Control of the Synthesis of Fatty-Acid Synthetase in Rat Liver by Insulin, Glucagon, and Adenosine 3′:5′ Cyclic Monophosphate

Abstract

The usual increase in the activity of liver fatty-acid synthetase that occurs on refeeding of a fat-free diet to previously fasted rats is abolished in diabetic animals. Insulin specifically restores this increase by enhancement of the rate of synthesis of fatty-acid synthetase. However, glucagon and cyclic AMP inhibit the increase in the activity of fatty-acid synthetase. Therefore, the concentration of fatty-acid synthetase in rat liver is under the control of the relative concentrations of insulin and glucagon.