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Journal article

Acute hypercortisolemia exerts depot-specific effects on abdominal and femoral adipose tissue function.

Abstract:

Context

Glucocorticoids have pleiotropic metabolic functions and acute glucocorticoid excess affects fatty acid metabolism, increasing systemic lipolysis. Whether glucocorticoids exert adipose tissue depot-specific effects remains unclear.

Objective

In vivo assessment of femoral and abdominal adipose tissue responses to acute glucocorticoid administration.

Design and outcome measures

Nine healthy male volunteers studied on two occasions, following a hydrocortisone infusion (0.2 mg.kg-1.min-1 for 14 hours) and saline, respectively, given in randomized double-blind order. Subjects were studied in the fasting state and following a 75g glucose drink with in vivo assessment of femoral adipose tissue blood flow (ATBF) using radioactive Xenon washout, and lipolysis and glucose uptake using the arterio-venous difference technique. In a separate study (same infusion design), 8 further healthy male subjects underwent assessment of fasting abdominal ATBF and lipolysis only. Lipolysis was assessed as the net release of non-esterified fatty acids (NEFA) from femoral and abdominal subcutaneous adipose tissue.

Results

Acute hypercortisolemia significantly increased basal and postprandial ATBF in femoral adipose tissue, but femoral net NEFA release did not change. In abdominal adipose tissue, hypercortisolemia induced significant increases in basal ATBF and NEFA release.

Conclusions

Acute hypercortisolemia induces differential lipolysis and ATBF responses in abdominal and femoral adipose tissue, suggesting depot-specific glucocorticoid effects. Abdominal, but not femoral, adipose tissue contributes to the hypercortisolemia-induced systemic NEFA increase, with likely contributions from other adipose tissue sources and intravascular triglyceride hydrolysis.

Publication status:
Published
Peer review status:
Peer reviewed

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Publisher copy:
10.1210/jc.2016-3600

Authors


More by this author
Institution:
University of Oxford
Oxford college:
Keble College
Role:
Author


Publisher:
Oxford University Press
Journal:
Journal of Clinical Endocrinology & Metabolism More from this journal
Volume:
102
Issue:
4
Pages:
1091-1101
Publication date:
2017-02-01
Acceptance date:
2017-02-13
DOI:
EISSN:
1945-7197
ISSN:
0021-972X


Language:
English
Keywords:
Pubs id:
pubs:687035
UUID:
uuid:e5fe0111-4c8e-4518-acaf-9cf2ca13f6e5
Local pid:
pubs:687035
Source identifiers:
687035
Deposit date:
2017-03-31

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