Fatty acids stimulate AMP‐activated protein kinase and enhance fatty acid oxidation in L6 myotubes

We investigated the role of fatty acid availability on AMPK signalling and fatty acid oxidation in skeletal muscle. Incubating L6 skeletal muscle myotubes with palmitate (a saturated fatty acid) or linoleate (a polyunsaturated fatty acid) increased AMPK activity by 56 and 38%, respectively, compared with untreated cells. Consistent with these changes, AMPK Thr172 and acetyl-CoA carboxylase beta Ser218 phosphorylation were increased in fatty …