epididymal adipose tissue, as a result of incubation with insulin, persist not only during the preparation of mitochondria but also during subsequent incubation of coupled mitochondria in the presence of respiratory substrates. No effect on insulin was found if the hormone was added directly to mitochondria in the presence or absence of added plasma membranes. Concentrations of several possible regulators of pyruvate dehydrogenase kinase (ATP, ADP, NADH, NAD+, acetyl-CoA, CoA and potassium) were measured in rat epididymal-adipose-tissue mitochondria incubated under conditions where differences in pyruvate dehydrogenase activity persist as a result of insulin action. No alterations were found, and it is suggested that inhibition of the kinase is not the principal means by which insulin activates pyruvate dehydrogenase. The intramitochondrial concentration of magnesium was also unaffected. Differences in pyruvate dehydrogenase activity in interscapular brown adipose tissue associated with manipulation of plasma insulin concentrations of cold-adapted rats were also shown to persist during the preparation and subsequent incubation of mitochondria in the presence or absence of GDP. It is pointed out that the persistence of the effect of insulin on pyruvate dehydrogenase in incubated mitochondria will facilitate the recognition of the mechanism of this action of the hormone. Evidence that the short-term action of insulin involves an increase in pyruvate dehydrogenase phosphate phosphatase activity rather than inhibition of that of pyruvate dehydrogenase kinase is discussed.