Increased Plasma Free Fatty Acid Research Articles

Hepatic control of feeding: effect of glucose, fructose, and mannitol infusion.

Plasma fuels, pancreatic hormones, liver glycogen, and food and water intake were measured immediately before or during the nocturnal feeding period of rats given hepatic portal or jugular infusions of glucose, fructose, and mannitol (0.3 M x 10 ml/2 h). Compared with mock and saline control infusions, hepatic portal glucose, fructose, and mannitol reliably and equally decreased food intake. Jugular fructose and mannitol also decreased food intake when infused before rats ate but not while they ate. Jugular glucose infusion did not affect food intake. Hepatic portal glucose did not reliably elevate systemic plasma glucose or insulin but increased hepatic glycogen content, indicating that most infused glucose was taken up by the liver. In contrast, jugular glucose increased systemic plasma glucose and insulin but did not affect hepatic glycogen. Hepatic portal fructose decreased plasma ketones and increased triglycerides and liver glycogen. Jugular fructose also decreased ketone levels and tended to increase liver glycogen. Mannitol by either route decreased plasma glucose and increased plasma free fatty acids. These results indicate that hepatic portal infusions that produce changes in plasma fuel concentrations within the physiological range decrease food intake. They strongly suggest this is accomplished by a direct action of the infusates on the metabolism of the liver.

Effect of Added Dietary Fat and Bovine Somatotropin on the Performance and Metabolism of Lactating Dairy Cows

Four early lactation Holstein cows (44 to 105 d postpartum) were used in a 4×4 Latin square experiment in a 2×2 factorial arrangement of treatments to study effects of added dietary fat and/or bovine somatotropin on performance and metabolism. Treatments were: 1) control diet plus placebo injection; 2) 5% added dietary fat (hydrolyzed blend of animal and vegetable fat) + placebo injection; 3) control diet + 50 IU bovine somatotropin/d; and 4) 5% added dietary fat + 50 IU bovine somatotropin/d. Dietary fat reduced dry matter intake (21.6 vs. 22.7 kg/d) and elevated plasma triglycerides (34.7 vs. 29.2 mg/100ml). Injection of somatotropin lowered blood urea nitrogen, increased plasma free fatty acids, and increased plasma somatotropin. Milk production, milk fat percent, and 4% FCM production were increased by the injection of somatotropin. Milk protein percent was decreased (3.30 vs. 3.44%) with added fat and tended to be lower with somatotropin. The percentage of short-chain fatty acids (C6 to C14) in milk fat decreased with added fat while the percentage of stearic and oleic acids in milk fat increased. Production responses for fat plus somatotropin and somatotropin treatments were similar. Under the conditions of this study, the addition of dietary fat with injection of somatotropin had little effect on production parameters compared with that found with somatotropin alone.

Flight effects on plasma levels of free fatty acids, growth hormone and thyroid hormones in homing pigeons.

Significant increases in circulating levels of free fatty acids (FFA) and growth hormone (GH), were observed in homing pigeons after a flight of 48 km, lasting 60-80 min. No significant change in plasma levels of thyroxine (T4) and triiodothyronine (T3) was observed. Nor was there any change in T3/T4 ratio. The increase in plasma FFA is attributed to the increased release into circulation of at least one adipokinetic hormone, GH. It may be concluded that in free sustained homing flight under normal weather conditions and within the specific distance and duration, metabolic fuel and hormonal homeostasis is maintained.

Clenbuterol stimulated increase of plasma free fatty acids in reserpinized pigs

1. 1. Previous studies indicate the β-adrenergic agonist, clenbuterol, does not stimulate porcine adipose tissue lipolysis or cAMP concentration in vitro but increases plasma free fatty acid concentrations when infused, implying an indirect mechanism in vivo. 2. 2. One indirect mechanism is the release of endogenous catecholamines to increase adipose tissue lipolysis and raise plasma free fatty acids. 3. 3. In pigs treated with reserpine to deplete endogenous catecholamines, clenbuterol infusion increased plasma free fatty acids concentration suggesting that this increase in vivo did not result from release of endogenous catecholamines.

Additive hypoglycemic effects of drugs that modify free-fatty acid metabolism by different mechanisms in rats with streptozocin-induced diabetes.

