Effect of ACTH on lipolysis in adipose tissue of normal and adrenalectomized rats in vivo

Parametrial fat-pads of fed rats were perfused in vivo. Rates of release of glycerol and free fatty acids (FFA) were determined from venous-arterial difference and plasma flow. Adrenalectomy lowered basal release of FFA and glycerol, but not reesterification of FFA within the fat-pad. ACTH (5 mug iv) in normal rats increased release of FFA and glycerol (mumol-g-1-h-1) from basal values of 0.90 and 0.48 to 3.2 and 1.3, respectively, and in adrenalectomized rats from 0.41 and 0.33 to 1.5 and 3.1, respectively. Thus in normal rats ACTH increased the molar ratio of FFA to glycerol released from 1.9 to 2.5, whereas in adrenalectomized rats the ratio fell from 1.3 to 0.5. After stimulation of lipolysis in normal rats 85% of the FFA formed were released but only 20% in adrenalectomized rats; the remainder was reesterified to triglyceride. It is concluded that adipose tissue of adrenalectomized rats is sensitive to the lipolytic activity of ACTH, but increased glucose utilization by adipocytes in the absence of glucocorticoid enhances reesterification and reduces release of FFA by the tissue.