Exogenous substrate utilization by isolated myocytes from chronically diabetic rats

Abstract

The effect of chronic streptozotocin-induced diabetes on the utilization of exogenous substrates by freshly isolated, Ca2+-tolerant nonbeating myocytes was investigated. The rates of glucose (5 or 25 mM) and lactate (1 mM) oxidation were significantly reduced in myocytes of diabetic rats, whereas palmitate (0.4 or 1 mM) oxidation was similar to the controls. Glucose oxidation in diabetic (but not in control) and palmitate oxidation in control (but not in diabetic) myocytes were increased by raising the respective substrate concentrations in the medium to levels found in vivo in diabetic rats. Inhibition of glucose and lactate oxidation in the presence of competing substrates were generally similar between control and diabetic myocytes. However, the inhibitory effect of glucose on lactate oxidation was greater in control cells. The rate of palmitate oxidation was diminished by glucose in the controls, but this was not observed in the diabetic myocytes. Oxygen consumption by the myocytes of diabetic rats was below that of control cells when lactate or palmitate was present in the medium. ATP and phosphocreatine contents were similar in the myocytes of diabetic and control rats. All the observed changes in myocytes prepared from diabetic rats were reversed by in vivo insulin treatment.