A comparison of fatty acid metabolism in obese (OB/OB) and lean mice

Previous studies have shown that among the causes of metabolic obesity, increased efficiency of energy utilization may be a factor. The combination of beta oxidation and extramitochondrial fatty acid synthesis as an energy wasteful system was examined. To investigate the concept that lean mice used this system more than obese mice, male and female, lean and obese (ob/ob) mice were fed one of three different diets--a standard chow diet, a saturated fat diet (10% hydrogenated coconut oil and 2% vegetable oil), and an unsaturated fat diet (12% cod liver oil). Whole body fats were extracted and methyl esters from the mice and the diets were quantitated by gas liquid chromatography. The results demonstrated that obese mice compared to lean mice did not store more of the fatty acids preferentially unchanged from the diet than did the lean. Therefore, it is unlikely that this energy wasteful system has a role in metabolic obesity.