Effect of glycolysis on pancreatic microcirculation and cellular functionsin anesthetized rats

It has been reported that aerobic glycolysis in the pancreas contributes le ss than 10% to oxidative phosphorylation based on in vitro experiments usin g pancreatic tissue segments. However, its contribution to aerobic glycolys is in vivo remains uncertain. We investigated the effect of inhibiting glyc olysis on O-2 metabolism in microvessels, exocrine enzyme secretion, and th e blood glucose level in the pancreas of anesthetized rats in vivo. Inhibit ion of glycolysis, by superfusing the pancreas of anesthetized rats with 2- deoxyglucose (10 mM) or sodium fluoride (2 mM), significantly decreased O-2 release from erythrocytes flowing in the microvessels by 30-40%. Inhibitin g glycolysis did not affect the exocrine secretion of pancreatic juice but decreased the secretion of total protein by congruent to 40%. Inhibiting gl ycolysis decreased blood glucose levels by congruent to 40% and increased g lucagon release twofold. Aerobic glycolysis may play more important roles i n the regulation of O-2 metabolism, pancreatic exocrine enzyme secretion an d the blood glucose level in rat pancreas.