FAD-glycerophosphate dehydrogenase activity in pancreatic islets and liver of ob/ob mice.

The activity of FAD-glycerophosphate dehydrogenase, as measured through the generation of either 3HOH from L-[2-3H]glycerol-3-phosphate in the presence of FAD or iodoformazan from iodonitrotetrazolium, displayed comparable values in islet homogenates of lean and obese (ob/ob) mice. In the liver of the obese animals, the results obtained by the colorimetric and radioisotopic assays yielded a paired ratio twice higher than in control mice. Although isoforms of the mitochondrial enzyme could be present in variable proportions depending on the cell type and genetic background, the present results suggest that, in ob/ob mice, the increased secretory responsiveness of the islet B-cell to D-glucose coincides with an unaltered activity of FAD-glycerophosphate dehydrogenase. This contrasts with the situation recently documented in db/db mice, in which an impaired secretory response of the B-cell to D-glucose is associated with a decreased activity of FAD-glycerophosphate dehydrogenase.