Uncoupling protein-3 gene expression in skeletal muscle during developmentis regulated by nutritional factors that alter circulating non-esterified fatty acids

Uncoupling protein-3 gene expression in skeletal muscle is up-regulated dur ing postnatal development of mice. A high-carbohydrate diet at weaning indu ces a decrease in uncoupling protein-3 mRNA levels that does not occur when mice were weaned onto a high-fat diet. Uncoupling protein-3 mRNA levels do not increase in response to fasting in young pups, Only after day 15 of li fe, when fasting increases serum nonesterified fatty acids, uncoupling prot ein-3 mRNA is upregulated by starvation, Over-nutrition or under-nutrition during lactation increases or decreases, respectively, uncoupling protein-3 mRNA expression in skeletal muscle, Regulation of uncoupling protein-3 gen e expression in skeletal muscle during development is mediated by ontogenic and nutritional factors determining changes in circulating non-esterified fatty acids, (C) 1999 Federation of European Biochemical Societies.