Skip to main content
NCBI home page
Biochemical Journal logoLink to Biochemical Journal
. 1974 Mar;138(3):373–379. doi: 10.1042/bj1380373

Metabolic adaptations during lactogenesis. Fatty acid synthesis in rabbit mammary tissue during pregnancy and lactation

R W Mellenberger 1,*, D E Bauman 1
PMCID: PMC1166222  PMID: 4154742

Abstract

1. Mammary tissue was obtained from rabbits at various stages of pregnancy and lactation and used for tissue-slice incubations (to measure the rate of fatty acid synthesis and CO2 production) and to determine relevant enzymic activities. A biphasic adaptation in fatty acid synthetic capacity during lactogenesis was noted. 2. The first lactogenic response occurred between day 15 and 24 of pregnancy. Over this period fatty acid synthesis (from acetate) increased 14-fold and the proportions of fatty acids synthesized changed to those characteristic of milk fat (77–86% as C8:0+C10:0 acids). 3. The second lactogenic response occurred post partum as indicated by increased rates of fatty acid synthesis and CO2 production (from acetate and glucose) and increased enzymic activities. 4. Major increases in enzymic activities between mid-pregnancy and lactation were noted for ATP citrate lyase (EC 4.1.3.8), acetyl-CoA synthetase (EC 6.2.1.1), acetyl-CoA carboxylase (EC 6.4.1.2), fatty acid synthetase, glucose 6-phosphate dehydrogenase (EC 1.1.1.49), and 6-phosphogluconate dehydrogenase (EC 1.1.1.44). Smaller increases in activity occurred with glycerol 3-phosphate dehydrogenase (EC 1.1.1.8) and NADP+–isocitrate dehydrogenase (EC 1.1.1.42) and the activity of NADP+–malate dehydrogenase (EC 1.1.1.40) was negligible at all periods tested. 5. During pregnancy and lactation there was a close temporal relationship between fatty acid synthetic capacity and the activities of ATP citrate lyase (r=0.94) and acetyl-CoA carboxylase (r=0.90).

Full text

PDF
373

Selected References

These references are in PubMed. This may not be the complete list of references from this article.

