Inhibition of glucose-6-phosphate phosphohydrolase by 3-mercaptopicolinate and two analogs is metabolically directive.

3-Mercaptopicolinae (3-MP) blocks gluconeogenesis from lactate, pyruvate, alanine, and other substrates through its inhibition of phosphoenolpyruvate carboxykinase. Nevertheless, we observed increased glycogenesis, net glucose uptake, and glucose-6-P levels in livers perfused with glucose in the presence of 3-MP. In perfusions with 20 mM dihydroxyacetone, increased glycogenesis and decreased glucose production were observed with 3-MP. These metabolic effects suggested additional site(s) of action of 3-MP. Further studies showed that 3-MP inhibits glucose-6-P phosphohydrolase activity of intact liver microsomes. Several compounds with structural similarities to 3-MP (2-mercaptonicotinic acid, picolinic acid, cysteine, reduced glutathione, nicotinic acid, quinolinic acid, tryptophan, and pyridine) were tested for their effect on glucose-6-P phosphohydrolase activity. Two of these compounds, 2-mercaptonicotinic acid and picolinic acid, were found to inhibit. In perfusions including 7.5 mM fructose, the addition of 3-MP, 2-mercaptonicotinic acid, or picolinic acid increased glycogenesis, decreased glucose production, and increased hepatic glucose-6-P concentrations. These observations indicate that the inhibition of glucose-6-P phosphohydrolase may play a role in enhanced glycogenesis from glucose, dihydroxyacetone, and fructose in isolated livers from 48-h fasted rats perfused with 3-MP or certain sulfhydryl-containing and sulfhydryl-devoid analogs.