STUDIES OF FATTY ACID OXIDATION: 4. THE EFFECTS OF FATTY ACIDS ON THE OXIDATION OF OTHER METABOLITES

Abstract

Fatty acids inhibit the oxidation of pyruvate by rat-kidney mitochondria but the extent of inhibition depends upon the nature and amount of agent added to stimulate the oxidation. The longer chain fatty acids are more effective inhibitors and, in general, the even-numbered fatty acids show greater inhibitory effects than the adjacent odd-numbered fatty acids. Under conditions where 2,4-dinitrophenol (DNOP) and the fatty acids separately have little effect on the respiratory activity of rat-kidney mitochondria with pyruvate as substrate, the addition of both fatty acid and DNOP results in an extensive inhibition. At low concentrations the fatty acids are oxidized by rat-kidney mitochondria but at concentrations of 10-3 [image] and higher they inhibit their own oxidation, the oxidation of pyruvate, and those of the acids of the tricarboxylic acid cycle. The oxidation of pyruvate by rat-brain mitochondria is insensitive to decanoate but both the fumarate- and DNOP-stimulated oxidations of pyruvate are sensitive to the presence of decanoate. In contrast, Nembutal inhibits both the oxidation of pyruvate alone and the fumarate-stimulated oxidation of pyruvate. Possible mechanisms for the observed inhibitory effects of fatty acids are discussed.