The metabolism of butyric and related acids in animal tissue

Abstract

As measured by Qo2 and the formation of bicarbonate by kidney slices of well-fed guinea-pigs and rats, butyric, crotonic, vinylacetic, [beta]-hydroxybutyric, [gamma]-hydroxybutyric and dl-[alpha][gamma]-dihydroxy-butyric acids were rapidly oxidized, trans-[gamma]-hydroxycro-tonic acid only by rat kidney. Vinylglycollic acid inhibited tissue respiration. [alpha]-Hydroxybutyric, tetrolic, dl-[beta][gamma]-dihy-droxybutyric and tetronic acids were not appreciably oxidized, and [beta]-hydroxybutyric and crotonic acids were oxidized more slowly than butyric acid. In the presence of vinylacetic acid Qbic was higher than in the presence of butyric acid. In rat kidney slices, formation of an un-saturated compound in the presence of butyric and [beta]-hy-droxybutyric acids occurred under aerobic conditions. Under anaerobic conditions vinylacetic acid disappeared in rat kidney slices; 0.031M malonate inhibited, the oxidation of all the substrates in the kidney of both spp. Vinylacetic acid and dl-[beta][gamma]-dihydroxybutyric acid were ketogenic in liver slices from starved pigeons and rats. Vinylacetic acid may play a part in the intermediate metabolism of butyric acid in animal tissue.