ABSTRACT
Chlorinated derivatives of propane, such as epi-chlorohydrin and the nematocide l,2-dibromo-3-chloropropane, are beneficial to man but are inherently toxic. Stereochemical considerations suggest that (R)-3-chlorolactate could inhibit the activity of lactate dehydrogenase or malate dehydrogenase and that 3-chloropyruvate could act on lactate dehydrogenase, the pyruvate dehydrogenase complex or citrate synthase. Preliminary experiments indicate that (R)-3-chlorolactate and in particular 3-chloropyruvate may be inhibitors of lactate dehydrogenase purified from whole boar spermatozoa. Assays of intermediates following 1 h incubation with either (R)-3-chlorolactate or 3-chloropyruvate did alter the concentrations of lactate, pyruvate, acetyl-CoA, oxaloacetate, or citrate but that of malate increased in the presence of (R)-3-chlorolactate and decreased in the presence of 3-chloropyruvate when lactate was offered as a substrate.
