Effects of iodoacetate and fluoride on islate respiration and insulin biosynthesis

Fluoride and iodoacetate inhibited the oxidation of glucose by islets of Langerhans isolated from the rat pancreas. Fifty % inhibition occurred with either 17 mM fluoride or 0.5 mM iodoacetate. The rate of insulin biosynthesis was more strongly inhibited by these inhibitors, especially fluoride. Fifty % inhibition occurred with approximately 1.5 mM fluoride. At high concentrations of iodoacetate and fluoride, the inhibitory effect on insulin synthesis was not reversed to a significant degree by the addition of pyruvate in the incubation medium. In addition to inhibiting the glycolysis and depriving islets of energy essential for the biosynthesis of insulin, fluoride probably exerts a direct inhibitory influence on the biosynthetic mechanism. A separate experiment with [6-14C]glucose indicated that 0.2 mM iodoacetate does not inhibit glycolysis completely.