Glucose consumption by red cells of diabetic patients and normal subjects. Effect of ethanol

Glucose consumption was measured in the red cells of 15 diabetic patients and 13 normal subjects. The red cells were incubated in autologous serum with the glucose concentration adjusted to approximately 500 mg per 100 ml. Mean glucose consumption, both total and via the pentose phosphate pathway, by the red cells of the diabetic patients was not significantly different from that by the red cells of the normal subjects. Stimulation of the pentose phosphate pathway with ascorbate or methylene blue similarly revealed no difference between the two groups. Exposure of the red cells to ethanol in the incubation medium had no discernible effect on total glucose consumption but caused a decrease in glucose consumption by the pentose phosphate pathway. An effect of ethanol on glucose consumption by the pentose phosphate pathway was not evident in the presence of ascorbate or methylene blue. No difference in response to ethanol by the red cells of the diabetic patients and normal subjects was observed.