The metabolic route by which oleate is converted into cholesterol in rat hepatocytes

Irisin Inhibits Hepatic Cholesterol Synthesis via AMPK-SREBP2 Signaling

Irisin, a myokine released during exercise, promotes browning of subcutaneous adipose tissue and regulates energy homeostasis. Although exercise constantly reduces blood cholesterol, whether irisin is involved in the regulation of cholesterol remains largely unknown. In the present study, subcutaneous infusion of irisin for 2weeks induced a reduction in plasma and hepatic cholesterol in high fat diet-induced obese (DIO) mice. These alterations were associated with an activation of 5' AMP-activated protein kinase (AMPK) and inhibition of sterol regulatory element-binding transcription factor 2 (SREBP2) transcription and nuclear translocation. In primary hepatocytes from either lean or DIO mice, irisin significantly decreased cholesterol content via sequential activation of AMPK and inhibition of SREBP2. Suppression of AMPK by compound C or AMPKα1 siRNA blocked irisin-induced alterations in cholesterol contents and SREBP2. In conclusion, irisin could suppress hepatic cholesterol production via a mechanism dependent of AMPK and SREBP2 signaling. These findings suggest that irisin is a promising therapeutic target for treatment of hypercholesterolemia.

The mechanism of inhibition of beta-oxidation by aspirin metabolites in skin fibroblasts from Reye's syndrome patients and controls

The effects of aspirin metabolites on beta-oxidation were studied in skin fibroblasts from eight typical Reye's syndrome (RS) patients and controls. RS patients' cells did not differ from controls in rates of palmitate oxidation or in the three component activities of the mitochondrial trifunctional enzyme (MTE), indicating no inherited beta-oxidation defect. Aspirin metabolites salicylate, hydroxyhippurate and gentisate, but not aspirin, directly inhibited palmitate oxidation in control and RS cells. RS cells were significantly more sensitive to inhibition than controls at 0.5 to 5 mM salicylate. Inhibition was concentration-dependent and reversible. Inhibition did not occur in fibroblasts lacking activity of the long-chain 3-hydroxyacyl-CoA dehydrogenase (LCHAD) activity of MTE. Salicylate was therefore inhibiting beta-oxidation at this step. Hydroxyhippurate and salicylate reversibly inhibited HAD activities in extracts of control and RS cells. Studies with pure short-chain HAD and LCHAD (MTE) showed hydroxyhippurate and salicylate were competitive inhibitors of the former but mixed (not competitive) inhibitors of the latter. Both compounds inhibited the combined, three-step, MTE reaction measured in the physiological direction. We conclude that (1) salicylate and hydroxyhippurate decrease beta-oxidation in intact cells by reversible inhibition of LCHAD activity of the MTE, and (2) beta-oxidation in RS cells is inherently more sensitive to inhibition by low concentrations of salicylate than controls.

Administration of n-3 fatty acids in the diets of rats or directly to hepatocyte cultures results in different effects on hepatocellular ApoB metabolism and secretion

Hepatocytes derived either from rats fed a diet enriched in n-3 fatty acids or from rats fed a low-fat diet and cultured with an n-3 fatty acid (eicosapentaenoic acid, EPA) in vitro were used to distinguish between the dietary effects and the direct effects of n-3 fatty acids on hepatocellular apolipoprotein (apo) B metabolism and secretion. ApoB-48 and apoB-100 synthesis, degradation, and secretion as large (d<1.006) and small (d>1.006) particles were determined after a pulse label with [35S]methionine. These effects were compared with changes in triacylglycerol (TAG) synthesis and secretion and with changes in de novo fatty acid synthesis (using 3H2O incorporation) under identical conditions. When n-3 fatty acid was given via the dietary route, apoB-48 very low density lipoprotein (VLDL) secretion was inhibited, but there was no effect on the secretion of apoB-100 VLDL. There was no effect on the secretion of either apoB-48 or apoB-100 as small, dense particles (d>1.006). Cellular TAG synthesis was significantly inhibited under these conditions, and fatty acid synthesis de novo was inhibited by 80%. By contrast, after direct addition of EPA to hepatocytes from normal rats, the secretion of both apoB-48 and apoB-100 VLDL was suppressed. The secretion of apoB-48, but not of apoB-100, as dense particles was also inhibited. However, there was little or no effect on TAG synthesis nor on fatty acid synthesis de novo. In addition, whereas dietary administration of n-3 fatty acid gave rise to decreased net synthesis and degradation of apoB-48, direct administration in vitro resulted in increased degradation with no effect on net synthesis. We conclude that the effects of n-3 fatty acids on hepatic lipid and apoB metabolism differ according to whether they are administered in vivo, via the dietary route, or in vitro, via direct addition to hepatocyte cultures.

