Lipogenesis in the rabbit : influence of age and nutrition

Abstract

The amount of triglycerides stored in a tissue results from the equilibrium between fatty acid uptake from circulating triglycerides, de novo fatty acid synthesis, and lipid hydrolysis. The aim of this article is to describe the specificity and some of the factors of variation of de novo lipogenesis in the muscle, compared to adipose tissues and liver in the rabbit. Age-related patterns in lipogenic enzyme activities paralleled age-related increase in intramuscular lipid contents. Restricted feeding during fattening resulted in a decrease in muscle lipid content and NADPH-producing lipogenic enzymes. The type of fat included in the diet did not have any influence on lipogenic enzyme activites, but altered the quantity and nature of the lipid stored within the muscle. Further studies are needed to determine the respective importance of de novo lipogenesis, LPL pathway and lipid mobilisation in tissue lipid content.