Comparative effects of insulin and proinsulin in vitro on pathways of glucose utilization and lipid synthesis in the lactating rat mammary gland.

The effects of insulin and proinsulin have been measured on the rates of glucose oxidation via the pentose phosphate pathway and incorporation into lipid in slices of lactating rat mammary gland. Half-maximal stimulation of glucose oxidation was observed with 1-3 x 10(-8)M insulin while 1 x 10(-7)M proinsulin was required to achieve half-maximal stimulation. A similar, approximately 10-fold, difference in potency was observed in relation to lipid synthesis. The present results appear to indicate that the maximum stimulation of either glucose oxidation via the pentose phosphate pathway or lipid synthesis by proinsulin did not reach the same level as that found for insulin.