title: Metabolism of palmitate in cultured rat Sertoli cells.
abstract: Isolated rat Sertoli cells were incubated in the presence of [1-14C]palmitate at a cell concentration of 1.54 +/- 0.31 mg protein/flask (n = 7). The oxidation of palmitate was concentration dependent and maximal oxidation was obtained at 0.35 mM-palmitate. At a saturating concentration of palmitate the oxidation was linear for at least 6 h. About 65% of the total amount of palmitate oxidized during 5 h at 0.52 mM-palmitate (109 +/- 44 nmol/flask, n = 5) was recovered as CO2 and the rest as acid-soluble compounds. Almost all radioactive acid-soluble compounds which were secreted by the Sertoli cells were shown to be 3-hydroxybutyrate and acetoacetate. The palmitate recovery in cellular lipids and triacylglycerols was 9.4 +/- 5.1 nmol/flask (n = 5) and 3.5 +/- 2.8 nmol/flask (n = 5) respectively. Addition of glucose had no significant effect on palmitate oxidation but caused a 9-fold increase in esterification of palmitate into triacylglycerols. We conclude that cultured rat Sertoli cells can oxidize palmitate to CO2 and ketone bodies and that fatty acids appear to be a major energy substrate for these cells.
mesh_terms: D020155:3-Hydroxybutyric Acid; D000090:Acetoacetates / Q000378:metabolism; D000818:Animals; D002478:Cells, Cultured; D005947:Glucose / Q000378:metabolism / Q000494:pharmacology; D006885:Hydroxybutyrates / Q000378:metabolism; D008297:Male; D010084:Oxidation-Reduction; D010168:Palmitates / Q000378:metabolism*; D010169:Palmitic Acids / Q000378:metabolism*; D051381:Rats; D011919:Rats, Inbred Strains; D012708:Sertoli Cells / Q000378:metabolism*
chemical_list: D000090:Acetoacetates; D006885:Hydroxybutyrates; D010168:Palmitates; D010169:Palmitic Acids; C016635:acetoacetic acid; D005947:Glucose; D020155:3-Hydroxybutyric Acid