Adipocyte protein modification by Krebs cycle intermediates and fumarate ester-derived succination.

Protein succination, the non-enzymatic modification of cysteine residues by fumarate, is distinguishable from succinylation, an enzymatic reaction forming an amide bond between lysine residues and succinyl-CoA. Treatment of adipocytes with 30 mM glucose significantly increases protein succination with only a small change in succinylation. Protein succination may be significantly increased intracellularly after treatment with fumaric acid esters, however, the ester must be removed by saponification to permit 2SC-antibody detection of the fumarate adduct.