Adenine nucleotide pattern in rat pancreatic islets exposed to nutrient secretagogues.

The effects of D-glucose, D-mannose, D-galactose, Dglyceraldehyde, pyruvate, L-lactate, 2-ketoisocaproate, L-leucine, and/or L-glutamine on the ATP and ADP content of rat isolated pancreatic islets were reevaluated in order to compare changes evoked by these nutrient secretagogues in the islet ATP content and ATP/ADP ratio to their effects upon insulin release. Although being compatible with the fuel concept for nutrient-stimulated insulin secretion, the results of this study also argue against the monolithic view that the adenine nucleotide pattern in islet cells represents the sole coupling factor between metabolic and more distal events in the process of nutrient-stimulated insulin release.