The substrate determines the rate and pattern of neutral lipid synthesized by isolated human sebaceous glands

AbstractLipogenesis from different substrates was determined in isolated human sebaceous glands after 17–20 h in culture. Rates of total lipogenesis were 1O03 ± 141, 842 ± 90, 481 ± 57 pmol·h−1·gland−1 ± SE from acetate, lactate and glucose, respectively, when present as sole substrates: the rate from glucose was significantly lower (P < 0.01). Squalene synthesis was greatest from acetate at 479 ± 44 pmol·h−1·gland−1; significantly higher than from lactate (281 ± 45 pmol·h−1·gland−1) or glucose at 119 ± 18 pmol·h−1·gland−1. Wax ester plus cholesterol ester synthesis showed similar dependence on substrate but triglyceride synthesis was unaffected. We conclude that the added substrate determines both the rate and pattern of non-polar lipid synthesized by isolated human sebaceous glands