C14-labeled glucose metabolism by bone from normal and parathyroid-treated rats

Abstract
Calvaria and the metaphyseal and epiphyseal sections of tibia and femora freed of bone marrow from young growing rats were incubated in vitro for 2 hr at 37 C in Krebs-Ringer bicarbonate buffer containing 2 mm glucose. The glucose was labeled either in the 1 position or in the 6 position or uniformly in all positions with C14. The incorporation of C14 into citrate, lactate, and various tricarboxylic acid cycle intermediates was studied. The release of C14O2 and the incorporation of C14 into bone matrix were also measured. Results obtained from bones of untreated control, parathyroid extract-treated, and parathyroidectomized animals were compared. It was found that treatment of animals with parathyroid extract increased the total accumulation of labeled citrate and malate as well as the incorporation of these acids into bone mineral. Bones from extract-treated animals also exhibited a significant decrease in the total accumulation of radioactive fumarate, succinate, and pyruvate. Lactate was the major end product of glucose metabolism, but its accumulation was only slightly influenced by parathyroid extract.