ACETOACETATE AND β-HYDROXY-β-METHYL GLUTARYL COENZYME A METABOLISM IN NORMAL AND KETOTIC GUINEA PIGS

Abstract

Acetoacetate metabolism was studied in normal and ketotic guinea pigs. Labelled acetoacetate was readily utilized by ketotic guinea pigs for oxidation and sterol synthesis. The results do not support the recent suggestion that hyperketonemia results from impaired ketone body utilization.The results of some in vivo and in vitro experiments indicate that although the cleavage of β-hydroxy-β-methylglutaryl CoA (HMG-CoA) is probably the major source of acetoacetate, some acetoacetate synthesis, at least in vitro, may proceed via a pathway that does not involve HMG-CoA.There was no correlation between the degree of activity of the HMG-CoA cleavage enzyme and sterol synthesis.