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Effect of Acetoacetate on the Succinic Acid Oxidase System

Nature volume 171, pages 1158–1159 (1953)Cite this article

Abstract

THE effect of alloxan, a well-known diabetogenic substance, on blood glutathione1 and enzymes2 indicates that it is possible that its diabetogenic action may be through its effect on enzyme systems. Lazarow3 has discussed this possibility at length, and has also suggested that acetoacetic acid or a related compound may have a direct toxic action on the enzymes in the beta-cells of the pancreas and may thereby have an alloxan-like action. The recent findings reported from this laboratory4 that blood glutathione is lowered by acetoacetate injection may serve as an additional indication of acetoacetate acting adversely on sulphydryl enzymes. In a preliminary observation on a simple —SH enzyme papain5, it was noticed that acetoacetate could completely inactivate the enzyme at a concentration of 16 mM.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Biochemistry, Univeristy, Nagpur,

    M. C. NATH & V. G. HATWALNE

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  1. M. C. NATH
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  2. V. G. HATWALNE
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NATH, M., HATWALNE, V. Effect of Acetoacetate on the Succinic Acid Oxidase System. Nature 171, 1158–1159 (1953). https://doi.org/10.1038/1711158a0

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