PubMed Health⌕ Search

Biomedical subjects

J L Linzell

Publications and source records attributed to J L Linzell.

At least 91 records · Page 5Linked to original sources

Mammary and whole animal metabolism of glucose and fatty acids in fasting lactating goats.

1. Measurements were made of milk yield, mammary blood flow and mammary arteriovenous differences during the measurement of substrate entry rate by the isotope dilution method using [U-(14)C]glucose, acetate, palmitate, stearate or oleate in conscious lactating goats after 24 hr starvation.2. As previously reported, in fasting, milk yield fell to 40 +/- 3.4 (S.E.)%, lactose secretion to 31 +/- 3.4%, milk fat secretion to 81 +/- 6.7% and mammary blood flow fell to 53 +/- 7.5% of the values before fasting. Mammary O(2) uptake was only 45 +/- 5% of the mean value in fed animals and there were marked falls in the uptakes of glucose, acetate and triglycerides, a smaller fall in beta-hydroxybutyrate uptake, and a large increase in free fatty acid uptake.3. Glucose was found to enter the circulation of the fasting animal at 1-1.6 mg/min/kg body wt. (entry rate) and it gave rise to 3-5% of the total CO(2). The udder took up 10.7-16.1 mg/min/kg of tissue and 8-10% of mammary CO(2) was derived from glucose, although only 5-10% was oxidized. Mammary uptake accounted for 35-43% of the total glucose entering the circulation.4. In the whole animal acetate entry rate was 1-1.4 mg/min/kg and 9-10% of total CO(2) was derived from it. The udder used 0.8-2.4 mg/min/kg of tissue and 9-13% of mammary CO(2) was derived from acetate, 46-79% of that taken up being oxidized. Mammary uptake accounted for only 2-6% of the total acetate entry rate. Negligible quantities of isotope were found in milk fatty acids and there was a fall in the proportion of milk fatty acids of chain length up to C(14) which in fed animals are synthesized from acetate and beta-hydroxybutyrate.5. Palmitate, stearate and oleate entered the circulation as free fatty acids at 0.94-6.8 mg/min/kg and 6-9% of total CO(2) was derived from each. The udder took up 3.0-5.7 mg/min/kg of tissue and 4-8% of mammary CO(2) was derived from each acid. In the udder 8 and 5.5% of stearate and oleate were oxidized and 25% of palmitate. Mammary uptake of stearate was 31.5% of the total entry rate, palmitate 1%, and oleate 7.5%. Only long chain milk fatty acids were labelled.6. During fasting the mammary R.Q. was 0.85 +/- 0.045 compared with a value in fed animals of 1.24 +/- 0.02, when the udder is synthesizing fatty acids from acetate. The total mammary uptake of lipid precursors was only 74% of the rate of milk fat secretion and there was an 18% shrinkage in empty udder volume, suggesting the use of endogenous mammary tissue substrates.

Acetates↗

The oxidation and utilization of palmitate, stearate, oleate and acetate by the mammary gland of the fed goat in relation to their overall metabolism, and the role of plasma phospholipids and neutral lipids in milk-fat synthesis.

