Dissociation of the regulation of fatty acid synthesis and cyclic AMP levels in cultured glial and neuronal cells.

Abstract— Cultured C-6 glia and neuroblastoma were utilized to investigate the relation of rates of fatty acid synthesis (from ³H₂O) to levels of cyclic AMP under conditions of short-term and long-term regulation. The data demonstrate a consistent dissociation of alterations in rates of fatty acid synthesis and levels of cyclic AMP. Thus, marked alterations in the rate of fatty acid synthesis occurred when serum or albumin-bound palmitic acid was present in the culture medium, but there were no accompanying alterations in levels of cyclic AMP. Similarly, when high intracellular and/or extracellular levels of cyclic AMP were induced by exposure of the cells to dibutyryl cyclic AMP or isoproterenol, no change in the rate of fatty acid synthesis occurred. Although the data raise serious doubt about an important role for cyclic AMP in the regulation of fatty acid synthesis, they do not rule out such a role. The findings do indicate that any such role must involve alterations in compartmentalization, metabolism or binding of the mononucleotide within the cell.