Hexose metabolism in pancreatic islets: preferential utilization of mitochondrial ATP for glucose phosphorylation

The respective contribution of exogenous and intramitochondrially formed ATP to D-glucose phosphorylation by mitochondria-bound hexokinase was examined in both rat liver and pancreatic islet mitochondria by comparing the generation of D-glucose 6-[32P]phosphate from exogenous [gamma-32P]ATP to the total rate of D-[U-14C]glucose phosphorylation. In liver mitochondria, the fractional contribution of exogenous ATP to D-glucose phosphorylation ranged from 4 to 74%, depending on the availability of endogenous ATP formed by either oxidative phosphorylation or in the reaction catalyzed by adenylate kinase. Likewise, in islet mitochondria exposed to exogenous ATP but deprived of exogenous nutrient, about 60% of D-glucose phosphorylation was supported by mitochondrial ATP. Such a fractional contribution was further increased in the presence of ADP and succinate, and suppressed by mitochondrial poisons. It is concluded that, in islet like in liver mitochondria, mitochondrial ATP is used preferentially to exogenous ATP as a substrate for D-glucose phosphorylation by mitochondria-bound hexokinase. This may favour the maintenance of a high cytosolic ATP concentration in glucose-stimulated islet cells.