Compartmentation of acetyl CoA studied by analysis of tricarboxylic acid cycle acids and 3-hydroxybutyrate in bile of rats given [2,2,2-2H3]ethanol.

Acetate, 3-hydroxybutyrate, pyruvate, lactate, citrate, 2-oxoglutarate, succinate, fumarate and malate were analysed in rat bile by gas chromatography and gas chromatography/mass spectrometry of their O-melthyloxime-t-butyldimethylsilyl derivatives. The concentration of acetate increased to about 1.8 mmol/l after administration of [2,2,2-2H3]ethanol. Acetate was formed from ethanol to an extent of about 82% and retained all of the 2H at C-2, whereas 15% of the 2H had been lost in the tricarboxylic acid cycle intermediates and 24% in 3-hydroxybutyrate. Thus the exchange of 2H for 1H takes place after formation of acetyl CoA. For citrate and 3-hydroxybutyrate, 41% and 11% respectively was formed from [2,2,2-2H3]ethanol. These results indicate that different pools of acetyl CoA are used for the synthesis of ketone bodies and citrate, with the latter being derived from ethanol to a much larger extent. Smaller fractions of 2-oxoglutarate (16%) and succinate (5%) were derived from [2,2,2--2H3]ethanol, indicating significant contributions from amino acids.