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. KVASNIČKOVÁ², V. HÁNA¹,
J. MAREK¹, M. HALUZÍK¹, E.W. LAI³, K. PACÁK<sup>3

1</sup>Third 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