In this study the effect of two drugs [etomoxir and nicotinic acid (NA)] on plasma glucose, free-fatty acid (FFA), and triglyceride (TG) concentrations was determined in rats with streptozocin (STZ)-induced diabetes. The two compounds modify FFA metabolism by different mechanisms, etomoxir (ethyl-2-[6-(4-cholorophenoxyl)-hexyl]oxirane-2-carboxylate) by inhibiting hepatic fatty acid oxidation, and NA by inhibiting lipolysis in adipose tissue. Diabetes was induced in male Sprague-Dawley rats, weighing approximately 400 g, by STZ injection (30 mg/kg i.v.), and the metabolic effects of the two drugs were studied 7-10 days later. The acute administration of either etomoxir or NA lowered plasma glucose concentrations in diabetic rats by approximately 150 mg/dl (P less than .001) in 4 h. However, the two drugs differed dramatically in their effects on plasma FFA and TG concentrations. Specifically, etomoxir produced striking increases in plasma FFA and TG concentrations, whereas NA administration caused a marked decrease. However, when NA was given in conjunction with etomoxir, NA prevented the increase in plasma FFA and TG concentration seen with etomoxir; the combination of NA and etomoxir approximately doubled the decrease in plasma glucose concentration produced by NA or etomoxir when given alone. Because plasma insulin concentrations did not change in response to either drug, whether administered singly or in combination, these metabolic effects do not result from a change in insulin secretion. These results suggest that modulation of FFA metabolism at the level of the adipocyte or the liver can have dramatic effects on carbohydrate and lipid metabolism.

Increased plasma free fatty acid and triglyceride levels after single administration of toluene in rabbits.

Changes of plasma lipids (triglyceride, TG: total cholesterol, Cho; and phospholipids, PL), free fatty acid (FFA), and blood glucose (BG) were studied in male rabbits after toluene administration (0.5 g/kg per os). Hypertriglyceridemia was observed at and after 2 h. Plasma FFA and BG were elevated temporarily during the early stage and lowered gradually thereafter. Initially, plasma Cho and PL were virtually unchanged, but the Cho level increased slowly after 6 h. The hypertriglyceridemia observed may have some adverse effects on heart function.

Lipid effects of smoking

Cigarette smoking is believed to cause harmful cardiovascular and atherogenic effects resulting from changes in lipid metabolism. Intravenous nicotine and smoking raise plasma free fatty acid (FFA) levels through enhanced lipolysis resulting from sympathoadrenal stimulation. The study reported here investigated FFA-stimulated myocardial oxygen consumption (Mvo 2) in intact dogs. It was found that about half of the nicotine-induced rise in Mvo 2 resulted from metabolic stimulation by high concentration of FFA, and the remander was a result of enhanced mechanical activity of the heart directly produced by nicotine. In intact dogs, the increase in myocardial oxygen requirement resulting from excess myocardial FFA uptake also increased the severity of myocardial ischemic injury after acute coronary occlusion. Human studies with men who had smoked for more than 10 years showed that smokers had lower plasma high-density lipoprotein cholesterol fractions 2 and 3. High-density lipoprotein fraction 2 is reported to be antiatherogenic. Thus smoking appears to have at least two lipid effects that may promote coronary heart disease and atherosclerosis: increased plasma FFA and decreased plasma high-density lipoprotein cholesterol fraction.

Total parenteral nutrition with intralipid in premature infants receiving TPN with heparin: effect on plasma lipolytic enzymes, lipids, and glucose.

Plasma lipolytic activity (lipoprotein lipase and hepatic lipase), free fatty acids (FFA), triglycerides, cholesterol, and glucose levels were measured in 21 premature infants [gestational age 26-37 weeks (mean +/- SEM 30.4 +/- 0.63 weeks), aged 1-8 days (mean +/- SEM 3.00 +/- 0.35 days)]. All infants were maintained on total parenteral nutrition with heparin (1 U/ml) and were given Intralipid, 1, 2, and 3 g/kg/day, over 15 h on days 1, 2, and 3, respectively. Blood samples were drawn before and at the end of Intralipid administration. Baseline plasma lipolytic activity, before the start of lipid infusion, was 1.54 +/- 0.24 U/ml (1 U = 1 mumol [3H]oleic acid released from tri[3H]olein/h). Lipolytic activity increased after lipid infusion to 4.04 +/- 0.96, 4.32 +/- 0.63, and 6.09 +/- 1.00 U/ml on days 1, 2, and 3 of the study. Hepatic lipase amounted to 38-47% of total lipolytic activity. During the 3 days of lipid infusion, there were dose-dependent increases in plasma FFA, triglyceride, and cholesterol. Whereas FFA and triglyceride concentrations returned to prelipid infusion levels 9 h after stopping the infusion of Intralipid, 1, 2, or 3 g/kg, there was a cumulative increase in plasma cholesterol and glucose concentrations. The close correlation between FFA concentrations and plasma lipolytic activity (r = 0.655, p less than 0.001) suggests considerable intravascular lipolysis. The positive correlation between plasma FFA and triglycerides (r = 0.632, p less than 0.001) and FFA and cholesterol (r = 0.582, p less than 0.001) indicate, however, that intravascular lipolysis does not prevent the lipemia associated with Intralipid infusion to low birth weight infants.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)

