The pattern of fatty acids synthesized by mammary-gland explants from rabbits during pregnancy and early lactation has been studied. From day 12 to day 18 of pregnancy, long-chain (C(14:0)-C(18:1)) fatty acids were the major products. From day 18 to day 21 of pregnancy there was an increase of up to 12-fold in the rate of fatty acid synthesis per unit wet weight of tissue that was almost exclusively caused by the synthesis of octanoic fatty acid and decanoic fatty acid, which are characteristic of rabbit milk. These medium-chain fatty acids were mainly incorporated into triglycerides. From day 22 to day 27 of pregnancy there was little change in the rate of fatty acid synthesis and the proportions of fatty acids synthesized were essentially the same as those synthesized by the lactating gland, i.e. 80-90% octanoic acid plus decanoic acid. About 2-4 days before parturition a second lipogenic stimulus occurred, although the pattern of fatty acids synthesized did not change.

1. The rate of fatty acid synthesis by mammary explants from rabbits pregnant for 16 days or from rabbits pseudopregnant for 11 days was stimulated up to 15-fold by culturing for 2-4 days with prolactin. This treatment initiated the predominant synthesis of C(8:0) and C(10:0) fatty acids, which are characteristic of rabbit milk. 2. Inclusion of insulin in the culture medium increased the rate of synthesis of these medium-chain fatty acids. By contrast the inclusion of corticosterone led to the predominant synthesis of long-chain fatty acids. When explants were cultured for 2-4 days with insulin, corticosterone and prolactin, the rate of fatty acid synthesis increased up to 42-fold, but both medium- and long-chain fatty acids were synthesized. 3. These results show that the stimulus to mammary-gland lipogenesis and the initiation of synthesis of medium-chain fatty acids observed between days 16 and 23 of pregnancy in the rabbit can be simulated in vitro by prolactin alone. 4. When mammary explants from rabbits pregnant for 23 days were cultured for 2 days with insulin, corticosterone and prolactin, the rate of fatty acid synthesis increased fivefold, but there was a preferential synthesis of long-chain fatty acids. Culture with prolactin alone had little effect on the rate or pattern of fatty acids synthesized. 5. The results are compared with findings in vivo on the control of lipogenesis in the rabbit mammary gland, and are contrasted with the known effects of hormones in vitro on the mammary gland of the mid-pregnant mouse.

SUMMARY Explants of mammary glands and of subcutaneous body fat from sexually mature virgin and from 19-day pregnant Sprague-Dawley rats and of mammary gland from 5-day lactating Sprague-Dawley rats, were maintained in organ culture for up to 96 h. The effects of insulin (I), corticosterone (B), prolactin (P) and growth hormone (G) on the rate of fatty acid synthesis were measured by the incorporation of [14C]acetate. The effect of these hormones on the synthesis of various carbon-chain length fatty acids was measured by radio gas-liquid chromatography. Explants from both tissues had a reduced rate of fatty acid synthesis after 24 h in medium 199, but this rate was increased by the addition of insulin. In explants of subcutaneous fat from virgin rats, the rate was further increased by culture in IBP or IBG, but this increase was not blocked by actinomycin D. In explants from subcutaneous fat of 10-day pregnant rats the rate was not increased by the addition of B, P or G to the insulin-containing medium. In mammary gland explants from virgin rats, IBP stimulated a greater rate of fatty acid synthesis than did insulin alone. In mammary gland explants from 10-day pregnant rats, the rate of fatty acid synthesis was increased by both IBP and IBG. In mammary gland explants from rats on the 5th day of lactation, both IBP and IBG increased the rate of fatty acid synthesis compared with insulin or IB. Actinomycin D blocked the increased fatty acid synthesis produced by prolactin or growth hormone but not that produced by insulin alone. Mammary gland explants from rats on the 5th day of lactation were cultured for the first 4 h after excision in medium 199 that contained sodium [14C]acetate. Sixty-eight per cent of the 14C was incorporated into C8-C12 fatty acids. In explants from subcutaneous fat none of the hormones tested increased 14C incorporation in these fatty acids. In mammary gland explants from virgin or 10-day pregnant rats, insulin, corticosterone and prolactin increased the incorporation in these fatty acids. Growth hormone was less efficient than prolactin in stimulating C8-C12 fatty acid synthesis.

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