Roles of insulin and growth hormone in the adaptations of fatty acid synthesis in white adipose tissue during the lactation cycle in sheep

1. Lactation results in a substantial fall in the rate of fatty acid synthesis in sheep adipose tissue. 2. Maintenance of adipose tissue from non-lactating sheep in tissue culture for 24 or 48 h with insulin increased the rate of fatty acid synthesis. Dexamethasone, a glucocorticoid analogue, alone inhibited the rate of fatty acid synthesis, but enhanced the stimulatory effect of insulin. Growth hormone (somatotropin) antagonized the increase in the rate of fatty acid synthesis induced by insulin or insulin plus dexamethasone. 3. Maintenance of adipose tissue from lactating sheep in tissue culture resulted in a small increase in the rate of fatty acid synthesis after 24 h, and then a large increase in rate between 24 and 48 h of culture. The increase during the second 24 h period was dependent on the presence of insulin; this effect was enhanced by dexamethasone and inhibited by growth hormone. 4. The increase in the rate of fatty acid synthesis in tissue from non-lactating sheep and in tissue from lactating sheep during the major increase in rate was prevented by actinomycin D, an inhibitor of transcription. 5. Effects of insulin and growth hormone were observed with physiological concentrations of the hormones. 6. The study suggests that known changes in the serum concentrations of insulin and growth hormone are the primary causes of the changes in fatty acid synthesis in adipose tissue during the lactation cycle in sheep. 7. During lactation, adipose tissue becomes refractory to insulin in sheep; responsiveness is partly restored by tissue culture in the presence of insulin and dexamethasone.