Effect of propionate on fatty acid and cholesterol synthesis and on acetate metabolism in isolated rat hepatocytes

In the present study the actual role of propionic acid in the control of fatty acid and cholesterol synthesis was investigated in isolated liver cells from fed rats maintained in the presence of near-physiological concentrations of glucose, glutamine and acetate. Using 3H2O for lipid labelling, propionate appears as an effective inhibitor of fatty acid synthesis and to a lesser extent of cholesterol synthesis, even at the lowest concentration used (0.6 mmol/l). Butyrate is a potent activator of both synthetic pathways, and the activating effect was not counteracted by propionate. Using 1-[14C]acetate, it was observed that propionate at a moderate concentration, or 1 mmol oleate/l, are both very effective inhibitors of 14C incorporation into fatty acid and cholesterol. This incorporation was drastically inhibited when propionate and oleate were present together in the incubation medium. The net utilization of acetate by rat hepatocytes was impaired by propionate, in contrast to oleate. 1-[14C]butyrate was utilized at a high rate for fatty acid synthesis, but to a lesser extent for cholesterol synthesis; both processes were unaffected by propionate. Intracellular citrate concentration was not markedly depressed by propionate, whereas it was strongly elevated by butyrate. In conclusion, propionate may represent an effective inhibitor of lipid synthesis when acetate is a major source of acetyl-CoA, a situation which is encountered with diets rich in readily-fermentable fibres. The present findings also suggest that propionate may be effective at concentrations close to values measured in vivo in the portal vein.

Regulation of VLDL secretion in primary culture of rat hepatocytes: involvement of cAMP and cAMP-dependent protein kinases

When hepatocytes were cultured for 24 h in the presence of forskolin (10(-4) mol l-1) or isobutylmethylxanthine (IBMX, 10(-3) mol l-1), the intracellular cAMP concentration peaked (320-380 pmol mg-1 protein) after 10-20 min of culture. This increase was accompanied by a decrease in the secretion of triacylglycerol, cholesterol and apoprotein B associated with VLDL. After 4 h cAMP levels had returned almost to basal values but the inhibition of VLDL secretion persisted. There was a small intracellular accumulation of triacylglycerol but not of apoprotein B. Addition of forskolin and IBMX together led to a further increase in intracellular cAMP and a further suppression of VLDL output. Similar effects on the secretion of VLDL were also observed after addition of Bt2cAMP. Exposure of cell cultures to glucagon (10(-7) mol l-1) for only 10 min raised cellular cAMP levels to > 200 pmol mg-1 protein, and suppressed VLDL secretion during the next 24 h to < 40% of control. All of the substances tested inhibited de novo synthesis of fatty acids but had little or no effect on cholesterol synthesis and did not inhibit oleate esterification to triacylglycerol. The cAMP-dependent protein kinase antagonist Rp-cAMPS prevented suppression of VLDL triacylglycerol secretion induced by glucagon (10(-7) mol l-1) and abolished glucagon-induced ketogenesis. Rp-cAMPS also inhibited Bt2cAMP (7.5 x 10(-6) mol l-1)-induced suppression of VLDL secretion and enhancement of ketogenesis. It is concluded that rat hepatic VLDL metabolism can be regulated by cAMP and cAMP-dependent protein kinases, and that the initial transient rise in cellular cAMP levels induced by glucagon is sufficient to maintain a long-term inhibitory effect on assembly and secretion of VLDL.

Hexose metabolism in pancreatic islets. Effect of (-)-hydroxycitrate upon fatty acid synthesis and insulin release in glucose-stimulated islets

Anaplerotic reactions leading to the de novo synthesis of fatty acids, were recently proposed to participate in the coupling of metabolic to secretory events in the process of glucose-stimulated insulin release. In an attempt to validate such a proposal, the effect of (-)-hydroxycitrate upon fatty acid synthesis and insulin release was investigated in glucose-stimulated rat pancreatic islets. The inhibitor of ATP citrate-lyase, when tested in the 1.0-2.0 mM range, failed to affect glucose-stimulated insulin release, but also failed to inhibit the incorporation of 14C-labelled acetyl residues derived from L-[U-14C]leucine into islet lipids. A partial inhibition of fatty acid labelling by 3H2O was only observed in islets incubated for 120 min in the presence of 5.0 mM (-)-hydroxycitrate and absence of CaCl2. These findings suggest that (-)-hydroxycitrate is not, under the present experimental conditions, a useful tool to abolish fatty acid synthesis in intact pancreatic islets.

