Myocardial metabolism of exogenous FDP is consistent with transport by a dicarboxylate transporter

The extent to and the mechanism by which fructose-1,6-bisphosphate (FDP) crosses cell membranes are unknown. We hypothesized that its transport is either via band 3 or a dicarboxylate transporter. The question was addressed in isolated Langendorff rat hearts perfused under normoxic conditions. Groups of hearts received the following metabolic substrates (in mM): 5 FDP; 5 FDP + either 5, 10, or 20 fumarate; 10 FDP and either 5, 10, or 20 fumarate; or 5 FDP + 2 4,4'-dinitrostilbene-2,2'-disulfonate (DNDS), a band 3 inhibitor. FDP uptake and metabolism were measured as production of [C-13] lactate from [C-13]FDP or (CO2)-C-14 and [C-14] lactate from uniformly labeled [C-14]FDP in sample perfusates. During 30 min of perfusion, FDP metabolism was 12.4 +/- 2.6 and 31.2 +/- 3.0 mu mol for 5 and 10 mM FDP, respectively. Addition of 20 mM fumarate reduced FDP metabolism over a 30-min perfusion period to 3.1 +/- 0.6 and 6.3 +/- 0.5 mu mol for 5 and 10 mM FDP groups, respectively. DNDS did not affect FDP utilization. These data are consistent with transport of FDP by a dicarboxylate transport system.