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Updated: Oct 26, 2025

Assessment of the Metabolic Effects of Isocaloric 2:1 Intermittent Fasting in Mice

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Published on: November 27, 2019

Fasting increases 18:2-containing phosphatidylcholines to complement the decrease in 22:6-containing

Nanami Senoo¹, Takumi Akahori¹, Hiyori Ichida¹

¹Laboratory of Nutritional Biochemistry, Graduate School of Nutritional and Environmental Sciences, University of Shizuoka, Suruga-ku, Shizuoka, Japan.

|July 26, 2021

Summary

Fasting alters skeletal muscle phospholipids, decreasing 22:6-phosphatidylcholines (PCs) while increasing 18:2-PCs. This shift maintains total polyunsaturated fatty acid (PUFA)-containing PCs, indicating a compensatory adaptation in catabolic muscle states.

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Area of Science:

Biochemistry
Molecular Biology
Physiology

Background:

Skeletal muscle undergoes catabolic reactions during fasting to conserve energy.
Phospholipids, with diverse structures, influence cellular functions and are linked to muscle adaptation.
The impact of fasting on skeletal muscle phospholipid profiles is not well understood.

Purpose of the Study:

To investigate the effects of fasting on skeletal muscle phospholipid composition.
To identify specific phospholipid changes in response to nutrient deprivation.
To explore potential compensatory mechanisms in skeletal muscle phospholipids during fasting.

Main Methods:

Analysis of skeletal muscle phospholipids using liquid chromatography-mass spectrometry.
Comparison of phospholipid profiles in fasted versus non-fasted states.
Examination of phospholipid alterations in insulin-deficient mice and knockout models.

Main Results:

Fasting led to a decrease in 22:6-containing phosphatidylcholines (22:6-PCs) and an increase in 18:2-containing phosphatidylcholines (18:2-PCs).
The increase in 18:2-PCs compensated for the loss of 22:6-PCs, maintaining total polyunsaturated fatty acid (PUFA)-containing PCs.
Similar alterations were observed in insulin-deficient mice, suggesting a catabolic muscle characteristic.
Lysophosphatidic acid acyltransferase 3-knockout muscles showed an accumulation of 18:2-PCs, indicating a compensatory mechanism.

Conclusions:

Fasting induces specific changes in skeletal muscle phospholipid profiles, particularly in phosphatidylcholines.
Skeletal muscles exhibit compensatory mechanisms to maintain polyunsaturated fatty acid (PUFA) levels in phosphatidylcholines during fasting.
These findings provide insights into the molecular adaptations of skeletal muscle to nutrient deprivation.