Triglyceride metabolism in epididymal adipose tissue of obese animals.

Experiments were carried out to elucidate the mechanism of triglyceride accumulation in epidiymal adipose tissue of obese mice made by goldthioglucose injection. Specifically, fat mobilization and its deposition were investigated. In goldthioglucose-treated mice, the weight of the epididymal adipose tissue was 1,200 percent of that of control mice, while adrenaline-induced lipolysis and lipase activity of the tissue were 272 and 450 percent of control respectively. These results suggest that deposition of fat far exceeds fat mobilizing activity in the adipose tissue of the obese mice. It was found that triglyceride synthesis from glucose increased in the adipose tissue of these mice. Therefore, it is suggested that obesity in gold thioglucose-treated mice may not be due to decrease in fat mobilization but to increase in triglyceride synthesis from carbohydrate.