Total Parenteral Nutrition with Intralipid in Pr Infants Receiving TPN with Heparin

SummaryPlasma lipolytic activity (lipoprotcin lipase and hepatic lipase). free fatty acids (FFA). triglyceridcs. cholesterol, and glucose levels were measured in 21 premature infants [gestational age 26–37 weeks (mean ± SEM 30.4 ± 0.63 weeks), aged 1–8 days (mean ± SEM 3.00 ± 0.35 days)]. All infants were maintained on total parenteral nutrition with heparin (1 U/ml) and were given Intralipid, 1. 2, and 3 g/kg/day. over 15 h on days 1, 2, and 3. respectively. Blood samples were drawn before and at the end of Intralipid administration. Baseline plasma lipolytic activity, before the start of lipid infusion, was 1.54 ± 0.24 U/ml (1 U = I μmol [3H]oleic acid released from tri[3H]olein/h). Lipolytic activity increased after lipid infusion to 4.04 ± 0.96, 4.32 ± 0.63. and 6.09 ± 1.00 U/ml on days 1, 2, and 3 of the study. Hepatic lipase amounted to 38–47% of total lipolytic activity. During the 3 days of lipid infusion, there were dose‐dependent increases in plasma FFA, triglyceride, and cholesterol. Whereas FFA and triglyceride concentrations returned to prelipid infusion levels 9 h after stopping the infusion of Intralipid, 1, 2, or 3 g/kg, there was a cumulative increase in plasma cholesterol and glucose concentrations. The close correlation between FFA concentrations and plasma lipolytic activity (r = 0.655, p < 0.001) suggests considerable in‐travascular lipolysis. The positive correlation between plasma FFA and triglycerides (r = 0.632, p < 0.001) and FFA and cholesterol (r = 0.582. p < 0.001) indicate, however, that intravascular lipolysis does not prevent the lipemia associated with Intralipid infusion to low birth weight infants. This study suggests that the infusion of a mixture of small amounts of heparin and Intralipid leads to detachment of lipoprotcin lipase and hepatic lipase from the capillary endothelium of low birth weight infants. The resulting intravascular lipolysis probably exceeds the FFA disposal capacity of premature infants. The rise in plasma FFA concentration to 2.0 μmol/ml warrants caution in the combined use of Intralipid (at rates exceeding 2 g/kg/day) and low levels of heparin for the clinical management of premature infants maintained on total parenteral nutrition.

Plasma lipolytic activity after subcutaneous administration of heparin and a low molecular weight heparin fragment

The effect of heparin and a low molecular weight heparin fragment (LMWH, mean molecular weight 4000–6000) on plasma anticoagulation and lipolysis was studied in eight healthy men. The activities of antifactor Xa (antiFXa), lipoprotein lipase (LPL), hepatic lipase (HL) and plasma levels of free fatty acids (FFA) were analysed after the injection of 5000 antiFXa units of heparin or LMWH subcutaneously. In comparison with heparin, the administration of LMWH resulted in a significantly higher antiFXa activity (p < 0.001)but a lower release of LPL and HL (p < 0.001), which did not increase plasma FFA. It is concluded that subcutaneous injection of LMWH in men elicits an adequate anticoagulant effect measured as antiFXa activity but has a negligible effect on plasma lipolytic activity.

