Adenine nucleotide metabolism in hearts of diabetic rats. Comparison to diaphragm, liver, and kidney.

High-performance liquid chromatography analysis of acid-extracted tissues revealed decreases of high-energy nucleotides and increases in low-energy nucleotides and metabolites in heart, diaphragm, and liver but not in kidneys of diabetic rats. In comparison with nondiabetic rats, the total adenine nucleotide content of diabetic rat heart and diaphragm but not liver decreased, indicating an increase in catabolism of AMP. Maximal initial rates of the AMP catabolic enzymes 5'-nucleotidase, adenosine deaminase, and AMP deaminase were elevated in the hearts of BB/Wistar and streptozocin-induced diabetic rats. Nucleotide salvage enzymes adenylosuccinate synthetase and adenylosuccinate lyase were elevated above normal in the diabetic heart, whereas hypoxanthine-guanine phosphoribosyl transferase was not altered. Cytosolic-to-mitochondrial ratios from maximal initial rates after correction for mitochondrial breakage were increased above controls in diabetic hearts for nucleoside diphosphokinase and aspartate aminotransferase. Nucleotide levels, degradation rates, and substrate compartmentation between cytosol and mitochondria are discussed in relation to concurrent diabetes.