Insulin pulses keep the ...( researchers found that insulin pulses a...)

researchers found that insulin pulses acutely reduce the activity of fat-building fatty acid synthase (FAS) in the liver by activating a second liver molecule, called CEACAM1. In mice lacking CEACAM1, insulin lost its ability to limit liver FAS activity. Obese mice and those with too much insulin also failed to exhibit a reduction in liver FAS activity following insulin delivery, suggesting that insulin's effects depend on prior levels of the hormone, the researchers reported.

"The current data demonstrate that CEACAM1 is at the intersection of the pathways regulating insulin and fat metabolism in liver," Najjar said.

"Although mutations in CEACAM1 have not been found in patients with diabetes or insulin resistance, it is tempting to speculate that CEACAM1-dependent inhibition of fatty acid synthesis might be compromised as a consequence or even a cause of the insulin-resistant state," wrote Alan Saltiel of the University of Michigan in an accompanying preview. In this case, he added, finding ways to mimic the effects of CEACAM1 might help to alleviate chronically elevated blood and liver lipids in patients with diabetes.

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Contact: Heidi Hardman
hhardman@cell.com
617-397-2879
Cell Press
19-Jul-2005

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