Acute metabolic effects of adrenergic agents in swine

A pig model in vivo was used to confirm the unique specificity for stimulation of porcine adipose tissue lipolysis by norepinephrine analogues in vitro. Plasma free fatty acid and blood glycerol concentrations were monitored as probable indicators of adipose tissue lipolysis. Plasma glucose and lactate concentrations, blood pressure, and heart rate were monitored also. Norepinephrine analogues were infused intravenously. Several compounds, classified as either beta 1- or beta 2-adrenergic agonists, that stimulated lipolysis in vitro also increased plasma free fatty acid and blood glycerol concentrations in vivo. Tazolol (beta 1) and quinterenol (beta 2) did not stimulate lipolysis in vitro and likewise did not elevate plasma free fatty acid or blood glycerol concentrations in vivo. Clenbuterol and zinterol did not stimulate lipolysis in vitro but elevated plasma free fatty acid concentrations in vivo, implying indirect effects. Isoproterenol stimulation of plasma free fatty acid and blood glycerol concentrations in vivo was antagonized by propranolol, implying the beta-adrenergic nature of the receptors. Infusion of purported beta 1- and beta 2-adrenergic antagonists suggested control of lipolysis in vivo predominantly by beta 1-adrenergic receptors; however, because the results in vitro do not indicate this specificity, differential pharmacodynamics of the antagonists are suggested rather than designation of receptor subtypes. There was no evidence for alpha-adrenergic mediated inhibition of adipose tissue lipolysis in vivo, confirming observations in vitro.

Effects of 24-hour fast on cycling endurance time at two different intensities.

Ten competitive cyclists were exercised to exhaustion to test the potential of a 24-h fast for increasing endurance. One group (n = 4) was tested at an initial intensity of 86% maximum O2 uptake (VO2max) (HI) and a second group (n = 6) at 79% VO2max (MI). Both groups repeated test rides in fasted and normal-diet conditions. Time to fatigue was designated at two points: fatigue 1 occurred when pedal frequency could not be maintained at the initial percent VO2max; fatigue 2 occurred when pedal frequency could not be maintained at a workload of approximately 65% VO2max. In both HI and MI the 24-h fast had no effect on resting muscle glycogen stores but significantly increased plasma free fatty acid (FFA) levels. Despite the increased FFA availability, time to fatigue was reduced in the fasted groups. Fatigue 1 and 2 times (mean +/- SE) for HI-fasted were 42.0 +/- 6.2 and 170.0 +/- 20.4 min, respectively, compared with those of the HI-normal diet of 115.3 +/- 25.6 and 201.0 +/- 14.8 min. Fatigue 1 and 2 times for MI-fasted were 142.0 +/- 19.6 and 167.5 +/- 10.5 min compared with those of the MI-normal diet of 191.3 +/- 25.0 and 214.3 +/- 18.9 min. The cause of fatigue at fatigue 1 was not readily apparent. Fatigue 2 in all groups seemed to be related to hypoglycemia as well as muscle glycogen depletion.

Free fatty acid metabolism and obesity in man: In vivo in vitro comparisons

We have examined the relationship of free fatty acid (FFA) turnover and lipid oxidation rates in vivo to the size of body triglyceride stores and compared these findings with the in vitro lipolytic rates of isolated abdominal fat cells. The studies were performed in 20 Pima Indian women 18 to 35 years of age, both lean and obese. FFA turnover rate was measured using a 1–14C-palmitate infusion, lipid oxidation rate by indirect calorimetry using a ventilated hood, body composition by underwater weighing with correction for residual lung volume, and fat cell lipolytic rates in vitro by published methods. Both FFA turnover and lipid oxidation rates, expressed per kg of body fat, decreased with increasing degree of obesity (as measured by percent body fat) ( r = −0.90, and r = −0.75, P ≤ 0.0001, respectively). In contrast, the rate of lipolysis determined in vitro, expressed per kg of fat, increased with increasing degree of obesity ( r = 0.58, P < 0.01). A ratio of FFA turnover/lipolysis, which directly compares these in vivo and in vitro measurements, decreased significantly with increases in the degree of obesity ( r = −0.81, P ≤ 0.0001). Furthermore, there were no positive correlations between the measures of in vivo FFA metabolism and in vitro lipolysis when both were expressed per fat mass, per fat cell number, or per fat cell surface area. The in vivo data also demonstrated that lipid oxidation could only account for 50% of the FFA disappearance rate. While lipid oxidation rate adjusted to the metabolic size increased with increasing plasma FFA concentration ( r = 0.75, P < 0.0003), the nonoxidative component of the FFA turnover failed to increase with increases in plasma FFA concentration ( P = 0.5). We conclude that FFA is not available in vivo in proportion to the size of the triglyceride stores. The reason for this is not due to an inability of fat cells to release their stored triglyceride as assessed in vitro. Hence, in vitro measurements of fat cell lipolysis cannot be used to directly predict in vivo FFA metabolism. The large nonoxidative FFA disposal is likely to be important in the regulation of plasma FFA concentrations.

