title: Regulation of acetyl-CoA carboxylase in rat mammary gland. Effects of starvation and of insulin and prolactin deficiency on the fraction of the enzyme in the active form in vivo.
abstract: The ;initial' (I), endogenous phosphatase-activated (A) and citrate-activated (C) activities of acetyl-CoA carboxylase were measured in mammary-gland extracts of pregnant and lactating rats. There was a 10-fold increase in the A and C enzyme activities in the transition from early to peak lactation [cf. data of Mackall & Lane (1977) Biochem. J.162, 635-642], but there was no significant increase in the ratio of the initial activity to the A and C activities of the enzyme. Starvation (24h) or short-term (3h) streptozotocin-induced diabetes both resulted in a 40% decrease in I/A and I/C activity ratios. In starvation this was accompanied by a decrease in the absolute values of the A and C activities such that the initial activity in mammary glands of starved animals was 45% that in glands from fed animals. Insulin treatment of starved or diabetic animals 60min before killing increased the I activity without affecting the A or C enzyme activities. Removal of the pups for 24h from animals in peak lactation (weaning) resulted in a marked but similar decrease in all three activities such that, although the initial activity was only 10% of that in suckled animals, the I/A and I/C activity ratios remained high and unaltered. Inhibition of prolactin secretion by injection of 2-bromo-alpha-ergocryptine gave qualitatively similar results to those during weaning. Simultaneous administration of ovine prolactin completely prevented the effects of bromoergocryptine. It is suggested that the initial activity of acetyl-CoA carboxylase in rat mammary gland is regulated by at least two parallel mechanisms: (i) an acute regulation of the proportion of the enzyme in the active state and (ii) a longer-term modulation of enzyme concentration in the gland. Insulin appeared to mediate its acute effects through mechanism (i), whereas prolactin had longer-term effects on enzyme concentration in the gland. A comparison of initial enzyme activities (I) obtained in the present study with rates of lipogenesis measured in vivo [Agius & Williamson (1980) Biochem. J.192, 361-364; Munday & Williamson (1981) Biochem. J.196, 831-837] gave good agreement between the two sets of data for all conditions studied except for 24h-starved and streptozotocin-diabetic animals. It is suggested that acetyl-CoA carboxylase activity is rate-limiting for lipogenesis in the mammary gland in normal, fed, suckled or weaned animals but that in starved and short-term diabetic animals changes in the activity of the enzyme by covalent modification alone may not be sufficient to maintain the enzyme in its rate-limiting role.
mesh_terms: D000103:Acetyl-CoA Carboxylase / Q000378:metabolism*; D000818:Animals; D002951:Citrates / Q000494:pharmacology; D019343:Citric Acid; D003921:Diabetes Mellitus, Experimental / Q000201:enzymology*; D004789:Enzyme Activation / Q000187:drug effects; D005260:Female; D066298:In Vitro Techniques; D007774:Lactation; D008025:Ligases / Q000378:metabolism*; D008321:Mammary Glands, Animal / Q000201:enzymology*; D010744:Phosphoric Monoester Hydrolases / Q000378:metabolism; D011247:Pregnancy; D011388:Prolactin / Q000172:deficiency*; D051381:Rats; D011919:Rats, Inbred Strains; D013217:Starvation / Q000201:enzymology*; D014886:Weaning
chemical_list: D002951:Citrates; D019343:Citric Acid; D011388:Prolactin; D010744:Phosphoric Monoester Hydrolases; D008025:Ligases; D000103:Acetyl-CoA Carboxylase