The influence of pituitary growth hormone on the catabolism of fat

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Abstract
A method of assay for the overall activity of the fatty-acid oxidase system in suspensions of "homogenized" liver was descr., and measurements were made of the activity of this enzyme and of acetoacetate production in control and growth-hormone-treated adult female rats at intervals up to 8 days. Liver fatty-acid oxidase activity and acetoacetate production were inhibited 6 hrs. after treatment of the animal with growth hormone, and greatly stimulated between 12 and 24 hrs. At longer than 48 hrs. the fatty acid oxidase activity returned to normal. The acetoacetate production from oleate by suspensions of "homogenized" liver has a marked tendency to be increased 2, 4, 6, and 8 days after treatment with pituitary growth hormone. It is suggested that the fate of the two-C fragments arising from fat oxidation in the liver is in some way directly controlled by growth-hormone admn. Calculations from the potential ability of the liver to oxidize fats showed that this tissue is not capable of catabolizing the amt. of fat disappearing grom the body, and it was concluded that growth hormone stimulated the direct extrahepatic utilization of fat. Growth-hormone treatment resulted in a definite ketonemia in normal adult female rats. Liver esterase and plasma pseudo cholinesterase were measured. While plasma pseudo cholinesterase remained unchanged liver esterase showed a gradual decline to a value only 60% of the control level over a period of 8 days.