Obese rats develop hyperketonaemia and a fatty liver during lactation
Agius, L.; Rolls, B.J.; Rowe, E.A.; Williamson, D.H.
International Journal of Obesity 7(5): 447-452
1983
ISSN/ISBN: 0307-0565 PMID: 6358070 Document Number: 215363
Lactating rats made obese before mating by feeding high-energy foods, and then maintained on the same diet throughout pregnancy and lactation showed a decreased rate of lipogenesis in vivo in mammary gland, but not in liver, when compared with lean rats or lean rats fed the high-energy foods during lactation only. Obese lactating rats had increased hepatic fat content and moderate increases in blood concn. of ketone bodies. It is suggested that these changes are due to mobilization during lactation of the expanded adipose tissue lipid pool in the obese rats, overloading the liver with fatty acids. The concomitant increase in ketone body concn. may inhibit glucose utilization and hence lipogenesis in the lactating mammary gland of obese rats.