The activity of the endocannabinoid metabolising enzyme fatty acid amide hydrolase in subcutaneous adipocytes correlates with BMI in metabolically healthy humans

Lipids in Health and Disease

Research

Stephen PH Alexander¹  Garry D Tan²  Jemma C Cable²  Saoirse E O'Sullivan² 

[1] School of Biomedical Sciences, University of Nottingham, NG7 2UH, Nottingham, UK;School of Graduate Entry Medicine and Health, University of Nottingham, DE22 3DT, Derby, UK;

关键词: Endocannabinoid system;    Fatty acid amide hydrolase;    Monoacylglycerol lipase;    Human;    Adipocytes;    BMI;    Insulin;    Glucose;   

DOI  :  10.1186/1476-511X-10-129

 received in 2011-06-24, accepted in 2011-08-04,  发布年份 2011

来源: Springer

【 摘 要 】

BackgroundThe endocannabinoid system (ECS) is a ubiquitously expressed signalling system, with involvement in lipid metabolism and obesity. There are reported changes in obesity of blood concentrations of the endocannabinoids anandamide (AEA) and 2-arachidonoylglcyerol (2-AG), and of adipose tissue expression levels of the two key catabolic enzymes of the ECS, fatty acid amide hydrolase (FAAH) and monoacylglycerol lipase (MGL). Surprisingly, however, the activities of these enzymes have not been assayed in conditions of increasing adiposity. The aim of the current study was to investigate whether FAAH and MGL activities in human subcutaneous adipocytes are affected by body mass index (BMI), or other markers of adiposity and metabolism.MethodsSubcutaneous abdominal mature adipocytes, fasting blood samples and anthropometric measurements were obtained from 28 metabolically healthy subjects representing a range of BMIs. FAAH and MGL activities were assayed in mature adipocytes using radiolabelled substrates. Serum glucose, insulin and adipokines were determined using ELISAs.ResultsMGL activity showed no relationship with BMI or other adiposity indices, metabolic markers (fasting serum insulin or glucose) or serum adipokine levels (adiponectin, leptin or resistin). In contrast, FAAH activity in subcutaneous adipocytes correlated positively with BMI and waist circumference, but not with skinfold thickness, metabolic markers or serum adipokine levels.ConclusionsIn this study, novel evidence is provided that FAAH activity in subcutaneous mature adipocytes increases with BMI, whereas MGL activity does not. These findings support the hypothesis that some components of the ECS are upregulated with increasing adiposity in humans, and that AEA and 2-AG may be regulated differently.

【 授权许可】

CC BY   
© Cable et al; licensee BioMed Central Ltd. 2011