Stimulation of fatty acid synthesis by oestradiol in vitro

Abstract

Evidence is presented that the human placenta contains enzymes for the carboxylation of acetyl-coenzyme A to yield monomalonyl-coenzyme A and for the condensation and reduction of these 2 to yield B-hydroxybutyric acid. These enzymes, which are located in the non-particulate fraction of the cell, were partially purified by (NH4)2SO4 fractionation. The coupling of the fatty acid-synthesizing system to the transhydrogenase stimulated by estrogen was demonstrated by the increased rate of conversion of [C14]acetate into labeled fatty acid and by the increased rate of oxidation of reduced pyridine nucleotide when estradiol was added to the system.