Influence of 2(3-methyl-cinnamyl-hydrazono)-propionate on glucose and palmitate oxidation in human mononuclear leukocytes. Hydrazonopropionic acids, a new class of hypoglycaemic substances, VII.

2-(3-Methyl-cinnamyl-hydrozono)-propionate stimulated glucose oxidation in human mononuclear leukocytes and the stimulation was similar to that by concanavalin A. Both substances must affect glucose metabolism at two sites, the first site being before the pyruvate dehydrogenase step because of the increase of lactate plus pyruvate concentration. The second site is related to pyruvate oxidation. The hydrazone inhibited the conversion of plamitate to CO2. This effect could have caused an activation of the pyruvate dehydrogenase complex, resulting from a decrease acetyl-CoA/CoA ratio. Concanavalin A did not influence fatty acid oxidation. Both substances did not affect the CO2 formation from acetate. Mononuclear leukocytes appear to be a suitable model for the investigation of the influence of hypoglycaemic substances on glucose and fatty acid metabolism in living human cells.