Expression of rat pancreatic lipase gene is modulated by a lipid-rich diet at a transcriptional level.

The amount of cytoplasmic mRNAs specific for pancreatic lipase and amylase as well as transcription of the corresponding genes were investigated in rats fed a diet containing 25% sunflower oil. Concentration of lipase mRNA was actually increased by the lipid-rich carbohydrate-low diet and reached a maximum level after 2 days, but further remained constant for at least 10 days. In contrast, about a two-fold decrease in the concentration of pancreatic amylase mRNA was only observed after rats were fed the high-lipid diet for 10 days. Transcription rate measurement on isolated nuclei from pancreatic tissue indicated that the concentration of nascent lipase and amylase transcripts was consistent with a transcriptional regulation of expression of these two genes.