The effect of 2-deoxy-D-glucose infusions on lipid and carbohydrate metabolism in man.

At the present time, the direction of change of the plasma free fatty acid (FFA) level is considered to serve as an index to the pattern of fat metabolism, representing an indicator of the balance between fat storage and fat mobilization. In the fasting, nonexercising individual, a rising plasma FFA level suggests net fat mobilization and a falling FFA level suggests net fat storage. If the status of carbohydrate metabolism does relate to fat metabolism, then plasma FFA levels may be expected to change in a number of experimental situations. Dole Was the first to (lemonstrate that glucose and insulin administration decreased fasting FFA levels (1) and Bierman, Dole and Roberts that patients with diabetes niellitus have high FFA levels (2). Experimental inteference with carbohydrate metabolism might also be expected to influence plasma FFA levels. The availability of 2-deoxy-D-glucose (2-DG) has made it possible to test this hypothesis. 2-DG is phosphorylated to 2-deoxyglucose-6-phosphate (2-DG-6-P), and it has been postulated that the 2-DG-6-P may compete for transport into the cell with glucose-6-phosphate (3). The purpose of this study was to observe the effect of 2-DG administration on FFA levels in normal human subjects and to study in addition the effect of glucose, insulin, fructose and lactate upon the pattern of response to 2-DG.