1. Measurements were made of milk yield, mammary blood flow and arteriovenous differences of each plasma lipid fraction, and their specific radioactivities, during the infusion of [U-(14)C]stearate, [U-(14)C]oleate, [U-(14)C]palmitate and [1-(14)C]acetate into fed lactating goats. 2. Entry rates of fatty acids into the circulation were 4.2mg./min./kg. body wt. for acetate, and 0.18, 0.28 and 0.42mg./min./kg. for stearate, oleate and palmitate respectively. Acetate accounted for 23% of the total carbon dioxide produced by the whole animal, and contributed to the oxidative metabolism of the mammary gland to about the same extent. Corresponding values for each of the long-chain acids were less than 1%. 3. There were no significant arteriovenous differences of phospholipids, sterols or sterol esters, and their fatty acid composition showed no net changes during passage through the mammary gland. 4. There were large arteriovenous differences of plasma triglycerides, and their fatty acid composition showed marked changes across the gland. The proportions of palmitate and stearate fell, and that of oleate increased. 5. Arteriovenous differences of plasma free fatty acids (FFA) were small and variable, but a large fall in the specific radioactivity of each of the long-chain acids examined indicated substantial uptake of plasma FFA, accompanied by roughly equivalent FFA release from mammary tissue. The uptake of FFA was confirmed by the extensive transfer of radioactivity into milk. The FFA of milk were similar in composition and radioactivity to the milk triglyceride fatty acids, and quite unlike plasma FFA. 6. The formation of large amounts of oleic acid (18-21 mg./min.) from stearic acid was demonstrated. 7. During the terminal stages of the [(14)C]acetate infusion, milk triglyceride fatty acids of chain length C(4)-C(14) showed specific radioactivities that were 75-90% of that of blood acetate, and that of palmitate was roughly one-quarter of this value. Oleate and stearate were unlabelled. 8. The results confirmed that milk fatty acids of chain length C(4)-C(14) arise largely from blood acetate, and palmitate is derived partly from acetate and partly from plasma triglyceride, the latter fraction being almost the sole precursor of oleate and stearate.

Journal Article↗

The incorporation of acetate, stearate and D(-)-beta-hydroxybutyrate into milk fat by the isolated perfused mammary gland of the goat.

1. Mammary glands of lactating goats were perfused for 12.5-15hr. with heparinized whole blood and infused with a substrate mixture of glucose, acetate and amino acids (and sometimes chylomicra) containing either [1-(14)C]acetate, d(-)-beta-hydroxy[1-(14)C]butyrate or [U-(14)C]stearate. 2. There was a substantial net uptake of acetate by the glands and transfer of radioactivity into milk fat. Acetate was extensively utilized for the synthesis of milk fatty acids of chain length up to C(14) and to a smaller extent for the synthesis of palmitate. 3. There was a small and variable net uptake of stearate and beta-hydroxybutyrate and negligible oxidation of these substrates. However, tissue uptake was demonstrated by a substantial fall in specific radioactivity across the glands and an extensive transfer of radioactivity into milk fatty acids. 4. With beta-hydroxybutyrate the labelling of milk fat was very similar to that with acetate, but the distribution of radioactivity suggested a cleavage into C(2) fragments of about 40%. 5. Labelled stearate gave rise to highly labelled stearate and oleate in the milk fat. Small amounts of radioactivity were detected in stearate of plasma triglycerides and oleate of plasma free fatty acids. 6. In experiments where there was a decline in milk-fat secretion late in perfusion, the milk fatty acids showed a marked decline in the proportion of stearate and oleate and a rise in the proportion of myristate and palmitate. This did not occur in experiments where milk-fat secretion was maintained at a higher level. 7. The present results confirm that there is a large pool of long-chain fatty acids in mammary tissue that can act as an endogenous source of these substrates.

Acetates↗

The effect of very frequent milking and of oxytocin on the yield and composition of milk in fed and fasted goats.

