Effect of aging on lipid composition and metabolism in the adipose tissues of the rat

¹ Department of Medicine, College of Physicians and Surgeons, Columbia University, New York City

Lipid metabolism and chemistry was studied in adipose tissues of the rat from the age of 38 days to 647 days. Aging process was characterized by a marked decrease in lipid synthesis from acetate, a reduction in the proportion of glucose metabolized by the pentose phosphate pathway, and a lower rate of palmitate incorporation into the mixed lipids. Oxidation of palmitic acid to CO₂ and release of free fatty acid by epididymal fat was the same in young and old tissues under control conditions; when, however, glucose was absent from the medium or when epinephrine was added, there was a significantly greater rate of palmitic acid oxidation and free fatty acid release by young compared to old adipose tissue. Rate of acetate incorporation into mixed lipids by multiple adipose tissue sites was determined at different ages. Consistently greater rates of lipid biosynthesis were found in the epididymal, perirenal, mesenteric and interscapular adipose tissues than in subcutaneous fat at all ages. Rate of lipid synthesis by the interscapular fat (unlike any of the other depots) remained high at all ages studied. A greater proportion of short chain fatty acids was found in adipose tissues from young rats than in the old. This was related to fatty acid composition of rat milk.

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