Antiketogenic effect of gluconeogenic substrates. II. Effect of pyruvate

The effect of pyruvate on the fate of free fatty acids in isolated hepatocytes from starved rats has been studied. 5 mM pyruvate inhibited ketone bodies production variously from endogenous substrates, acetate, octanoate and oleate. However, the incorporation of radioactivity into ketone bodies from acetate, octanoate or oleate was not affected by the presence of pyruvate. The oxidation of radioactive fatty acids to CO2 was increased by the presence of pyruvate. These results suggest that pyruvate inhibited ketogenesis by increasing the rate of the tricarboxylic acid cycle.