Adrenaline Stimulation of Phospholipid Metabolism in Adipocyte Ghosts

Abstract

The incorporation of long-chain fatty acids into phospholipids has been detected in adipocyte ghosts that were incubated with [1_14 C] stearic, [1_14 C] linoleic or [l_14C] arachidonic acid. Adrenaline and adenosine activated this incorporation within 15 s of exposure of the ghosts to the hormones and the response was dose dependent. Maximum incorporation of labelled linoleic acid occurred at 10-5 M adrenaline and 10-7 M adenosine. The a-agonist phenylephrine and the ~-agonist isoproterenol were also shown to stimulate the incorporation of fatty acid in a dose dependent manner. Phosphatidylcholine, phosphatidylethanolamine, phosphatidylserine and phosphatidylinositol were each labelled preferentially with linoleic or arachidonic acid. p-Bromophenacylbromide, quinacrine and centrophenoxine inhibited the adrenaline-stimulated incorporation of fatty acids into ghost membrane phospholipids, and p-bromophenacylbromide also reduced the activation of adenylate cyclase by adrenaline. NaF, an activator of adenylate cyclase, like adrenaline, stimulated the incorporation of linoleic acid into ghost membrane phospholipids.