Equally rapid activation of lipogenesis in nibbling and gorging mice.

Minimal average rates of exogenous glucose-C-conversion to whole body, total lipid fatty acids were measured in nibbling and gorging mice. Gorgers trained to eat 1 meal/day (8-10 am) were fasted 22-24 hr and given [14C]glucose with pure glucose, 30% glucose in water, or a 58% glucose, fat-free diet. Conversion of glucose-C to total lipid fatty acids increased from 0.6 (fasted) to approximately 20 mug/min/20 g body weight during 40 min after glucose feeding using each test meal. Dietary amino acids were not required for activation of lipogenesis in gorgers. Exogenous glucose-C was incorporated into fatty acids as fast in nibbling mice as in gorgers. This was true after varying all of the following conditions: training period, number of meals gorged, previous fasting time, and diet composition. The total rate of fatty acid synthesis from body glucose-C during absorption of a glucose load was also estimated in absorption of a glucose load was also estimated in previously fasted nibbling and gorging mice. These estimates were based on composite, serial measurement of both plasma glucose specific activities and 14C-labeled fatty acids. The total rate of fatty acid synthesis from both exogenous and endogenous glucose-C was only 15% higher than the rate from exogenous glucose-C between 10 and 40 min. No significant differences between nibblers and gorgers were found.