Multiple phosphorylation of acetyl-CoA carboxylase in chick liver cells. A cyclic AMP-independent process.

When chick liver cells in monolayer culture were incubated with 32Pi in the presence of insulin, acetyl-CoA carboxylase became extensively labeled with 32Pi reaching a stoichiometry of 9 to 10 mol of phosphoryl group per mol of 240,000-dalton enzyme subunit. The covalently bound phosphate was found to be metabolically labile, turning over with a t1/2 of approximately 2 h (enzyme t1/2 approximately equal to 24 h). Addition of Bt2cAMP altered neither the rate nor extent of phosphorylation. Contrary to other reports, the fully phosphorylated acetyl-CoA carboxylase appears to be catalytically active.

Lipogenesis and the synthesis and secretion of very low density lipoprotein by avian liver cells in nonproliferating monolayer culture. Hormonal effects.

The nonproliferating chicken liver cell culture system described yields cell monolayers with morphological and lipogenic properties characteristic of the physiological-nutritional state of donor animals. Synthesis and secretion of fatty acid, cholesterol, and very low density lipoprotein (VLDL) occur at in vivo rates and respond to hormones and agents which affect these processes in vivo. Cells derived from fed chickens maintain high rates of synthesis of fatty acid and cholesterol for several days if insulin is present in the medium. High rates of fatty acid synthesis are correlated with the appearance of membrane-enclosed triglyceride-rich vesicles in the cytoplasm; deletion of insulin causes a decrease (T1/2 = 22 h) in fatty acid synthetic activity. Addition of glucagon or cyclic AMP (cAMP) causes an immediate cessation of fatty acid synthesis and blocks the appearance of the triglyceride-rich vesicles. Fatty acid synthesis in liver cells prepared from fasted chickens is less than 5% that of cells from fed animals. After 2-3 days in culture with serum-free medium containing insulin +/- triiodothyronine, fatty acid synthesis is restored to normal; glucagon or dibutyryl cAMP blocks this recovery. Liver cells derived from estradiol-treated chickens synthesize and secrete VLDL for at least 48 h in culture. Electron micrographs of these cells reveal more extensive development of the rough endoplasmic reticulum and Golgi complex compared to cells from untreated chickens. Whereas [3H]leucine incorporation into total protein is unaffected by estrogen treatment, [3H]leucine incorporation into cellular and secreted immunoprecipitable VLDL is markedly increased indicating specific activation of VLDL apopeptide synthesis; 8-10% of the labeled protein synthesized and secreted is VLDL. Dodecyl sulfate-acrylamide gel electrophoresis of immunoprecipitated 3H-VLDL reveals three major apopepetides of 300,000, 11,000, and 8,000 daltons corresponding to those of purified chicken VLDL.

Mechanism for acute control of fatty acid synthesis by glucagon and 3':5'-cyclic AMP in the liver cell.

Labeling experiments with chicken liver cell monolayers and suspensions show that glucagon and N6, O2-dibutyryladenosine 3':5'-cyclic monophosphate (dibutyryl cyclic AMP) block fatty acid synthesis from acetate without appreciably affecting cholesterogenesis from acetate or acylglyceride synthesis from palmitate. Neither acetyl-CoA carboxylase [acetyl-CoA:carbon-dioxide ligase (ADP-forming), EC 6.4.1.2] activity assayed in the presence of citrate nor fatty acid synthetase activity is decreased in extracts of cells treated with glucagon. However, the cytoplasmic concentration of citrate, a required allosteric activator of acetyl-CoA carboxylase, is depressed more than 90% by glucagon or dibutyrl cyclic AMP. Pyruvate or lactate largely prevents the inhibitory action of these effectors on fatty acid synthesis by causing a large increase in cytoplasmic citrate level. Thus, it appears that glucagon, acting via cyclic AMP, inhibits fatty acid synthesis by blocking the formation of citrate, an essential activator of acetyl-CoA carboxylase.