The brain plays an important role in the regulation of energy balance in higher animals. Global energy balance is monitored by sets of neurons in the hypothalamus that respond to peripheral hormonal and afferent neural signals that sense the energy status. Malonyl-CoA, an intermediate in the biosynthesis of fatty acids, appears to function in this hypothalamic energy-sensing system. The steady-...

The central nervous system mediates energy balance (energy intake and energy expenditure) in the body; the hypothalamus has a key role in this process. Recent evidence has demonstrated an important role for hypothalamic malonyl CoA in mediating energy balance. Malonyl CoA is generated by the carboxylation of acetyl CoA by acetyl CoA carboxylase and is then either incorporated into long-chain fa...

Myocardial fatty acid oxidation is regulated by carnitine palmitoyltransferase I (CPT I), which is inhibited by malonyl-CoA. Increased cardiac power causes a fall in malonyl-CoA content and accelerated fatty acid oxidation; however, the mechanism for the decrease in malonyl-CoA is unclear. Malonyl-CoA is formed by acetyl-CoA carboxylase (ACC) and degraded by malonyl-CoA decarboxylase (MCD); thu...

Malonyl-CoA decarboxylase (MCD) is an enzyme involved in the decarboxylation of malonyl-CoA to acetyl-CoA. In order to explore the hypothesis that the changing plant materials’ MCD activity level can serve as therapy to diabetics, the effect of Teucrium polium compounds was studied in a diabetic rat model. In this experimental study, two groups of rats, a control and a diabetic group, each incl...

Malonyl-CoA is a potent inhibitor of fatty acid uptake into the mitochondria. Although the synthesis of malonyl-CoA in the heart by acetyl-CoA carboxylase (ACC) has been well characterized, no information is available as to how malonyl-CoA is degraded. We demonstrate that malonyl-CoA decarboxylase (MCD) activity is present in the heart. Partial purification revealed a protein of ∼50 kDa. The ro...

We tested the hypothesis that the level of malonyl-CoA, as well as the corresponding rate of total fatty acid oxidation of the heart, is regulated by the opposing actions of acetyl-CoA carboxylase (ACC) and malonyl-CoA decarboxylase (MCD). We used isolated working rat hearts perfused under physiological conditions. MCD in heart homogenates was measured specifically by14CO2production from [3-14C...

Abnormally high rates of fatty acid oxidation and low rates of glucose oxidation are important contributors to the severity of ischemic heart disease. Malonyl coenzyme A (CoA) regulates fatty acid oxidation by inhibiting mitochondrial uptake of fatty acids. Malonyl CoA decarboxylase (MCD) is involved in the decarboxylation of malonyl CoA to acetyl CoA. Therefore, inhibition of MCD may decrease ...

Abnormally high rates of fatty acid oxidation and low rates of glucose oxidation are important contributors to the severity of ischemic heart disease. Malonyl coenzyme A (CoA) regulates fatty acid oxidation by inhibiting mitochondrial uptake of fatty acids. Malonyl CoA decarboxylase (MCD) is involved in the decarboxylation of malonyl CoA to acetyl CoA. Therefore, inhibition of MCD may decrease ...