title: Alterations of cellular lipids in rat thymocytes during cell cycle progression.
abstract: This study provides information on the lipid content and composition of rat thymocytes during cell cycle progression. Cultured rat thymocytes were stimulated by concanavalin A and interleukin-2 to enter the cell cycle and to proliferate. At indicated intervals during a 96 h culture, cells were analyzed for lipid content and lipid synthesis. A growth-related 3.8-fold increase in the cellular cholesterol and a 2.8-fold increase in the phospholipid content was observed after 48 h of culture. Cholesterol synthesis, measured by [14C]acetate incorporation, increased 34-fold, whereas the synthesis of the other lipids was enhanced only 15-fold. Concerning the percentage distribution of the total fatty acids, arachidonic acid showed a significant decline between 24 and 72 h of culture, being mainly caused by the release of arachidonic acid from phosphatidylcholine. Addition of actinomycin D, an inhibitor of DNA replication, prevented the decline of cellular arachidonic acid content in a dose-dependent manner. These data suggest that both the pronounced rise of the cholesterol content as well as the decline of arachidonic acid content are closely linked to cell proliferation.
authors.affiliation: Institute of Biochemistry, University of Erlangen-Nuremberg, F.R.G.
authors.forename: G
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Gross
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Danzl
authors.forename: W
authors.initials: W
authors.lastname: Fischer
authors.forename: K
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Brand
mesh_terms: D000085:Acetates / Q000378:metabolism; D000818:Animals; D002453:Cell Cycle; D002784:Cholesterol / Q000378:metabolism; D005227:Fatty Acids / Q000378:metabolism; D005260:Female; D007700:Kinetics; D050356:Lipid Metabolism; D008055:Lipids / Q000096:biosynthesis; D019301:Oleic Acid; D009829:Oleic Acids / Q000378:metabolism; D019308:Palmitic Acid; D010169:Palmitic Acids / Q000378:metabolism; D010743:Phospholipids / Q000378:metabolism; D051381:Rats; D013601:T-Lymphocytes / Q000166:cytology / Q000378:metabolism*
chemical_list: D000085:Acetates; D005227:Fatty Acids; D008055:Lipids; D009829:Oleic Acids; D010169:Palmitic Acids; D010743:Phospholipids; D019301:Oleic Acid; D019308:Palmitic Acid; D002784:Cholesterol