Inverse relationship of leucine flux and oxidation to free fatty acid availability in vivo.

To determine the effect of fatty acid availability on leucine metabolism, 14-h fasted dogs were infused with either glycerol or triglyceride plus heparin, and 46-h fasted dogs were infused with either nicotinic acid or nicotinic acid plus triglyceride and heparin. Leucine metabolism was assessed using a simultaneous infusion of L-[4,5-3H]leucine and alpha-[1-14C]ketoisocaproate. Leucine, alpha-ketoisocaproate (KIC), and totalleucine carbon (leucine plus KIC) flux and oxidation rates were calculated at steady state. In 14-h fasted animals, infusion of triglyceride and heparin increased plasma free fatty acids (FFA) by 0.7 mM (P less than 0.01) and decreased leucine (P less than 0.01), total leucine carbon flux (P less than 0.02), and oxidation (P less than 0.05). The estimated rate of leucine utilization not accounted for by oxidation and KIC flux decreased, but the changes were not significant. During glycerol infusion, leucine and KIC flux and oxidation did not change. In 46-h fasted dogs, nicotinic acid decreased FFA by 1.0 mM (P less than 0.01) and increased (P less than 0.05) the rate of leucine and total leucine carbon flux, but did not affect KIC flux. Leucine oxidation increased (P less than 0.01) by nearly threefold, whereas nonoxidized leucine utilization decreased. Infusion of triglyceride plus heparin together with nicotinic acid blunted some of the responses observed with nicotinic acid alone. In that changes in oxidation under steady state condition reflect changes in net leucine balance, these data suggest that FFA availability may positively affect the sparing of at least one essential amino acid and may influence whole body protein metabolism.

Depression of serum calcium by increased plasma free fatty acids in the rat: A mechanism for hypocalcemia in acute pancreatitis

Some patients with hypertriglyceridemia and acute pancreatitis have marked hypocalcemia and high levels of plasma free fatty acids (FFAs). This study tests the hypothesis that increased plasma FFAs can significantly reduce the calcium level in vivo, a phenomenon which is different from local formation of calcium soaps due to lipalysis of adipose tissue lipids. Free fatty acid elevation was induced in rats by the administration of heparin and by the infusion of triglycerides. The results show that, compared with controls, induction of elevated FFA (from 1.57 ± 0.08 mEq/L to 5.64 ± 0.35, mean ± SEM) causes the concentration of calcium to fall rapidly (from 9.04 ± 0.06 mg/dl to 8.42 ± 0.10, p < 0.001). There is a significant (p < 0.001) positive correlation between spontaneous baseline concentration of FFA and the responsiveness of calcium concentration to FFA challenge. At near-normal levels of FFA there is a significant (p < 0.001) correlation between the magnitude of increased FFA concentration and decreased calcium concentration. Additional studies in vivo and in vitro show that elevated plasma triglycerides per se did not interfere with measurement of calcium concentration; however, FFA-albumin complexes bind calcium and lower its measured value. These findings suggest that (a) changes in the concentration of FFA occurring spontaneously may affect measured serum calcium concentration; (b) the observed depression of serum calcium concentration may be due in part to intravascular sequestration of calcium by FFA, but increased flux of circulating calcium-FFA complexes into extravascular and intracellular sites may also be important; (c) the markedly increased FFA concentration in some patients with acute pancreatitis may contribute significantly to hypocalcemia and calcium flux in these patients. As parathyroid hormone secretion, function, or integrity may be impaired in pancreatitis, the depressant effect of FFA could be even greater in that disease than in this model.

Effect of mammalian growth hormone on amino nitrogen mobilization in the eel

Hypophysectomy decreased plasma amino nitrogen (PAN) levels of Japanese eels. In contrast, administration of bovine or ovine growth hormone (GH; 2 μg/g) produced a delayed increase in PAN levels of both intact and hypophysectomized eels 48 hr after GH injection. The minimum dose of GH required to elevate PAN levels was found to be 0.1–1 μg/g body wt. The fact that GH treatment also increased PAN of hepatectomized eels indicates that the increased PAN was at least partly caused by the increased mobilization of amino nitrogen from body protein. GH also increased plasma free fatty acid content of intact and hypophysectomized eels 48 hr after GH injection in one experiment of the present study, but this effect was not reproducible in other experiments. No effect of GH administration was observed either in plasma glucose and lipid of intact and hypophysectomized eels 48 hr after the injection.

Physiologic changes during a marathon, with special reference to magnesium.

