This study investigated the molecular mechanisms by which a high-fat diet (HFD) dysregulates lipolysis and lipid metabolism in mouse epididymal (visceral, VC) and inguinal (subcutaneous, SC) adipocytes. Eight-weeks of HFD feeding increased adipose triglyceride lipase (ATGL) content and comparative gene identification-58 (CGI-58) expression, whereas hormone-sensitive lipase (HSL) phosphorylation and perilipin content were severely reduced. Adipocytes from HFD mice elicited increased basal but blunted epinephrine-stimulated lipolysis and increased diacylglycerol content in both fat depots. Consistent with impaired adrenergic receptor signaling, HFD also increased adipose-specific phospholipase A(2) expression in both fat depots. Inhibition of E-prostanoid 3 receptor increased basal lipolysis in control adipocytes but failed to acutely alter the effects of HFD on lipolysis in both fat depots. In HFD visceral adipocytes, activation of adenylyl cyclases by forskolin increased HSL phosphorylation and surpassed the lipolytic response of control cells. However, in HFD subcutaneous adipocytes, forskolin induced lipolysis without detectable HSL phosphorylation, suggesting activation of an alternative lipase in response to HFD-induced suppression of HSL in VC and SC adipocytes. HFD also powerfully inhibited basal, epinephrine-, and forskolin-induced AMP kinase (AMPK) activation as well peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor gamma coactivator-1alpha expression, citrate synthase activity, and palmitate oxidation in both fat depots. In summary, novel evidence is provided that defective adrenergic receptor signaling combined with upregulation of ATGL and suppression of HSL and AMPK signaling mediate HFD-induced alterations in lipolysis and lipid utilization in VC and SC adipocytes, which may play an important role in defective lipid mobilization and metabolism seen in diet-induced obesity.

This study was designed to investigate the effects of prolonged activation of AMP-activated protein kinase (AMPK) on lipid partitioning and the potential molecular mechanisms involved in these processes in white adipose tissue (WAT). Rat epididymal adipocytes were incubated with 5′-aminoimidasole-4-carboxamide-1-b-D-ribofuranoside (AICAR;0.5 mM) for 15 h. Also, epididymal adipocytes were isolated 15 h after AICAR was injected (i.p. 0.7 g/kg body weight) in rats. Adipocytes were utilized for various metabolic assays and for determination of gene expression and protein content. Timedependent in vivo plasma NEFA concentrations were determined. AICAR treatment significantly increased AMPK activation, inhibited lipogenesis, and increased FA oxidation. This was accompanied by upregulation of peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor (PPAR)a, PPARd, and PPARgcoactivator-1a (PGC-1a) mRNA levels. Lipolysis was first suppressed, but then increased, both in vitro and in vivo, with prolonged AICAR treatment. Exposure to AICAR increased adipose triglyceride lipase (ATGL) content and FA release, despite inhibition of basal and epinephrine-stimulated hormonesensitive lipase (HSL) activity. Here, we provide evidence that prolonged AICAR-induced AMPK activation can remodel adipocyte metabolism by upregulating pathways that favor energy dissipation versus lipid storage in WAT. Additionally, we show novel time-dependent effects of AICAR-induced AMPK activation on lipolysis, which involves antagonistic modulation of HSL and ATGL.

The objective of this study was to investigate the effects of 5-aminoimidazole-4-carboxamide-1-␤-D-ribofuranoside (AICAR)-induced AMP-activated protein kinase (AMPK) activation on basal and insulin-stimulated glucose and fatty acid metabolism in isolated rat adipocytes. AICAR-induced AMPK activation profoundly inhibited basal and insulin-stimulated glucose uptake, lipogenesis, glucose oxidation, and lactate production in fat cells. We also describe the novel findings that AICAR-induced AMPK phosphorylation significantly reduced palmitate (32%) and oleate uptake (41%), which was followed by a 50% reduction in palmitate oxidation despite a marked increase in AMPK and acetyl-CoA carboxylase phosphorylation. Compound C, a selective inhibitor of AMPK, not only completely prevented the inhibitory effect of AICAR on palmitate oxidation but actually caused a 2.2-fold increase in this variable. Compound C also significantly increased palmitate oxidation in the presence of inhibitory concentrations of malonyl-CoA and etomoxir indicating an increase in CPT1 activity. In contrast to skeletal muscle in which AMPK stimulates fatty acid oxidation to provide ATP as a fuel, we propose that AMPK activation inhibits lipogenesis and fatty acid oxidation in adipocytes. Inhibition of lipogenesis would conserve ATP under conditions of cellular stress, although suppression of intra-adipocyte oxidation would spare fatty acids for exportation to other tissues where their utilization is crucial for energy production. Additionally, the stimulatory effect of compound C on long chain fatty acid oxidation provides a novel pharmacological approach to promote energy dissipation in adipocytes, which may be of therapeutic importance for obesity and type II diabetes.

