Increased inhibitory potency of free fatty acid-poor albumin on the released and activity of insulin-degrading enzymes from isolated rat adipocytes and hepatocytes.

Isolated rat adipocytes and hepatocytes release protease(s) into the medium which degrade insulin and glucagon. This can be partially inhibited by high concentrations of bovine serum albumin. Free fatty acid-poor albumin prepared by charcoal treatment at pH 3 is a more potent inhibitor than untreated albumin. However, the increase in inhibitory potency depends on the exposure of the albumin to the low pH and not on the removal of the fatty acids. Optimum conditions for this treatment are overnight exposure to pH 3-4 at 37 degrees C. In hepatocytes, but not in adipocytes, the treated albumin also diminishes the release of enzymes into the medium.