Metabolic effects of glutamine on the heart: Anaplerosis versus the hexosamine biosynthetic pathway

► Physiological concentration of glutamine is marginally anaplerotic in the heart. ► Glutamine's primary metabolic effect is to increase fatty acid oxidation and storage. ► These effects of glutamine involve CD36 and the hexosamine biosynthetic pathway (HBP). ► The HBP represents a new mechanism for the acute regulation of cardiac metabolism.