  1. Baldwin R. L., Milligan L. P. Enzymatic changes associated with the initiation and maintenance of lactation in the rat. J Biol Chem. 1966 May 10;241(9):2058–2066. [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  2. Bauman D. E., Brown R. E., Davis C. L. Pathways of fatty acid synthesis and reducing equivalent generation in mammary gland of rat, sow, and cow. Arch Biochem Biophys. 1970 Sep;140(1):237–244. doi: 10.1016/0003-9861(70)90028-7. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  3. Bauman D. E., DeKay D. E., Ingle D. L., Brown R. E. Effect of glycerol and glucose additions on lipogenesis from acetate in rat and cow mammary tissue. Comp Biochem Physiol B. 1972 Nov 15;43(3):479–486. doi: 10.1016/0305-0491(72)90131-9. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  4. Bauman D. E., Mellenberger R. W., Derrig R. G. Fatty acid synthesis in sheep mammary tissue. J Dairy Sci. 1973 Oct;56(10):1312–1318. doi: 10.3168/jds.S0022-0302(73)85352-4. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  5. Bousquet M., Fléchon J. E., Denamur R. Aspects ultrastructuraux de la glande mammaire de lapine pendant la lactogénèse. Z Zellforsch Mikrosk Anat. 1969;96(3):418–436. [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  6. CHADWICK A. The onset of lactose synthesis after injection of prolactin. Biochem J. 1962 Dec;85:554–558. doi: 10.1042/bj0850554. [DOI] [PMC free article] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  7. Carey E. M., Dils R. The pattern of fatty acid synthesis in lactating rabbit mammary gland studied in vivo. Biochem J. 1972 Feb;126(4):1005–1007. doi: 10.1042/bj1261005. [DOI] [PMC free article] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  8. Cowie A. T. Variations in the yield and composition of the milk during lactation in the rabbit and the galactopoietic effect of prolactin. J Endocrinol. 1969 Jul;44(3):437–450. doi: 10.1677/joe.0.0440437. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  9. Delouis C., Denamur R. Induction of lactose synthesis by prolactin in rabbit mammary gland extracts. J Endocrinol. 1972 Feb;52(2):311–319. doi: 10.1677/joe.0.0520311. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  10. Denamur R. Reviews of the progress of dairy science. Section A. Physiology. Hormonal control of lactogenesis. J Dairy Res. 1971 Jun;38(2):237–264. doi: 10.1017/s0022029900019348. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  11. Easter D. J., Dils R. Fatty acid biosynthesis. IV. Properties of acetyl-CoA carboxylase in lactating-rabbit mammary gland. Biochim Biophys Acta. 1968 Jul 1;152(4):653–668. doi: 10.1016/0005-2760(68)90112-4. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  12. Gul B., Dils R. Enzymic changes in rabbit and rat mammary gland during the lactation cycle. Biochem J. 1969 Apr;112(3):293–301. doi: 10.1042/bj1120293. [DOI] [PMC free article] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  13. Gumaa K. A., Greenbaum A. L., McLean P. Adaptive changes in satellite systems related to lipogenesis in rat and sheep mammary gland and in adipose tissue. Eur J Biochem. 1973 Apr 2;34(1):188–198. doi: 10.1111/j.1432-1033.1973.tb02745.x. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  14. Hartmann P. E., Jones E. A. Variations in the activity of several enzymes in the mammary glands of non-pregnant, pregnant and lactating rabbits. Biochem J. 1970 Feb;116(4):657–661. doi: 10.1042/bj1160657. [DOI] [PMC free article] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  15. Jones E. A. Studies on the particulate lactose synthetase of mouse mammary gland and the role of -lactalbumin in the initiation of lactose synthesis. Biochem J. 1972 Jan;126(1):67–78. doi: 10.1042/bj1260067. [DOI] [PMC free article] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  16. Jones E. A. The relationship between milk accumulation and enzyme activities in the involuting rat mammary gland. Biochim Biophys Acta. 1969 Feb 18;177(1):158–160. doi: 10.1016/0304-4165(69)90079-8. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  17. Kuhn N. J. Lactogenesis in the rat. Metabolism of uridine diphosphate galactose by mammary gland. Biochem J. 1968 Feb;106(3):743–748. doi: 10.1042/bj1060743. [DOI] [PMC free article] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  18. Kuhn N. J., Lowenstein J. M. Lactogenesis in the rat. Changes in metabolic parameters at parturition. Biochem J. 1967 Dec;105(3):995–1002. doi: 10.1042/bj1050995. [DOI] [PMC free article] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  19. Kuhn N. J. Progesterone withdrawal as the lactogenic trigger in the rat. J Endocrinol. 1969 May;44(1):39–54. doi: 10.1677/joe.0.0440039. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  20. LOWRY O. H., ROSEBROUGH N. J., FARR A. L., RANDALL R. J. Protein measurement with the Folin phenol reagent. J Biol Chem. 1951 Nov;193(1):265–275. [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  21. McKenzie L., Fitzgerald D. K., Ebner K. E. Lactose synthetase activities in rat and mouse mammary glands. Biochim Biophys Acta. 1971;230(3):526–530. doi: 10.1016/0304-4165(71)90183-8. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  22. Mellenberger R. W., Bauman D. E., Nelson D. R. Metabolic adaptations during lactogenesis. Fatty acid and lactose synthesis in cow mammary tissue. Biochem J. 1973 Nov;136(3):741–748. doi: 10.1042/bj1360741. [DOI] [PMC free article] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  23. Miller A. L., Geroch M. E., Levy H. R. Rat mammary-gland acetyl-coenzyme A carboxylase interaction with milk fatty acids. Biochem J. 1970 Jul;118(4):645–657. doi: 10.1042/bj1180645. [DOI] [PMC free article] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  24. Smith S., Easter D. J., Dils R. Fatty acid biosynthesis. 3. Intracellular site of enzymes in lactating-rabbit mammary gland. Biochim Biophys Acta. 1966 Dec 7;125(3):445–455. [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  25. Strong C. R., Dils R. Fatty acid biosynthesis in rabbit mammary gland during pregnancy and early lactation. Biochem J. 1972 Aug;128(5):1303–1309. doi: 10.1042/bj1281303. [DOI] [PMC free article] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  26. Strong C. R., Forsyth I., Dils R. The effects of hormones on milk-fat synthesis in mammary explants from pseudopregnant rabbits. Biochem J. 1972 Jul;128(3):509–519. doi: 10.1042/bj1280509. [DOI] [PMC free article] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]

Articles from Biochemical Journal are provided here courtesy of The Biochemical Society

RESOURCES