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Metabolic Fate of 1,3-Butanediol in the Rat: Liver Tissue Slices Metabolism¹

Department of Biochemistry, University of Nebraska Medical Center and Veterans Administration Hospital, Omaha, Nebraska 68105

The blood acetoacetate, ß-hydroxybutyrate, lactate and pyruvate of rats fed 1,3-butanediol (BD) for 3 and 7 weeks were examined. A highly significant increase in blood acetoacetate and ß-hydroxybutyrate levels was observed in rats when BD was added to the diet. There was a significant decrease in blood pyruvate levels in animals fed BD for 7 weeks. Addition of BD to liver tissue slices metabolizing glucose to lactate and pyruvate greatly decreased pyruvate levels and increased significantly lactate/pyruvate ratios. With BD and glucose as substrates, there was a large increase in total ketone (acetoacetate and ß-hydroxybutyrate) formation when compared to glucose. With BD alone as substrate, ketone bodies were also formed. It is concluded that 1,3-butanediol is metabolized in cytosol similar to alcohol (ethanol) and is converted in the intact rat and tissue slices to ketone bodies prior to its oxidation in tricarboxylic acid cycle.

KEY WORDS: • 1,3-butanediol • ß-hydroxybutyric acid • acetoacetic acid • liver • metabolism

¹ Supported by National Institutes of Health Grant AM 13,790-02 and Celanese Corporation.

Manuscript received 23 November 1970.