Influence of diet on utilization of glucose and incorporation of acetate-I-C¹⁴ into liver fatty acids and cholesterol in rats

¹ Department of Nutrition, Harvard School of Public Health, Boston Massachusetts

A comparative study of glucose utilization, insulin sensitivity and in vivo incorporation of acetate-C¹⁴ into liver fatty acids and cholesterol was conducted in male adult rats. These animals were maintained for 4 weeks on three high carbohydrate diets (glucose, fructose or galactose), a high protein diet (casein), a high fat diet (lard) or Ralston Purina laboratory chow. Glucose utilization was high on the glucose diet and low on the fat diet. Incorporation of C¹⁴ into liver fatty acids was very high on the fructose diet, high on the protein and glucose diets, low on chow, and very low on the fat diet. Incorporation of C¹⁴ into liver cholesterol was relatively high on chow and relatively low on the fat diet. Glucose utilization in prefasted states and incorporation of acetate into liver fatty acids in fed states were roughly parallel on various diets but no correlation could be noted between glucose utilization and acetate incorporation into liver fatty acids on the one hand and incorporation of acetate into liver cholesterol on the other.

Note:
With the Assistance of Aelita Jurjevics