Increases in the concentration of malonyl-CoA in skeletal muscle have been observed in the KKAy mouse, an obese rodent with high plasma insulin and glucose levels [Saha et al. Am. J. Physiol. 267 (Endocrinol. Metab. 30): E95-E101, 1994]. To assess whether insulin and glucose directly regulate malonyl-CoA in muscle, soleus muscles from young rats were incubated with insulin and glucose at various concentrations, and their content of malonyl-CoA was determined. In addition, the effect on malonyl-CoA of denervation and electrically induced muscle contractions was assessed. The concentration of malonyl-CoA in the soleus, taken directly from a rat fed ad libitum, was 2.0 +/- 0.2 nmol/g. In muscles incubated for 20 min in a medium devoid of added insulin and glucose, the concentration was decreased to 0.8 +/- 0.2 nmol/g. When the medium contained 0.5, 7.5, or 30 mM glucose, malonyl-CoA levels were 1.3 +/- 0.1, 1.8 +/- 0.1, or 2.4 +/- 0.2 nmol/g, respectively, in the absence of insulin and 1.7 +/- 0.1, 4.6 +/- 0.3, or 5.5 +/- 0.6 nmol/g in its presence (10 mU/ml). Compared with its level in a control muscle, the concentration of malonyl-CoA was increased threefold in the soleus 6-8 h after denervation and remained twofold higher for > or = 48 h. In contrast, muscle contractions induced by sciatic nerve stimulation, in vivo, acutely decreased the concentration of malonyl-CoA by 30-35%. The results indicate that insulin and glucose, and probably contractile activity, regulate the concentration of malonyl-CoA in muscle.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)