Horm Metab Res 2002; 34(10): 601-603
DOI: 10.1055/s-2002-35423
Short Communication
© Georg Thieme Verlag Stuttgart · New York

Human Serum Adiponectin Levels are not Under Short-Term Negative Control by Free Fatty Acids in Vivo

H.  Staiger1 , O.  Tschritter1 , C.  Kausch1 , R.  Lammers1 , M.  Stumvoll1 , H.-U.  Häring1
  • 1Department of Endocrinology, Metabolism, and Pathobiochemistry, Medical Clinic, Eberhard-Karls-University, Tübingen, Germany
Further Information

Publication History

Received: 17 April 2002

Accepted after revision: 15 July 2002

Publication Date:
19 November 2002 (online)

Introduction

Plasma levels of free fatty acids (FFAs) are elevated when adipose tissue expands and adipocytes become refractory to inhibition of lipolysis by insulin. FFAs have been known for years to have multiple effects on peripheral tissues such as glucose uptake and glycogen synthesis inhibition in skeletal muscle, hepatic gluconeogenesis stimulation, and insulin clearance impairment, altogether favoring whole body insulin resistance, hyperinsulinemia, hyperglycemia, and finally type 2 diabetes mellitus. Besides these metabolic effects, FFAs seem to be able to regulate adipocytokine gene expression. FFAs were shown to repress the expression of the recently discovered adipocyte hormone resistin in an insulin-resistant rat model [1]. In in vitro differentiated adipocytes, FFAs also downregulated the expression of leptin, the most important central regulator of energy expenditure and food intake known to date [2]. This effect of FFAs on gene expression might be mediated by direct activation of specific fatty acid-regulated transcription factors (for review, see [3]).

Another very interesting secreted adipocyte product is adiponectin. Plasma concentrations of this protein were found to correlate inversely with obesity, insulin resistance, hyperinsulinemia, and coronary heart disease [4] [5]. Moreover, adiponectin has been reported to decrease plasma glucose levels in diabetic mice by enhancement of the suppressive action of insulin on hepatic gluconeogenesis [6]. Stimulation of skeletal muscle fatty acid oxidation might also contribute to this adiponectin-mediated increase in insulin sensitivity [7]. Among the hormones known to play a role in insulin resistance, insulin, tumor necrosis factor-α, and glucocorticoids have been reported to modulate adipocyte expression of adiponectin [8] [9]. The impact of FFAs on adiponectin expression and adiponectin levels in serum has not as yet been studied in humans.

To investigate whether FFAs reduce serum adiponectin levels in humans, we screened subjects with artificially provoked high and low serum levels of FFAs.

References

  • 1 Juan C C, Au L C, Fang V S, Kang S F, Ko Y H, Kuo S F, Hsu Y P, Kwok C F, Ho L T. .  Biochem Biophys Res Commun. 2001;  289 1328-1333
  • 2 Shintani M, Nishimura H, Yonemitsu S, Masuzaki H, Ogawa Y, Hosoda K, Inoue G, Yoshimasa Y, Nakao K. .  Metabolism. 2000;  49 326-330
  • 3 Jump D B, Clarke S D. .  Annu Rev Nutr. 1999;  19 63-90
  • 4 Hotta K, Funahashi T, Arita Y, Takahashi M, Matsuda M, Okamoto Y, Iwahashi H, Kuriyama H, Ouchi N, Maeda K, Nishida M, Kihara S, Sakai N, Nakajima T, Hasegawa K, Muraguchi M, Ohmoto Y, Nakamura T, Yamashita S, Hanafusa T, Matsuzawa Y. .  Arterioscler Thromb Vasc Biol. 2000;  20 1595-1599
  • 5 Weyer C, Funahashi T, Tanaka S, Hotta K, Matsuzawa Y, Pratley R E, Tataranni P A. .  J Clin Endocrinol Metab. 2001;  86 1930-1935
  • 6 Berg A H, Combs T P, Du X, Brownlee M, Scherer P E. .  Nat Med. 2001;  7 947-952
  • 7 Fruebis J, Tsao T S, Javorschi S, Ebbets-Reed D, Erickson M RS, Yen F T, Bihain B E, Lodish H F. .  Proc Natl Acad Sci USA. 2001;  98 2005-2010
  • 8 Kappes A, Löffler G. .  Horm Metab Res. 2000;  32 548-554
  • 9 Halleux C M, Takahashi M, Delporte M L, Detry R, Funahashi T, Matsuzawa Y, Brichard S M. .  Biochem Biophys Res Commun. 2001;  288 1102-1107
  • 10 Stumvoll M, Fritsche A, Tschritter O, Lehmann R, Wahl H G, Renn W, Häring H. .  Metabolism. 2000;  49 335-339
  • 11 Okamoto Y, Arita Y, Nishida M, Muraguchi M, Ouchi N, Takahashi M, Igura T, Inui Y, Kihara S, Nakamura T, Yamashita S, Miyagawa J, Funahashi T, Matsuzawa Y. .  Horm Metab Res. 2000;  32 47-50

Prof. Dr. med. H.-U. Häring

Department of Internal Medicine IV, Medical Clinic Tübingen ·

Otfried-Müller-Str. 10 · 72076 Tübingen · Germany ·

Phone: + 49 (7071) 2982735

Fax: + 49 (7071) 292784 ·

Email: hans-ulrich.haering@med.uni-tuebingen.de