The limiting step of fat synthesis is fatty acid synthesis, in which the lipogenic enzymes (acetylCoA carboxylase, fatty acid synthase, ATP-citrate lyase, malic enzyme and glucose-6-phosphate dehydrogenase) are involved. The recent advances made in the study of regulation of lipogenic enzyme gene expression in rat liver are summarized here, with reference to our results. Aspects covered by this review are : 1) time courses of changes in the gene expression after feeding a high-carbohydrate diet; 2) effects of diet quantity on gene expression; 3) effects of dietary nutrients on gene expression; 4) effects of insulin, triiodothyronine and fructose on gene expression.