The effect of (-)-hydroxycitrate on the activity of the low-density-lipoprotein receptor and 3-hydroxy-3-methylglutaryl-CoA reductase levels in the human hepatoma cell line Hep G2

(-)-Hydroxycitrate, a potent inhibitor of ATP citrate-lyase, was tested in Hep G2 cells for effects on cholesterol homoeostasis. After 2.5 h and 18 h incubations with (-)-hydroxycitrate at concentrations of 0.5 mM or higher, incorporation of [1,5-14C]citrate into fatty acids and cholesterol was strongly inhibited. This most likely reflects an effective inhibition of ATP citrate-lyase. Cholesterol biosynthesis was decreased to 27% of the control value as measured by incorporations from 3H2O, indicating a decreased flux of carbon units through the cholesterol-synthetic pathway. After 18 h preincubation with 2 mM-(-)-hydroxycitrate, the cellular low-density-lipoprotein (LDL) receptor activity was increased by 50%, as determined by the receptor-mediated association and degradation. Measurements of receptor-mediated binding versus LDL concentration suggests that this increase was due to an increase in the numbers of LDL receptors. Simultaneously, enzyme levels of 3-hydroxy-3-methylglutaryl-CoA (HMG-CoA) reductase as determined by activity measurements increased 30-fold. Our results suggest that the increases in HMG-CoA reductase and the LDL receptor are initiated by the decreased flux of carbon units in the cholesterol-synthetic pathway, owing to inhibition of ATP citratelyase. A similar induction of HMG-CoA reductase and LDL receptor was also found after preincubations of cells with 0.3 microM-mevinolin, suggesting that the underlying mechanism for this induction is identical for both drugs.

Regulation of hepatic synthesis and secretion of cholesterol and glycerolipids in animals maintained in different nutritional states

The distribution of newly synthesized and exogenous fatty acids and of newly synthesized cholesterol between cellular and very-low-density lipoprotein (VLDL) lipids was studied in hepatocytes derived from animals fed on a normal diet or on diets supplemented with polyunsaturated fat or sucrose. Phospholipid synthesis from either exogenous or endogenous (biosynthetic) fatty acids was unaffected by nutritional state. Cholesterol synthesis was decreased in the fat-fed animals, but sucrose feeding had no significant effect. In all nutritional states, newly synthesized rather than exogenous fatty acids were better substrates for phospholipid synthesis. In all groups, compared with newly synthesized triacylglycerol, smaller proportions of newly synthesized phospholipid and cholesterol were secreted as VLDLs. This was confirmed in intact animals by using Triton WR-1339. Newly synthesized phospholipid formed a greater proportion of the VLDL glycerolipid in the fat-fed than in the normal or sucrose-fed animals. In all groups, phospholipids labelled from endogenous fatty acids were secreted in preference to those labelled from exogenous fatty acids.

Age-related changes of lipid fractions and total fatty acids in liver lipids and heart lipids of female and male rats aged 37-1200 days (liver) and 331-1200 days (heart)

1. Total lipids and the lipid fractions cholesterol ester, triacylglycerol, free cholesterol, free fatty acids and phospholipids, as well as the fatty acid patterns of total lipids, were measured in liver homogenates of female and male rats (Wistar SPF, strain Hannover) aged 37-1213 days. 2. The same parameters were measured in the apex of the heart in female and male rats aged 331-1213 days. 3. All parameters were monitored every 49th day. Five female and five male animals were used in each experiment. 4. The lipid fractions in liver showed a positive linear regression vs age, whereas all lipids in rat heart showed a negative regression vs age in both sexes. 5. The significance of regression vs age of fatty acids was much less than that in the lipid fractions of liver and heart of these animals.