1. The effect of milking goats 1-4 times an hour for 3-12 hr on the yield and composition of milk has been studied in fed and fasted animals at all stages of lactation.2. It was essential to inject oxytocin (50-400 m-u. I.V.) just before each milking to remove all the milk already in the udder and then the yield was similar to that obtained on twice daily milking (105 +/- 2.1 S.E.%). There were no significant differences between goats or between the two glands of one goat, even if one had been denervated by autotransplantation. However, the variation from hour to hour was 1.5 times greater than from day to day.3. The claim of Zaks (1964) and Zaks, Natochin, Sokolova, Tanasichuk & Tverskoy (1965) that milking every 15 min always produces a large rise in milk Na and a fall in K and lactose, which is characteristic of alveolar milk, is not substantiated. In high yielding goats milking gently by hand or with a cannula caused a small change in K only, but vigorous hand milking exacerbated this fall and also caused a fall in lactose and a rise in Na and Cl. Still larger changes were produced by using excessively large doses of oxytocin (2500 m-u.) when there was also a rise in citrate and total nitrogen. Hourly milking in goats fasted for 24 hr had the same effect.4. In fasted goats the milk yield fell to 90% within 8 hr and to 56 +/- 2.1% of the previous level by 24 hr. It remained at this level for a further 10-12 hr on twice daily or on hourly milking. The yields of autotransplanted glands usually fell slightly but significantly more than that of the glands in situ. In most goats mammary blood flow was halved but in all animals there were large falls in mammary uptake of glucose, acetate and amino acids and greatly increased uptake of free fatty acids. There were significant differences between fasted goats on hourly milking.5. It is concluded that, in spite of changes in milk composition, milking hourly can be a useful technique for studying milk secretion. The striking effects of a short fast in a lactating animal are emphasized.

Animals↗

The effect of infusions of glucose, acetate and amino acids on hourly milk yield in fed, fasted and insulin-treated goats.

1. Experiments have been carried out in lactating goats milked hourly to assess the value of this technique in studies of milk secretion.2. On refeeding 24 hr-fasted goats there was an increase in arterial concentration and mammary uptake of volatile fatty acids within an hour, but little increase in hourly milk and lactose yield until the mammary uptake of glucose had also increased (after 2-3 hr).3. Intravascular infusions of acetate had no effect on milk secretion in 24 hr-fasted goats but glucose infusions increased milk yield by 62 +/- 5% and lactose yield by 87 +/- 12% within 3 hr, with no effect on fat secretion. The addition of acetate or acetate plus amino acids had no more effect than glucose alone.4. The yield of milk and lactose could be reduced within an hour by insulin (2 u./kg I.V.) and this was prevented or reversed by injecting glucose. In one goat, where in spite of a fall in blood sugar, mammary arteriovenous difference and blood flow did not fall, there was little or no fall in milk yield.5. In fasted or insulin treated goats an increase in milk and lactose secretion could be obtained within an hour by infusing glucose into the artery of one gland autotransplanted to the neck, which responded before the control gland in situ, thus showing that the effect of glucose is directly on the mammary tissue.6. In two normally fed goats with a low blood sugar, glucose infusions increased the milk or lactose yield by 30% within 3 hr.7. It is concluded that frequent milking, using minimal doses of oxytocin, is a valid method of studying factors controlling milk secretion and that, in the lactating goat, the availability of glucose to the mammary gland can be a limiting factor for maximum milk secretion.

Acetates↗

A quantitative assessment of the contribution of individual plasma amino acids to the synthesis of milk proteins by the goat mammary gland.

1. Arteriovenous differences of plasma free amino acids across the lactating mammary glands of six goats have been measured. 2. In four experiments, measurements of blood flow, amino acid arteriovenous differences, milk yield and milk nitrogen showed that the uptake of nitrogen in the form of amino acids was sufficient to provide all the nitrogen of the milk proteins synthesized in the mammary gland. 3. In the same four experiments the uptake from the plasma and output into the milk of individual amino acids per unit time were compared. The uptakes of essential amino acids and glutamic acid were approximately equal to the corresponding output figures. The uptake of serine was consistently less than the output, and the uptake of other non-essential amino acids was very variable, in some experiments being approximately equal to the output figures and in others being considerably less. 4. As in cows, there was an uptake of ornithine in all experiments, though ornithine is absent from milk. In goats, though not in cows, the uptake of arginine was consistently greatly in excess of the requirement for arginine residues in milk protein. 5. The possible significance of the uptakes of arginine and ornithine for the synthesis of serine and other non-essential amino acids in the mammary gland is discussed. 6. The importance of clamping the external pudic vein, when sampling mammary venous blood from the caudal superficial epigastric vein, is indicated.

Amino Acids↗