Metabolic acidosis inhibits pyruvate oxidation in chick liver by decreasing activity of pyruvate dehydrogenase complex.
Replacement of drinking water with NH4Cl (1.5%) solution significantly reduced blood pH on the 2nd d in chicks and thereafter. Concomitant with this reduction, oxidation rate of state 3 with pyruvate in liver mitochondria was also decreased in acidotic animals when compared with control animals. No significant differences between the two groups were observed in the state 4 oxidation at any feeding period. The ADP/O ratio did not appear to be affected by the treatment. The successive experiments of gavage-feeding for 4 d were also employed to ensure an equivalent intake of diet and the amount of NH4Cl given. As a result, the higher the NH4Cl provided, the lower the oxidation rate of state 3 with pyruvate in liver mitochondria, and the actual activity of pyruvate dehydrogenase complex, as expressed as units of produced CO2 per g wet weight of liver, which were accompanied by the lower pH in blood. This study provides the first evidence for a critical role of pyruvate dehydrogenase complex in the regulation of pyruvate catabolism in the liver from acidotic chicks induced by NH4Cl.