Adrenocorticotropic stimulation and insulin inhibition of adipocyte phospholipid methylation.

Treatment of isolated rat adipocytes with adrenocorticotropin (ACTH) caused a 1.5-fold increase in phospholipid methyltransferase activity within 5 min. This effect of ACTH was concentration-dependent with maximal activation at 2 milliunits/ml ACTH, and was reproduced by dibutyryl cyclic AMP. ACTH (2 milliunits/ml) caused an increase in the Vmax value of phospholipid methyltransferase without changing the Km for S-adenosyl-L-methionine. Insulin caused a concentration-dependent inhibition of both control and ACTH-stimulated phospholipid methyltransferase. Half-maximal inhibition by insulin was demonstrated with 5 microunits/ml insulin in control cells and with 25 microunits/ml insulin in ACTH-stimulated cells. The rapid and sensitive activation of adipocyte phospholipid methyltransferase by ACTH and inhibition by insulin are consistent with a role for this pathway in the hormonal response of the adipocyte.