Regulation of hepatic cholesterol biosynthesis. Effects of a cytochrome P-450 inhibitor on the formation and metabolism of oxygenated sterol products of lanosterol

The involvement of oxygenated cholesterol precursors in the regulation of 3-hydroxy-3-methylglutaryl-CoA (HMG-CoA) reductase activity was studied by examining the effect of ketoconazole on the metabolism of mevalonic acid, lanosterol and the lanosterol metabolites, lanost-8-ene-3 beta,32-diol,3 beta-hydroxylanost-8-en-32-al and 4,4-dimethylcholesta-8,14-dien-3 beta-ol, in liver subcellular fractions and hepatocyte cultures. Inhibition of cholesterol synthesis from mevalonate by ketoconazole at concentrations up to 30 microM was due exclusively to a suppression of cytochrome P-450LDM (LDM = lanosterol demethylase) activity, resulting in a decreased rate of lanosterol 14 alpha-demethylation. No enzyme after the 14 alpha-demethylase step was affected. When [14C]mevalonate was the cholesterol precursor, inhibition of cytochrome P450LDM was accompanied by the accumulation of several labelled oxygenated sterols, quantitatively the most important of which was the C-32 aldehyde derivative of lanosterol. There was no accumulation of the 24,25-oxide derivative of lanosterol, nor of the C-32 alcohol. Under these conditions the activity of HMG-CoA reductase declined. The C-32 aldehyde accumulated to a far greater extent when lanost-8-ene-3 beta,32-diol rather than mevalonate was used as the cholesterol precursor in the presence of ketoconazole. With both precursors, this accumulation was reversed at higher concentrations of ketoconazole in liver subcellular fractions. A similar reversal was not observed in hepatocyte cultures.

Contribution of cytoplasmic storage triacylglycerol to VLDL-triacylglycerol in isolated rat hepatocytes

The cytoplasmic triacylglycerol (TG) storage pool of isolated hepatocytes was labelled in order to evaluate its incorporation into very low density lipoproteins (VLDL). Rats were injected with [1-14C]oleate 2 min prior to surgery and cell incubations began 90-100 min thereafter. In keeping with the equilibration of the two TG pools (in smooth endoplasmic reticulum, SER, and cytoplasm) in 120 min (Stein, Y. and Shapiro, B. (1959) Am. J. Physiol. 196, 1238-1241) the bulk of radioactive TG at time zero was in the cytoplasm and TG specific activities were similar in cytoplasm and SER. Radioactive and total VLDL-TG secretions were greatly inhibited after 80 min by chloroquine which is assumed to block lysosomal hydrolysis of cytoplasmic TG. When the SER-TG pool was labelled by addition of [1-14C]oleate in vitro, chloroquine affected neither [1-14C]oleate uptake and esterification nor its incorporation into VLDL-TG from 15-20 min until 80 min. After 100 min, when [1-14C]oleate-TG was transferred back from cytoplasm to SER, chloroquine began to decrease radioactive VLDL-TG output and by 210 min caused the same inhibition as under the in vivo labelling condition. These results are consistent with an inhibition by chloroquine of the lysosomal hydrolysis of cytoplasmic TG resulting in a blockage of their back transfer to SER membranes whereas other steps of VLDL production were not affected, at least up to 100 min. This study also showed that stored TG is a quantitatively important VLDL precursor, sustaining VLDL production for several hours in the absence of exogenous fatty acids.

Secretion and storage of newly synthesized hepatic triacylglycerol fatty acids in vivo in different nutritional states and in diabetes

Hepatic lipid synthesis was measured in rats in vivo with 3H2O, and the appearance of label in triacylglycerol and its constituent fatty acid and glycerol moieties was determined. In rats treated with Triton WR1339, the amount of newly synthesized fatty acid secreted as very-low-density lipoprotein (VLDL) triacylglycerol was greater during the dark phase of the diurnal cycle than during the light phase (11.3 versus 4.8 mumol of 3H2O/3 h per g of liver respectively). However, the total mass of VLDL triacylglycerol secreted remained constant, as did the amount of label in the secreted triacylglycerol glycerol. Newly synthesized fatty acids comprised only a small proportion of the total VLDL triacylglycerol fatty acids (TGFA) at both times (dark phase, 7.7%; light phase, 2.4%). Starvation for 24 h resulted in a small increase in the secretion of VLDL triacylglycerol. However, the contribution from newly synthesized fatty acids was decreased. Similar effects were observed in streptozotocin-diabetic animals. During the light and dark phases of the cycle, similar quantities of newly synthesized TGFA entered the hepatic cytosol, and these amounts were much smaller than those secreted as VLDL triacylglycerol. The mass of cytosolic triacylglycerol showed a diurnal variation, with a greater concentration during the light phase than in the dark. In diabetes, the mass of triacylglycerol was increased in the cytosol, as was the incorporation of labelled acylglycerol glycerol. Diabetes also abolished the diurnal variation in the quantity of cytosolic triacylglycerol. In each group of animals the specific radioactivity of the microsomal triacylglycerol was similar to that of the respective newly secreted plasma VLDL. The specific radioactivity of the cytosolic triacylglycerol was only 15.8% (dark phase) or 16.8% (light phase) that of the microsomal triacylglycerol. This increased to 35.5% in the starved animals and 40.2% in the diabetic animals.

