Triiodothyronine stimulates transcription of the fatty acid synthase gene in chick embryo hepatocytes in culture. Insulin and insulin-like growth factor amplify that effect.

Hepatic fatty acid synthase is regulated by nutritional state. Starvation decreases and refeeding increases the activity of avian fatty acid synthase, principally by regulating transcription of the gene (Back, B. W., Goldman, M. J., Fisch, J.E., Ochs, R.A., and Goodridge, A.G. (1986) J. Biol. Chem. 261, 4190-4197). In chick embryo hepatocytes in culture, the stimulatory effect of feeding on fatty acid synthase activity is mimicked by adding triiodothyronine and insulin; the inhibitory effect of starvation is mimicked by adding glucagon or cyclic AMP. We now show that triiodothyronine alone stimulates transcription of fatty acid synthase by 4- to 6-fold, about the same as the increase in fatty acid synthase mRNA. When added alone, insulin has little or no effect on transcription, mRNA level, or enzyme activity. In combination with triiodothyronine, however, insulin amplifies the response to triiodothyronine by about 2-fold, leading to an overall increase of about 10-fold. Insulin-like growth factor 1 (IGF-1) has the same effect as insulin, no effect by itself, and amplification of the stimulation by triiodothyronine. A maximally effective dose of insulin has no effect in the presence of a maximally effective dose of IGF-1, suggesting regulation by a common pathway. It takes much less IGF-1 than insulin to achieve a given effect, suggesting that both insulin and IGF-1 may act through IGF-1 receptors. Plasma levels of IGF-1 are decreased by starvation and increased by feeding (reviewed by Froesch, E.R., and Zapf, J. (1985) Diabetologia 28, 485-493). Thus, IGF-1 may play a physiological role in the regulation of hepatic fatty acid synthase during transitions between the starved and fed states, roles previously assigned primarily to insulin and glucagon. IGF-1 regulates transcription of the fatty acid synthase gene. Insulin and IGF-1 also have similar effects on activity, mRNA abundance, and transcription of the malic enzyme gene. Glucagon or dibutyryl cyclic AMP inhibit fatty acid synthase activity and mRNA level in hepatocytes in culture by 70-80% and 60%, respectively, but have no effect on transcription of the fatty acid synthase gene, suggesting a post-transcriptional mode of regulation for cyclic AMP.