The purpose of this study was to investigate the effects of long-chain fatty acids (LCFAs) on AMP-activated protein kinase (AMPK) and acetyl-coenzyme A carboxylase (ACC) phosphorylation and b-oxidation in skeletal muscle. L6 rat skeletal muscle cells were exposed to various concentrations of palmitate (1-800 mM). Subsequently, ACC and AMPK phosphorylation and fatty acid oxidation were measured. A 2-fold increase in both AMPK and ACC phosphorylation was observed in the presence of palmitate concentrations as low as 10 mM, which was also accompanied by a significant increase in fatty acid oxidation. The effect of palmitate on AMPK and ACC phosphorylation was dosedependent, reaching maximum increases of 3.5-and 4.5-fold, respectively. Interestingly, ACC phosphorylation was coupled with AMPK activation at palmitate concentrations ranging from 10 to 100 mM; however, at concentrations .200 mM, ACC phosphorylation and fatty acid oxidation remained high even after AMPK phosphorylation was completely prevented by the use of a selective AMPK inhibitor. This indicates that LCFAs regulate ACC activity by AMPKdependent and -independent mechanisms, based on their abundance in skeletal muscle cells. Here, we provide novel evidence that the AMPK/ACC pathway may operate as a mechanism to sense and respond to the lipid energy charge of skeletal muscle cells.-Fediuc, S., M. P. Gaidhu, and R. B. Ceddia. Regulation of AMP-activated protein kinase and acetyl-CoA carboxylase phosphorylation by palmitate in skeletal muscle cells. J. Lipid Res. 2006. 47: 412-420.

This study investigated the role of adenosine monophosphate-activated protein kinase (AMPK) in the regulation of lipolysis in visceral (VC) and subcutaneous (SC) rat adipocytes and the molecular mechanisms involved in this process. VC (epididymal and retroperitoneal) and SC (inguinal) adipocytes were isolated from male Wistar rats (160-180 g). Adipocytes were incubated either in the absence or in the presence of the AMPK agonist 5-aminoimidazole-4-carboxamide-1-β-d-ribofuranoside (AICAR, 0-500 µmol/l). AMPK and acetyl-CoA carboxylase (ACC) phosphorylation, basal and epinephrine-stimulated (100 nmol/l) glycerol release, and hormone-sensitive lipase (HSL) phosphorylation and activity were determined. AICAR-induced (500 µmol/l) AMPK activation inhibited basal glycerol release by ~42, 41, and 44% in epididymal, retroperitoneal, and inguinal adipocytes, respectively. Epinephrine-stimulated glycerol release was almost completely prevented by AICAR treatment in adipocytes from all fat depots. The AMPK inhibitor compound C (20 µmol/l) prevented AICAR-induced phosphorylation of AMPK and significantly increased basal (~1.3-, 1.4-, and 1.7-fold) and epinephrine-stimulated (~1.3-, 1.2-, 1.4-fold) glycerol release in epididymal, retroperitoneal, and inguinal adipocytes, respectively. AICAR increased phosphorylation of HSL Ser565 and inhibited epinephrine-induced phosphorylation of HSL Ser563 and HSL Ser660 . This was also accompanied by a 73% reduction in epinephrine-stimulated HSL activity. Compound C prevented the phosphorylation of HSL Ser565 induced by AICAR and partially prevented the inhibitory effect of this drug on basal and epinephrinestimulated lipolysis in adipocytes in VC and SC fat depots. In summary, despite different fat depots eliciting distinct rates of lipolysis, acute AICAR-induced AMPK activation suppressed HSL phosphorylation/activation and exerted similar antilipolytic effects on both VC and SC adipocytes.

