Increased Lipolysis of
Subcutaneous Abdominal Adipose Tissue and Altered Noradrenergic
Activity in Patients with Cushing‘s Syndrome: An In-vivo
Microdialysis Study
M. KRŠEK1, M. ROSICKÁ1, J.
NEDVÍDKOVÁ2, H. KVASNIÈKOVÁ2, V. HÁNA1,
J. MAREK1, M. HALUZÍK1, E.W. LAI3,
K. PACÁK3
1Third Department of Medicine, First Faculty of
Medicine, Charles University, 2Institute of
Endocrinology, Prague, Czech Republic and 3Reproductive
Biology and Medicine Branch, National Institute of Child Health
and Human Development, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda,
Maryland, USA
Received July 20, 2005
Accepted September 23, 2005
On-line available October 12, 2005
Summary
Cushing’s syndrome is associated with typical central
redistribution of adipose tissue. The aim of the study was to
assess lipolysis and catecholamines and their metabolites in
subcutaneous abdominal adipose tissue using an in-vivo
microdialysis technique. Nine patients with Cushing’s syndrome
and nine age-, gender- and body mass index (BMI)-matched control
subjects were included in the study. Local glycerol
concentrations were significantly increased in subcutaneous
adipose tissue of patients with Cushing’s syndrome (p<0.001).
Plasma noradrenaline, dihydroxyphenylglycol and
dihydroxyphenylalanine were decreased in patients with Cushing’s
syndrome (p<0.02,
p<0.05,
and p<0.02,
respectively). Adrenaline, noradrenaline, dihydroxyphenylglycol
and dihydroxyphenylalanine concentrations in subcutaneous
abdominal adipose were non-significantly higher in patients with
Cushing’s syndrome. In conclusion, we showed that lipolysis in
subcutaneous adipose tissue of patients with Cushing’s syndrome
is significantly increased as compared to healthy subjects. This
finding together with non-significantly increased local
catecholamine concentrations in these patients suggests a
possible link between increased lipolysis and catecholaminergic
activity in subcutaneous adipose tissue.
Key words
Cortisol • Catecholamines • Noradrenaline • Glycerol • Fat
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