Liver cytosolic fatty acid-binding proteins. Effect of diabetes and starvation.

The binding of [1-(14)C]oleate to rat liver cytosol was studied, using gel filtration on Sephadex G-75 and G-50. In liver cytosols from control rats, most of the high-affinity oleate binding was in the region of 12 000-dalton proteins. In liver cytosols from diabetic and starved rats, a second peak of radioactivity appeared in the void volume. This peak was shown to be associated with a component having the molecular weight of 400 000. Evidence suggesting that a change in the composition of cytosolic binding proteins is involved is presented.