Congratulations to Erwei Li and Yangmian Yuan—their study showing that oxytocin-mediated lipolysis in white adipocytes is required for normal milk fat production is out in Cell Metabolism (https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/41997158/). Working with collaborators Brigid Gregg and Dave Bridges at the University of Michigan, Erwei and Yangmian found that female mice lacking OXT receptors in adipocytes gave birth to pups with reduced weight gain, and that their milk was deficient in triglycerides. A single-cell analysis of lactating mammary glands without OXT receptors revealed profound changes in metabolic programming of mammary epithelial cells, marked by reduced mTOR signaling, increased autophagy, and reduced lipid synthesis.
