MAMMALIAN METHYLMALONYL ISOMERASE AND VITAMIN B(12) COENZYMES

Acceleration of gluconeogenesis from propionate by Dl-carnitine in the rat kidney cortex

1. The rate of gluconeogenesis from propionate in rat kidney-cortex slices was stimulated up to 3.5-fold by dl-carnitine and by bicarbonate, and was inhibited by inorganic phosphate or high concentrations of propionate (above 3mm). 2. The stimulatory effect of carnitine was dependent on the bicarbonate concentration and could be replaced at low propionate concentration by addition of 25mm-bicarbonate-carbon dioxide buffer. At low bicarbonate concentration the carnitine concentration can be rate-limiting. 3. All observations are in accordance with the view that the action of carnitine is in principle the same as that established for other fatty acids in other tissues, namely that carnitine promotes the appearance of propionyl-CoA within the mitochondrion by acting as a carrier. 4. The accelerating effects of carnitine and bicarbonate and the inhibitory effect of phosphate can be explained on the basis of the known properties of key enzymes of propionate metabolism, i.e. the reversibility of the reactions leading to the formation of methylmalonyl-CoA from propionyl-CoA. 5. 5mm-Propionate caused a five- to ten-fold fall in the free CoA content of the tissue. This fall can account for the inhibition of respiration and gluconeogenesis caused by high propionate concentration. 6. Relatively large quantities of propionyl-l-carnitine (15% of the propionate removed) were formed when dl-carnitine was present; thus the ;activation' of propionate proceeded at a faster rate than the carboxylation of propionyl-CoA. The metabolism of added propionyl-l-carnitine was accompanied by glucose synthesis. 7. The appearance of radioactivity from [2-(14)C]propionate in both glucose and carbon dioxide was as expected on account of the randomization of C-2 and C-3 of propionate, i.e. the formation of succinate as an intermediate. 8. The maximum rate of glucose synthesis from propionate (93.3+/-3.3mumoles/g. dry wt./hr.) was not affected by dietary changes aimed at varying the rate of caecal volatile fatty acid formation in the rat. 9. Inhibition of gluconeogenesis by high propionate concentration was not found in those species where the rate of caecal or ruminal propionate production is high under normal conditions (rabbit, sheep and cow).

Methylmalonic aciduria: metabolic block localization and vitamin B 12 dependency

Methylmalonic aciduria is an inborn error of metabolism characterized by neonatal or infantile ketoacidosis. Leukocytes isolated from the peripheral blood of a 1-year-old child with this disorder converted negligible quantities of propionate-3-C(14) to carbon dioxide, but oxidized succinate-1,4-C(14) normally, an indication of a block in the conversion of propionate to succinate. Parenteral administration of vitamin B(18) resulted in a reduction in methylmalonic acid excretion and an increase in propionate oxidation by leukocytes in vitro. The results suggest a mutation of methylmalonyl-CoA isomerase, a vitamin B(12), dependent enzyme which converts methylmalonyl-CoA to succinyl-CoA, and provide the first demonstration of vitamin B(12) "dependency" in man.

Methylmalonate Excretion in Vitamin B12 Deficiency

Urinary methylmalonate excretion is increased in rats with an insufficiency of vitamin B(12). Excretion of methylmalonate is not affected by folic acid, vitamin E, or selenium, but is markedly decreased by small amounts of vitamin B(12) added to the diet.

THE INFLUENCE OF COBAMIDES ON THE ENDOGENOUS AND EXOGENOUS RESPIRATION OF A MARINE BACTERIUM

The oxidation of propionate, isobutyrate, valerate, isoleucine, and valine as well as the endogenous respiration of a B12-dencient marine bacterium was stimulated by the addition of vitamin B12to washed cell suspensions. The B12analog, 2-methyladenylcobamide cyanide, also stimulated endogenous respiration, but cobinamide was inactive. During autorespiration ammonia was continuously evolved by the cells indicating the presence of a nitrogenous endogenous substrate. When vitamin B12was supplied to the cells, the ammonia evolved was decreased, while the rate of oxygen uptake was increased. The possible involvement of cobamide coenzymes is discussed in relation to these findings.