The effect of a glucose load on plasma fatty acids and lipolysis in adipose tissue of obese diabetic and non-diabetic patients

Abstract

The release of fatty acids and glycerol from adipose tissue of obese diabetics and obese controls has been studied in relation to the fall in plasma fatty acids during a glucose tolerance test. Adipose tissue was taken at zero-time and lh after an oral glucose load (50g). Obese diabetics released more fatty acids from adipose tissue than obese controls (p < 0.001), whereas glycerol release was similar in the two groups. The percent reduction in release of fatty acids from adipose tissue of obese diabetics during a G. T. T. was significantly less than obese controls (p < 0.02), as was the percent fall in plasma fatty acids (p < 0.02), whereas the percent reduction in glycerol release from adipose tissue was similar in the two groups. In addition the percent fall in plasma fatty acids during a G.T.T. correlated with the percent reduction in release of fatty acids from adipose tissue (p<0.05), but not with release of glycerol; and the increment in plasma insulin from zero-time to lh during a G.T.T. correlated with the percent reduction in fatty acid release from adipose tissue (p<0.01). Finally, the plasma insulin at lh of a G.T.T. correlated inversely with the release of fatty acids from adipose tissue (p<0.05), but not with the release of glycerol. The data is consistent with the view that the plasma fatty acids fall during a G.T.T. due to re-esterification of fatty acids rather than due to an antilipolytic action of insulin.