Utlization of D-3-hydroxy[3-14C]butyrate for lipogenesis in vivo in lactating rat mammary gland.

Incorporation of D-3-hydroxy[3-14C]butyrate into lipid in vivo suggests that lactating mammary gland is a major site of ketone-body utilization. The incorporation decreases in short-term insulin deficiency (2h) and on starvation (24h), but increases again on refeeding (2h). The activity of cytosolic acetoacetyl-CoA synthetase parallels the changes in nutritional state, but is not affected by short-term insulin deficiency.