The metabolism of ketones, triglyceride and monoglyceride in livers of obese hyperglycaemic mice.

Abstract

Some aspects of fat metabolism and ketogenesis have been investigated in obese hyperglycaemic mice, their non-obese littermates and normal mice. The proportion of total liver lipids was greatest in the obese mice, and the fatty acid composition of the liver total lipids showed a greatly reduced proportion of linoleic acid in the obese mice when compared with the other groups. Whole liver homogenates showed low rates of lipolysis of endogenous fat, but defatted liver homogenates showed a rapid lipolysis of added monoglyceride. Free fatty acid levels in the livers of obese mice were lower than in littermates or in normal mice. Total ketone production by liver slices from obese mice was lower than from normal mice. It was concluded that ketone production by the obese mice was related to liver free fatty acid levels rather than to total liver lipid.