THE STIMULATION BY PROLACTIN AND GROWTH HORMONE OF FATTY ACID SYNTHESIS IN EXPLANTS FROM RAT MAMMARY GLANDS

Abstract

SUMMARY Explants of mammary glands and of subcutaneous body fat from sexually mature virgin and from 19-day pregnant Sprague-Dawley rats and of mammary gland from 5-day lactating Sprague-Dawley rats, were maintained in organ culture for up to 96 h. The effects of insulin (I), corticosterone (B), prolactin (P) and growth hormone (G) on the rate of fatty acid synthesis were measured by the incorporation of [14C]acetate. The effect of these hormones on the synthesis of various carbon-chain length fatty acids was measured by radio gas-liquid chromatography. Explants from both tissues had a reduced rate of fatty acid synthesis after 24 h in medium 199, but this rate was increased by the addition of insulin. In explants of subcutaneous fat from virgin rats, the rate was further increased by culture in IBP or IBG, but this increase was not blocked by actinomycin D. In explants from subcutaneous fat of 10-day pregnant rats the rate was not increased by the addition of B, P or G to the insulin-containing medium. In mammary gland explants from virgin rats, IBP stimulated a greater rate of fatty acid synthesis than did insulin alone. In mammary gland explants from 10-day pregnant rats, the rate of fatty acid synthesis was increased by both IBP and IBG. In mammary gland explants from rats on the 5th day of lactation, both IBP and IBG increased the rate of fatty acid synthesis compared with insulin or IB. Actinomycin D blocked the increased fatty acid synthesis produced by prolactin or growth hormone but not that produced by insulin alone. Mammary gland explants from rats on the 5th day of lactation were cultured for the first 4 h after excision in medium 199 that contained sodium [14C]acetate. Sixty-eight per cent of the 14C was incorporated into C8-C12 fatty acids. In explants from subcutaneous fat none of the hormones tested increased 14C incorporation in these fatty acids. In mammary gland explants from virgin or 10-day pregnant rats, insulin, corticosterone and prolactin increased the incorporation in these fatty acids. Growth hormone was less efficient than prolactin in stimulating C8-C12 fatty acid synthesis.