Successful treatment of obesity requires a continuous reduction in adiposity and maintenance of a healthy body weight. The conventional approaches used to achieve weight loss involve exercise and diet. However, as body fat is reduced through these approaches, energy-sparing mechanisms are activated and impose a major obstacle to long-term weight loss ( 1 ). Therefore, identifying strategies to overcome these energy-sparing mechanisms is crucial to improve the outcome of weight loss programs. One potential approach would be to remodel white adipose tissue (WAT) metabolism toward a highly metabolic brown adipose tissue (BAT) phenotype that shifts metabolism toward fat oxidation instead of storage independently of altering whole-body energy expenditure (EE) through physical activity ( 2 ).The acquisition of a "brown-like" phenotype by white adipocytes requires a substantial increase in mitochondrial content and upregulation of the oxidative machinery in these Abstract This study investigated the effect of chronic AMP-kinase (AMPK) activation with 5-aminoimidazole-4-carboxamide-1-␤ -D-ribofuranoside (AICAR) on white adipose tissue (WAT) metabolism and the implications for visceral (VC) and subcutaneous (SC) adiposity, whole bodyenergy homeostasis, and hypothalamic leptin sensitivity. Male Wistar rats received daily single intraperitoneal injections of either saline or AICAR (0.7g/kg body weight ) for 4 and 8 weeks and were pair-fed throughout the study. AICARtreated rats had reduced adiposity with increased mitochondrial density in VC and SC fat pads, which was accompanied by reduced circulating leptin and time-dependent and depot-specifi c regulation of AMPK phosphorylation and FA oxidation. Interestingly, the anorectic effect to exogenous leptin was more pronounced in AICAR-treated animals than controls. This corresponded to reductions in hypothalamic AMPK phosphorylation and suppressor of cytokine signaling 3 content, whereas signal transducer and activator of transcription 3 phosphorylation was either unchanged or increased at 4 and 8 weeks in AICAR-treated rats. Ambulatory activity and whole-body energy expenditure (EE) were also increased with AICAR treatment. Altogether, chronic AICAR-induced AMPK activation increased WAT oxidative machinery, whole-body EE, and hypothalamic leptin sensitivity. This led to signifi cant reductions in VC and SC adiposity without inducing energy-sparing mechanisms that oppose long-term fat loss. -Gaidhu,

Nesfatin-1 is a recently discovered anorexigen, and we first reported nesfatin-like immunoreactivity in the pancreatic β-cells. The aim of this study was to characterize the effects of nesfatin-1 on whole-body energy homeostasis, insulin secretion, and glycemia. The in vivo effects of continuous peripheral delivery of nesfatin-1 using osmotic minipumps on food intake and substrate partitioning were examined in ad libitum-fed male Fischer 344 rats. The effects of nesfatin-1 on glucose-stimulated insulin secretion (GSIS) were examined in isolated pancreatic islets. L6 skeletal muscle cells and isolated rat adipocytes were used to assess the effects of nesfatin-1 on basal and insulin-mediated glucose uptake as well as on major steps of insulin signaling in these cells. Nesfatin-1 reduced cumulative food intake and increased spontaneous physical activity, whole-body fat oxidation, and carnitine palmitoyltransferase I mRNA expression in brown adipose tissue but did not affect uncoupling protein 1 mRNA in the brown adipose tissue. Nesfatin-1 significantly enhanced GSIS in vivo during an oral glucose tolerance test and improved insulin sensitivity. Although insulin-stimulated glucose uptake in L6 muscle cells was inhibited by nesfatin-1 pretreatment, basal and insulin-induced glucose uptake in adipocytes from nesfatin-1-treated rats was significantly increased. In agreement with our in vivo results, nesfatin-1 enhanced GSIS from isolated pancreatic islets at both normal (5.6 mM) and high (16.7 mM), but not at low (2 mM), glucose concentrations. Furthermore, nesfatin-1/nucleobindin 2 release from rat pancreatic islets was stimulated by glucose. Collectively, our data indicate that glucose-responsive nesfatin-1 regulates insulin secretion, glucose homeostasis, and whole-body energy balance in rats.

Nesfatin-1 is a recently discovered multifunctional metabolic hormone abundantly expressed in the pancreatic islets. The main objective of this study is to characterize the direct effects of nesfatin-1 on insulin secretion in vitro using MIN6 cells and islets isolated from C57BL/6 mice. We also examined the expression of the nesfatin-1 precursor protein, nucleobindin 2 (NUCB2) mRNA, and nesfatin-1 immunoreactivity (ir) in the islets of normal mice and in the islets from mice with streptozotocininduced type 1 diabetes and diet-induced obese (DIO) mice with type 2 diabetes. Nesfatin-1 stimulated glucose-induced insulin release in vitro from mouse islets and MIN6 cells in a dose-dependent manner. No such stimulation in insulin secretion was found when MIN6 cells/islets were incubated with nesfatin-1 in low glucose. In addition, a fourfold increase in nesfatin-1 release from MIN6 cells was observed following incubation in high glucose (16 . 7 mM) compared to low glucose (2 mM). Furthermore, we observed a significant reduction in both NUCB2 mRNA expression and nesfatin-1-ir in the pancreatic islets of mice with type 1 diabetes, while a significant increase was observed in the islets of DIO mice. Together, our findings indicate that nesfatin-1 is a novel insulinotropic peptide and that the endogenous pancreatic islet NUCB2/nesfatin is altered in diabetes and diet-induced obesity.