It has been suggested that the carbohydrate-rich diet of chicks after hatching is
responsible for the emergence of hepatic enzymes involved in lipogenesis; the injection of glucose
to newly hatched chicks gives rise to an appreciable elevation on the activities of acetyl
coenzyme A carboxylase and fatty acid synthetase. The present study shows that during the first
hours after hatching, there is a natural elevation of glycemia which parallels the increase in acetyl
coenzyme A carboxylase activity. However, the administration of hormones which alter the blood
glucose levels considerably (insulin, tolbutamide, glucagon and hydrocortisone) did not influence
the enzyme activity. The administration of thyroxine, estradiol and cyclic AMP, was also without
effect.
These results do not support the theory that the increased amount of blood glucose is the
natural effector of the induction of acetyl coenzyme A carboxylase. They also show that different
lipogenic enzymes are not regulated via the same ‘operon’ since thyroxine or glucagon which alter
the level of some enzymes on this pathway did not modify that of the acetyl coenzyme A
carboxylase.