Hepatic and intestinal formation of polar sterols in vivo in animals fed on a cholesterol-supplemented diet

In rats fed on a diet containing 1% cholesterol for 24 h, the decrease in hepatic non-saponifiable lipid synthesis, cholesterogenesis and 3-hydroxy-3-methylglutaryl-CoA (HMG-CoA) reductase activity was accompanied by an increase in the proportion of newly synthesized polar sterols in vivo. In these animals there was also a strong inverse correlation between the proportion of polar sterols in the non-saponifiable lipid and hepatic HMG-CoA reductase activity. A similar correlation was not observed in animals fed on a normal diet. Cholesterogenesis in the intestine was not as sensitive to inhibition by dietary cholesterol as was that in the liver, and there was no increase in the polar-sterol content of the newly synthesized non-saponifiable-lipid fraction.

A relationship between the activities of hepatic lanosterol 14 alpha-demethylase and 3-hydroxy-3-methylglutaryl-CoA reductase

At 1-2 h after intragastric administration of ketoconazole, a cytochrome P-450 inhibitor, to rats, there was a 50-60% decrease in the activity of hepatic 3-hydroxy-3-methylglutaryl-CoA (HMG-CoA) reductase. Inhibition reached a maximum at 6-12 h after the drug was given, but after 24 h enzyme activity was stimulated by 60%. The rates of synthesis of hepatic non-saponifiable lipids in vivo showed a similar time-dependent pattern of change. During the first few hours after drug administration, the hepatic cytochrome P-450-dependent metabolism of lanosterol was suppressed in vivo. However, 24 h after treatment, this activity was stimulated, an effect which was also observed by pre-treatment of the rats with the drug for several days. Suppression of hepatic HMG-CoA reductase and lanosterol 14 alpha-demethylase activities was accompanied by a relative increase in the accumulation of labelled polar sterols in the liver in vivo. In the intestine, ketoconazole also resulted in a rapid decline in the rate of synthesis of non-saponifiable lipids and an inhibition of lanosterol 14 alpha-demethylation in vivo. However, in contrast with the liver, there was no stimulation of non-saponifiable lipid synthesis after 24 h.

Oleic acid-induced cholelithiasis in the rabbit: conversion of dietary oleic acid to cholestanol as a cause of calcium-bile salt gallstones

Rabbits fed a diet rich in oleic acid develop gallstones consisting of calcium salts of (5 alpha)-glyco-allodeoxycholic acid. To study the metabolic pathway of oleic acid, we followed the changes in plasma, hepatic and biliary lipids in this animal model. In addition, to also determine the role played by intestinal microflora on biliary lipid metabolism, we added kanamycin to the oleic acid diet. Oleic acid-fed rabbits rapidly developed hypercholesterolemia. This was associated with an increase in liver 3-hydroxy-3-methylglutaryl coenzyme A reductase activity, accumulation of cholesterol as well as cholestanol in the liver and progressive saturation of cholesterol in bile. [14C]oleic acid fed orally to rabbits was recovered in liver extracts as both cholesterol and cholestanol. With oleic acid feeding, there was a progressive increase in glyco-allodeoxycholic acid culminating in the formation of gallstones. Kanamycin supplement to the oleic acid diet resulted in the same changes in plasma and hepatic sterol metabolism compared with oleic acid-fed rabbits. There was, however, a striking difference in the biliary bile acid profile. Kanamycin supplementation dramatically reduced the proportion of 5 alpha-dihydroxy bile acids, increased the proportion of 5 beta-trihydroxy bile acids and completely abolished gallstone formation. We postulate that, in the rabbit, oleic acid is used as a carbon source for cholesterol synthesis, and a high oleic acid diet increases hepatic cholesterogenesis. Hepatic cholesterol is then metabolized to form cholestanol, followed by (5 alpha)-glyco-allocholic acid which is secreted into bile and transformed by gut bacteria to form (5 alpha)-allodeoxycholic acid. Kanamycin abolished gallstone formation by inhibiting intestinal bacterial dehydroxylation.

