Formation and utilization of 3-hydroxy-3-methylglutarate in liver mitochondria of starved and streptozotocin-diabetic rats.

Kidney and liver mitochondria of rat, rabbit and guinea pig are able to transform 3-hydroxy-3-methylglutarate into acetoacetate, whereas ox liver mitochondria and rat mitochondria of heart, diaphragm and brain do not exhibit such an activity. Starvation and streptozotocin treatment decreases the formation of acetoacetate from 3-hydroxy-3-methylglutarate. Addition of acetoacetate and succinate to the incubation media of mitochondria results in a decrease in the transformation of 3-hydroxy-3-methylglutarate into acetoacetate.