The activities of 2-oxo acid dehydrogenase complexes were measured during hormone-mediated differentiation of 3T3-L1 preadipocytes into adipocytes. Specific activity of leucine-activated branched-chain 2-oxo acid dehydrogenase complex increased approx. 10-fold in 3T3-L1 adipocytes compared with 3T3-L1 preadipocytes. In contrast, specific activity of the 2-oxoglutarate dehydrogenase complex increased by only 3-fold in 3T3-L1 adipocytes. The three catalytic component enzymes of the branched-chain 2-oxo acid dehydrogenase complex and the pyruvate dehydrogenase complex showed concomitant increases in their specific activities. A close similarity in kinetics of induction of the branched-chain 2-oxo acid dehydrogenase complex and the pyruvate dehydrogenase complex in 3T3-L1 adipocytes suggests that a common mechanism may be involved in hormone-dependent increases in the activities of the catalytic components of these two complexes in 3T3-L1 adipocytes during differentiation.