Carbohydrate metabolism in leukocytes. VII. Metabolism of glucose, acetate, and propionate by human plasma cells.

Plasma cells obtained from the peripheral blood of a patient with multiple myeloma was incubated in serum and Krebs-Ringer bicarbonate buffer with (14)C-labeled glucose, acetate, and propionate. Glucose utilization by these cells amounted to 0.5 mumole per hr per 10(8) cells and was mainly via the Embden-Meyerhof pathway, and only 6% or less traversed the hexose monophosphate shunt. The presence of Krebs cycle activity was demonstrated by direct isolation of several labeled intermediates after incubation with either (14)C-acetate or (14)C-propionate. The distribution of (14)C in lactate, succinate, fumarate, malate, aspartate, and glutamate indicate a complete Krebs cycle. Acetate was metabolized via the Krebs cycle to the extent of 0.15 mumoles per hr per 10(8) cells, and the rate of propionate utilization was 0.17 mumoles per hr per 10(8) cells.