In a single case study of a moderately trained, healthy man, physiologic changes during a marathon are reported. Blood was drawn prior to the race, at 1 hour and 2 hours into the race, at the end of the race, and after 1 hour of recovery. By 1 hour into the race, norepinephrine, epinephrine, and dopamine had increased nearly nine-fold, two-fold and five-fold, respectively. After 1 hour of recovery, epinephrine had returned to the pre-race value but norepinephrine and dopamine were still elevated. Cortisol increased gradually and was more than doubled by the end of the race. It was still elevated after 1 hour of recovery. White blood cells gradually increased, reaching their maximum value at the end of the race; a four-to-five-fold increase. Thromboxane B2, which had an inverse relationship to serum magnesium, was below the pre-race value for the first 2 hours but increased nine-fold by the end of the race. Serum magnesium increased from 1.44 meq/l to 1.68 meq/l at 2 hours into the marathon, dropped to 1.07 meq/l by the end of the race, and returned to its pre-race value by 1 hour of recovery. The decrease in serum magnesium at the end of the race may be associated with increased plasma free fatty acid levels.

Effect of vagotomy on plasma levels of growth hormone, free fatty acids and glucose in the pigeon

Plasma levels of growth hormone (GH), free fatty acids (FFA) and glucose were measured in vagotomized (VgX) and sham-operated (VgS) control pigeons. In VgX pigeons, GH level was significantly lower whereas FFA and glucose levels were higher than in VgS pigeons. The depression in GH level in VgX pigeons has been attributed to the significantly high levels of norepinephrine (NE) and corticosterone in these Birds. The higher plasma FFA concentration in VgX pigeons was therefore due to adipokinetic hormonal action other than of GH. It has been suggested that the adrenocorticotrophic hormone (ACTH) and/or NE could have produced the increase in plasma FFA in VgX pigeons. The pronounced hyperglycemia seen in VgX pigeons has been attributed to catecholamine action in the absence of the vagal tone.

Stimulatory effect of norepinephrine on ketogenesis in normal and insulin-deficient humans.

Elevation of plasma norepinephrine concentrations to stress levels (1,800 pg/ml) resulted in normal subjects in a significant increase in ketone body production by 155% (determined by use of [14C]acetoacetate infusions), in a decrease of the metabolic clearance rate by 38%, hyperketonemia, and in increased plasma free fatty acid (FFA) levels by 57% after 75 min. Norepinephrine infusion during somatostatin-induced insulin deficiency resulted in an augmented and sustained increase in ketone body concentrations due to increased production and decreased peripheral clearance of ketone bodies. Norepinephrine's stimulatory effect on lipolysis waned with time, and its effect on ketogenesis in normal subjects was greater than its influence on plasma FFA levels, and thus presumably on hepatic FFA uptake, suggesting a direct stimulatory effect on hepatic ketogenesis. The data demonstrate that in normal humans the hyperketonemic effect of elevated plasma norepinephrine concentrations results from a combination of three factors: increased ketone body production from augmented FFA supply to the liver; accelerated hepatic ketogenesis; and modestly decreased metabolic clearance of ketone bodies. Acute insulin deficiency augments all these effects and results in progressive ketosis.

Circulating free fatty acids, insulin, and glucose during chemical stimulation of hypothalamus in rats.

The aim of this study was to investigate plasma free fatty acids (FFA), insulin, and blood glucose during chemical stimulation of the lateral and ventromedial hypothalamic areas (LHA and VMH) in rats. Therefore male Wistar rats were implanted with bilateral cannulas in the LHA or the VMH and into the left and right jugular veins. Freely moving rats were then infused into the LHA and VMH with norepinephrine (NE), epinephrine (E), or acetylcholine or intravenously with NE or E. Before, during, and after the infusions, simultaneous blood samples were taken without disturbing the animals. Infusion of NE into the LHA resulted in a decrease of plasma FFA and a simultaneous increase of insulin. NE infusion in the VMH elicited an increase of plasma FFA, plasma insulin, and blood glucose. E infusion into the LHA did not lead to a change of plasma FFA, whereas insulin and glucose showed an increase. E infusion into the VMH evoked increases of plasma FFA and insulin. Peripheral administration of NE led to a sharp increase of FFA, whereas plasma insulin and blood glucose did not change. E in the periphery elicited an augmentation of plasma FFA and blood glucose and a suppression of insulin during infusion. After termination of E infusion, plasma FFA and glucose levels decreased, whereas plasma insulin showed a sharp increase.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)