Studies on the inhibition a fatty acid synthesis in the chicken liver by adenine compounds in vitro.

The biosynthesis of fatty acids from [1-14C]-acetate in the chicken liver slices in vitro was inhibited by cAMP, adenosine, 5'-AMP, 3'-AMP, ATP, NAD and FAD but not by adenine, guanine or inosine. The minimum structural requirement for inhibition appears to be adenosine. The inhibitory action of adenosine, 5'-AMP and NAD on fatty acid synthesis is likely to be mediated by adenosine or its metabolites since adenosine deaminase reverses the inhibition while it has no effect on the inhibition by cAMP; thus, the inhibitory effect of cAMP is probably not mediated through its hydrolysis products, 5'-AMP, or adenosine.