Ketone body utilization for lipid synthesis in the murine sciatic nerve: alterations in the dysmyelinating trembler mutant.

This work demonstrates that in vitro sciatic nerves of normal and trembler adult mice can use ketone bodies (beta-hydroxybutyrate and acetoacetate) and butyrate for lipid synthesis. In normal sciatic nerves, beta-hydroxybutyrate is incorporated in total lipids to a larger extent than acetoacetate (141% and 33%, respectively, of acetate incorporation), whereas for trembler sciatic nerves, these percentages are only 69% and 27%. Incorporation of ketone bodies is greater into sterols than into other lipids. Lipid metabolism of ketone bodies in trembler nerves is altered and could reflect a process similar to Wallerian degeneration: a dramatic decrease of sterol and free fatty acid synthesis and an increased synthesis of triglycerides. Moreover, differences seen in precursor incorporation into lipids between normal and trembler sciatic nerves suggest that their lipid metabolism is not the same.