Glycerolipid biosynthesis in rat adipose tissue. 10. Changes during a starvation and re-feeding cycle

Effects of starvation and re-feeding on adipocyte glycerolipid formation were investigated in young (age 48-55 days) and old rats (age 83-94 days). Adipocyte homogenates were used to assay glycerophosphate acyltransferase and Mg2+-dependent phosphatidase phosphohydrolase. Glycerophosphate acyltransferase was measured in the presence of [14C]glycerol 3-phosphate, palmitate, ATP, CoA and Mg2+. The release of inorganic phosphate from aqueous dispersed phosphatidase was taken as a measure of phosphatidate phosphohydrolase activity. Young rats starved for 48-72 h showed a 2-fold decline in the glycerophosphate acyltransferse activity. Older rats did not show any change in the glycerophosphate acyltransferase activity during 96 h starvation. Re-feeding of starved rats with chow for 48 h caused significant increases in the glycerophosphate acyltransferase activity. These changes were mainly limited to N-ethylmaleimide-sensitive glycerophosphate acyltransferase activity. These changes were mainly limited to N-ethylmaleimide-sensitive glycerophosphate acyltransferase. Phosphatidate phosphohydrolase activity decreased significantly (2-fold) during starvation in both young and old rats. Phosphatidate phosphohydrolase activity was regained completely after re-feeding of starved rats. Initial changes in the glycerophosphate acyltransferase and phosphatidate phosphohydrolase activities were very slow. Most notable increases in the glycerophosphate acyltransferase and phosphatidate phosphohydrolase activities were observed between 24 and 48 h after initiation of a re-feeding schedule. Mean adipocyte size decreased during starvation of rats for 72 h. Although considerable increases in the activities of both glycerophosphate acyltransferase and phosphatidate phosphohydrolase were apparent by re-feeding of starved rats for 48 h, mean adipocyte size did not change during this period. Thus, enzyme changes which occurred after re-feeding were independent of the adipocyte size. To separate the effects of age from the cell size on adipocyte glycerolipid formation during starvation and re-feeding periods, adipocytes from older rats were subjected to filtration through a nylon screen to obtain adipocytes of similar sizes. These studies suggest that the age of the animal significantly influences the effects of starvation and re-feeding on adipocyte glycerolipid formation.