Hormonal regulation of malic enzyme expression in primary cultures of foetal brown adipocytes.

Insulin increased malic enzyme activity and protein content in foetal brown adipocyte primary cultures through a two fold increase in the rates of enzyme synthesis. Conversely, noradrenaline prevented the induction caused by insulin on enzyme expression through an accelerate rate of malic enzyme degradation. Tri-iodothyronine had no effect on the expression of malic enzyme in cultured foetal brown adipocytes.