title: The effect of insulin on delta5 desaturation in hepG2 human hepatoma cells and L6 rat muscle myoblasts.
abstract: In humans there is a correlation between the ratio of arachidonic acid (20:4n-6) to cis 8,11,14 eicosatrienoic acid (20:3n-6) in skeletal muscle phospholipids and insulin sensitivity. This has been interpreted as indicating a link between the activity of the delta5 desaturase enzyme and muscle insulin sensitivity. The present study addressed the possibility that insulin regulates delta5 desaturase activity using L6 rat myoblasts and hepG2 human hepatoma cells. Both cell lines responded to insulin by increasing the amount of D-[U-14C] glucose incorporated into glycogen. In L6 cells, insulin stimulated cis 8,11,14 eicosatrienoic acid uptake and arachidonic acid production but had no effect on the percentage conversion of cis 8,11,14 eicosatrienoic acid to arachidonic acid. In hepG2 cells, insulin had no effect on cis 8,11,14 eicosatrienoic acid uptake or arachidonic acid production. These results suggest that insulin has no direct effect on delta5 desaturase activity in the liver but can alter arachidonic acid production in muscle by altering substrate availability.
authors.affiliation: Department of Clinical Biochemistry, University of Cambridge, Addenbrooke's Hospital, UK. cl122@mole.bio.cam.ac.uk
authors.forename: C L
authors.initials: CL
authors.lastname: Loizou
authors.forename: S E
authors.initials: SE
authors.lastname: Ozanne
authors.forename: C N
authors.initials: CN
authors.lastname: Hales
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D016718:Arachidonic Acid / Q000096:biosynthesis; D006528:Carcinoma, Hepatocellular / Q000378:metabolism*; D002460:Cell Line; D000090943:Delta-5 Fatty Acid Desaturase; D044943:Fatty Acid Desaturases / Q000187:drug effects*; D005227:Fatty Acids / Q000493:pharmacokinetics; D006003:Glycogen / Q000096:biosynthesis; D006801:Humans; D007328:Insulin / Q000494:pharmacology*; D018482:Muscle, Skeletal / Q000166:cytology*; D051381:Rats; D014407:Tumor Cells, Cultured
chemical_list: D000090943:Delta-5 Fatty Acid Desaturase; D005227:Fatty Acids; D007328:Insulin; D016718:Arachidonic Acid; D006003:Glycogen; D044943:Fatty Acid Desaturases