Effects of free fatty acids on somatostatin secretion, content and mRNA levels in cortical and hypothalamic fetal rat neurones in monolayer culture.

The effects of free fatty acids on somatostatin secretion, content and mRNA levels in fetal rat hypothalamic and cortical cell cultures were investigated. Somatostatin secretion and content were quantified by radioimmunoassay. Somatostatin mRNA levels were measured by Northern blot hybridization using a cRNA probe. Treatment with either caprylic acid (5 x 10(-3) M) or oleic acid (5 x 10(-5) M) for 90 min inhibited basal somatostatin secretion in both hypothalamic and cortical cell cultures. In addition, the increase in somatostatin secretion induced by incubation with veratridine (10(-4) M) or carbachol (10(-4) M) for 90 min was significantly reduced by the addition of caprylic acid, but somatostatin release stimulated by 5.6 x 10(-2) M KCl was not affected. Furthermore, treatment with these free fatty acids for 90 min markedly decreased somatostatin mRNA levels in both types of neurone culture. These inhibitory effects were transient, being observed after 90 min, but not after 5 h. These results support the probability that there is a role for free fatty acids in the regulation of somatostatin mRNA levels and somatostatin secretion in both hypothalamic and cortical cell cultures.