Regulation of lipolysis in isolated adipocytes of rainbow trout (Oncorhynchus mykiss): the role of insulin and glucagon

Abstract

In the present study, we have examined the effects of insulin and glucagon on the lipolysis of rainbow trout (Oncorhynchus mykiss). To this end, adipocytes were isolated from mesenteric fat and incubated in the absence (basal lipolysis) or presence of different concentrations of insulin and glucagon. In addition, to further elucidate the effects of these hormones in vivo on adipocyte lipolysis, both fasting and intraperitoneal glucagon injection experiments were performed. Basal lipolysis, measured as the glycerol released in the adipocyte medium, increased proportionally with cell concentration and incubation time. Cell viability was verified by measuring the release of lactate dehydrogenase (LDH) activity in the medium. Insulin (at doses of 35 and 350 nM) decreased lipolysis in isolated adipocytes of rainbow trout in vitro, while glucagon was clearly lipolytic at concentrations of 10 and 100 nM. Furthermore, hypoinsulinemia induced by fasting, as well as glucagon injection, significantly increased lipolysis in isolated adipocytes approximately 1.5- and 1.4-fold, respectively, when compared with adipocytes from control fish. Our data demonstrate that lipolysis, as measured in isolated adipocytes of rainbow trout, can be regulated by both insulin and glucagon. These results not only indicate that insulin is an important hormone in lipid deposition via its anti-lipolytic effects on rainbow trout adipocytes, but also reveal glucagon as a lipolytic hormone, as shown by both in vitro and in vivo experiments.