Changes in fatty acid synthesis and lipogenic enzymes in adipose tissue from fasted and fasted-refed steers

Controls of fatty acid synthesis in bovine adipose tissue were investigated. Six Brown Swiss steers were fasted for 8 days and then refed for 56 days. Biopsy samples of backfat adipose tissue were taken during the fasting and refeeding periods. Rates of acetate incorporation into fatty acids (FAS), activities of acetyl CoA carboxylase (CBX), glucose-6-phosphate dehydrogenase, 6-phosphogluconate dehydrogenase, and NADP:isocitrate dehydrogenase, and plasma free fatty acids (FFA) and plasma acetate were determined. FAS decreased 60% after 1 day of fasting and 99% after 8 days. FAS did not increase until day 3 of refeeding when energy intake was above maintenance, then returned to normal by 14 days. CBX followed a pattern similar to FAS, except its activity did rise above the control rate during refeeding. Plasma FFA increased 350% and acetate decreased 67% during fasting. After 4 days of refeeding, FFA returned to normal, and acetate increased to 156% of initial concentration, then returned to normal by 21 days. These data suggest that CBX limits FAS in adipose tissue of cattle.