Regulation of hepatic very-low-density lipoprotein secretion in rats fed on a diet high in unsaturated fat

Rats were fed ad libitum on either a standard, high-carbohydrate, chow diet or a similar diet supplemented with 15% unsaturated fat (corn oil). Hepatocytes were prepared either during the dark phase (D6-hepatocytes) or during the light phase (L2-hepatocytes) of the diurnal cycle. In hepatocytes from rats fed on the unsaturated-fat-containing diet, secretion of very-low-density lipoprotein (VLDL) triacylglycerol was inhibited to a greater extent in the D6- than in the L2-hepatocytes. Plasma non-esterified fatty acid concentrations were elevated to the same extent at both D6 and L2 in the unsaturated-fat-fed animals. The secretion of VLDL esterified and non-esterified cholesterol was relatively insensitive to changes in the unsaturated-fat content of the diet. This resulted in proportionate increases in the content of these lipid constituents compared with that of triacylglycerol in the nascent VLDL. There was also an increase in the ratio of esterified to non-esterified cholesterol in the nascent VLDL produced by hepatocytes of the unsaturated-fat-fed animals. In the D6-hepatocytes from the unsaturated-fat-fed animals, the decrease in the secretion of VLDL triacylglycerol could not be reversed by addition of exogenous oleate (0.7 mM) to the incubation medium. In contrast, addition of a mixture of lactate (10 mM) and pyruvate (1 mM) stimulated both fatty acid synthesis de novo and the rate of VLDL triacylglycerol secretion. Secretion of esterified and non-esterified cholesterol also increased under these conditions. Insulin suppressed the secretion of VLDL triacylglycerol and cholesteryl ester under a wide range of conditions in all types of hepatocyte preparations. Non-esterified cholesterol secretion was unaffected. In hepatocytes prepared from the fat-fed animals, these effects of insulin were more pronounced at D6 than at L2. Glucagon also inhibited VLDL lipid secretion in all types of hepatocyte preparations. The decrease in cholesterol secretion was due equally to decreases in the rates of secretion of both esterified and non-esterified cholesterol.

Effects of sodium 2-[5-(4-chlorophenyl)pentyl]-oxirane-2-carboxylate (POCA) on intermediary metabolism in isolated rat-liver cells

In hepatocytes isolated from meal-fed rats, sodium 2-[5-(4-chlorophenyl)pentyl]oxirane-2-carboxylate (POCA) decreased the rate of lipogenesis measured as incorporation of 3H from 3H2O into glycerolipids and cholesterol. Moreover, POCA inhibited the oxidation of added oleate, whereas oleate esterification was stimulated. In hepatocytes from 24-hr-starved rats, inhibition of gluconeogenesis by POCA was observed only with gluconeogenic precursors which require pyruvate carboxylation. This inhibition was secondary to impaired oxidation of long-chain fatty acids by POCA. It is concluded that, in addition to its inhibition of long-chain fatty acid oxidation, POCA interferes with de novo synthesis of cholesterol and fatty acids. On the other hand, neither fatty acid esterification nor the conversion of oxaloacetate into glucose are affected by POCA.

Diurnal variations in the effects of an unsaturated-fat-containing diet on fatty acid and cholesterol synthesis in rat hepatocytes

Rats were fed ad libitum on either a standard high-carbohydrate diet, or a standard diet supplemented with 15% corn oil. Hepatocytes were prepared either during the light phase (L2-hepatocytes) or during the dark phase (D6-hepatocytes) of the diurnal cycle. In hepatocytes from rats fed on the fat-containing diet, fatty acid synthesis (lipogenesis) was suppressed to a much greater extent at D6 than at L2. The magnitude of the increase in plasma-free fatty acid concentration was similar at the two times of day. The rate of cholesterol synthesis was also significantly suppressed in the D6- but not in the L2-hepatocytes. This differential inhibition resulted in the abolition of the normal diurnal rhythm of cholesterogenesis. The initial activity of 3-hydroxy-3-methylglutaryl-CoA reductase in hepatocytes was also suppressed by corn-oil feeding at D6 but not at L2. In D6-hepatocytes, the inhibitory effect of the high-fat diet on the conversion of lactate into cholesterol and fatty acids was greater than that on total carbon flux into these substances for all endogenous sources. Despite this, under these conditions a high concentration of lactate and pyruvate resulted in a several-fold stimulation of total carbon flux into fatty acids. In hepatocytes prepared at L2, fat-feeding had little effect on the degree of stimulation of lipogenesis by insulin or inhibition by glucagon. However, at D6, fat-feeding blunted the response of lipogenesis to both these hormones.