Induction of acetyl-CoA carboxylase in primary rat hepatocyte cultures by glucose and insulin

Acetyl-CoA carboxylase, which catalyzes the initial step of fatty acid synthesis, was studied in primary cultures of hepatocytes from adult rats. The enzyme activity could be enhanced between 24 h and 48 h in culture about twofold by elevation of the insulin concentration from 10 −9 to 10 −7 mol/l and about threefold by increasing the glucose concentration from 5 to 20 mmol/l. Both effects were additive. The increase of activity was linear with time over 24 h and could be blocked by either cordycepin or cycloheximide, which suggests that the activity enhancement was due to induction rather than due to allosteric effects or interconversion.