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A unique defect in the regulation of visceral fat cell lipolysis in the polycystic ovary syndrome as an early link to insulin resistance

Ek, I ; Arner, P ; Ryden, M ; Holm, Cecilia LU ; Thorne, A ; Hoffstedt, J and Wahrenberg, H (2002) In Diabetes 51(2). p.484-492
Abstract
The etiology of polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS) is unknown. However, PCOS has a strong resemblance to the insulin resistance (metabolic) syndrome, where an increased rate of visceral fat cell lipolysis is believed to play a pathophysiological role. We hypothesized that primary defects in visceral lipolysis might also exist in PCOS. Ten young, nonobese, and otherwise healthy PCOS women were compared with 13 matched control women. In vitro lipolysis regulation and stoichiometric properties of the final step in lipolysis activation, namely the protein kinase A (PKA)-hormone sensitive lipase (HSL) complex, were investigated in isolated visceral (i.e., omental) fat cells. Body fat distribution and circulating levels of insulin, glucose, and... (More)
The etiology of polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS) is unknown. However, PCOS has a strong resemblance to the insulin resistance (metabolic) syndrome, where an increased rate of visceral fat cell lipolysis is believed to play a pathophysiological role. We hypothesized that primary defects in visceral lipolysis might also exist in PCOS. Ten young, nonobese, and otherwise healthy PCOS women were compared with 13 matched control women. In vitro lipolysis regulation and stoichiometric properties of the final step in lipolysis activation, namely the protein kinase A (PKA)-hormone sensitive lipase (HSL) complex, were investigated in isolated visceral (i.e., omental) fat cells. Body fat distribution and circulating levels of insulin, glucose, and lipids were normal in PCOS women. However, in vivo insulin sensitivity was slightly decreased (P = 0.03). Catecholamine-induced adipocyte lipolysis was markedly (i.e., about twofold) increased in PCOS women due to changes at the postreceptor level, although there was no change in the antilipolytic properties of visceral fat cells. Western blot analyses of visceral adipose tissue showed twofold increased levels of the catalytic and the regulatory la components of PKA. In contrast, the regulatory RIIbeta component of PKA was almost 50% decreased in visceral adipose tissue in PCOS women. Recent studies on genetically modified mice have shown that a similar transition in the regulatory PKA units induces an increased lipolytic response to catecholamines. Further analysis showed that the level of HSL-short, an enzymatically inactive splice form of HSL, was decreased in PCOS (P < 0.01). The altered lipolysis in PCOS is different from that observed in visceral fat cells in the insulin resistance syndrome that occurs at the level of adrenergic receptors. We concluded that increased catecholamine-induced lipolysis in visceral fat cells may be due to unique alterations in the stoichiometric properties of the adipose PKA-HSL holoenzymes. This could be an early and possibly primary lipolysis defect in PCOS. (Less)
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author
; ; ; ; ; and
organization
publishing date
type
Contribution to journal
publication status
published
subject
in
Diabetes
volume
51
issue
2
pages
484 - 492
publisher
American Diabetes Association Inc.
external identifiers
  • pmid:11812759
  • wos:000173548500029
  • scopus:0036063941
ISSN
1939-327X
DOI
10.2337/diabetes.51.2.484
language
English
LU publication?
yes
id
0aeaf35d-c12b-43b4-bed1-3a7b1cedabcc (old id 344191)
date added to LUP
2016-04-01 16:21:17
date last changed
2022-03-07 05:22:09
@article{0aeaf35d-c12b-43b4-bed1-3a7b1cedabcc,
  abstract     = {{The etiology of polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS) is unknown. However, PCOS has a strong resemblance to the insulin resistance (metabolic) syndrome, where an increased rate of visceral fat cell lipolysis is believed to play a pathophysiological role. We hypothesized that primary defects in visceral lipolysis might also exist in PCOS. Ten young, nonobese, and otherwise healthy PCOS women were compared with 13 matched control women. In vitro lipolysis regulation and stoichiometric properties of the final step in lipolysis activation, namely the protein kinase A (PKA)-hormone sensitive lipase (HSL) complex, were investigated in isolated visceral (i.e., omental) fat cells. Body fat distribution and circulating levels of insulin, glucose, and lipids were normal in PCOS women. However, in vivo insulin sensitivity was slightly decreased (P = 0.03). Catecholamine-induced adipocyte lipolysis was markedly (i.e., about twofold) increased in PCOS women due to changes at the postreceptor level, although there was no change in the antilipolytic properties of visceral fat cells. Western blot analyses of visceral adipose tissue showed twofold increased levels of the catalytic and the regulatory la components of PKA. In contrast, the regulatory RIIbeta component of PKA was almost 50% decreased in visceral adipose tissue in PCOS women. Recent studies on genetically modified mice have shown that a similar transition in the regulatory PKA units induces an increased lipolytic response to catecholamines. Further analysis showed that the level of HSL-short, an enzymatically inactive splice form of HSL, was decreased in PCOS (P &lt; 0.01). The altered lipolysis in PCOS is different from that observed in visceral fat cells in the insulin resistance syndrome that occurs at the level of adrenergic receptors. We concluded that increased catecholamine-induced lipolysis in visceral fat cells may be due to unique alterations in the stoichiometric properties of the adipose PKA-HSL holoenzymes. This could be an early and possibly primary lipolysis defect in PCOS.}},
  author       = {{Ek, I and Arner, P and Ryden, M and Holm, Cecilia and Thorne, A and Hoffstedt, J and Wahrenberg, H}},
  issn         = {{1939-327X}},
  language     = {{eng}},
  number       = {{2}},
  pages        = {{484--492}},
  publisher    = {{American Diabetes Association Inc.}},
  series       = {{Diabetes}},
  title        = {{A unique defect in the regulation of visceral fat cell lipolysis in the polycystic ovary syndrome as an early link to insulin resistance}},
  url          = {{http://dx.doi.org/10.2337/diabetes.51.2.484}},
  doi          = {{10.2337/diabetes.51.2.484}},
  volume       = {{51}},
  year         = {{2002}},
}