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. 2015 May 1;308(9):E830-46.
doi: 10.1152/ajpendo.00424.2014. Epub 2015 Mar 3.

Sex and depot differences in ex vivo adipose tissue fatty acid storage and glycerol-3-phosphate acyltransferase activity

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Sex and depot differences in ex vivo adipose tissue fatty acid storage and glycerol-3-phosphate acyltransferase activity

Maria Morgan-Bathke et al. Am J Physiol Endocrinol Metab. .

Abstract

Adipose tissue fatty acid storage varies according to sex, adipose tissue depot, and degree of fat gain. However, the mechanism(s) for these variations is not completely understood. We examined whether differences in adipose tissue glycerol-3-phosphate acyltransferase (GPAT) might play a role in these variations. We optimized an enzyme activity assay for total GPAT and GPAT1 activity in human adipose tissue and measured GPAT activity. Omental and subcutaneous adipose tissue was collected from obese and nonobese adults for measures of GPAT and GPAT1 activities, ex vivo palmitate storage, acyl-CoA synthetase (ACS) and diacylglycerol-acyltransferase (DGAT) activities, and CD36 protein. Total GPAT and GPAT1 activities decreased as a function of adipocyte size in both omental (r = -0.71, P = 0.003) and subcutaneous (r = -0.58, P = 0.04) fat. The relative contribution of GPAT1 to total GPAT activity increased as a function of adipocyte size, accounting for up to 60% of GPAT activity in those with the largest adipocytes. We found strong, positive correlations between ACS, GPAT, and DGAT activities for both sexes and depots (r values 0.58-0.91) and between these storage factors and palmitate storage rates into TAG (r values 0.55-0.90). We conclude that: 1) total GPAT activity decreases as a function of adipocyte size; 2) GPAT1 can account for over half of adipose GPAT activity in hypertrophic obesity; and 3) ACS, GPAT, and DGAT are coordinately regulated.

Keywords: fat distribution; glycerol-3-phosphate acyltransferase 1; omental fat; subcutaneous fat.

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Figures

Fig. 1.
Fig. 1.
Omental glycerol-3-phosphate acyltransferase (GPAT) activity. Relationship between GPAT activity and adipocyte size in omental and subcutaneous adipose tissue samples. LPA, lysophosphatidic acid. Solid circles, females; open squares, males. Square root-transformed values were used to achieve normal distribution; n = 28 subjects. A: omental total GPAT activity (pmol 14C-labeled product·mg lipid−1·min−1). B: omental GPAT1 activity (pmol/14C-labeled product·mg lipid−1·min−1). C: subcutaneous total GPAT activity (pmol 14C-labeled product·mg lipid−1·min−1). D: subcutaneous GPAT1 activity (pmol 14C-labeled product·mg lipid−1·min−1). E: omental total GPAT activity (pmol 14C-labeled product·mg protein−1·min−1). F: omental GPAT1 activity (pmol 14C-labeled product·mg protein−1·min−1). G: subcutaneous total GPAT activity (pmol 14C-labeled product·mg protein−1·min−1). H: subcutaneous GPAT1 activity (pmol 14C-labeled product·mg protein−1·min−1). I: omental total GPAT activity (pmol 14C-labeled product·mg tissue−1·min−1). J: omental GPAT1 activity (pmol 14C-labeled product·mg tissue−1·min−1). K: subcutaneous total GPAT activity (pmol 14C-labeled product·mg tissue−1·min−1). J: subcutaneous GPAT1 activity (pmol 14C-labeled product·mg tissue−1·min−1).
Fig. 2.
Fig. 2.
Relationship between omental fatty acid storage factors and storage rates at high palmitate concentrations. Solid circles, females; open squares, males. Square root-transformed values were used to achieve normal distribution. A: relationship between acyl-CoA synthetase (ACS) activity (pmol·min−1·mg lipid−1) and palmitate storage rates (μmol·min−1·mg lipid−1) for women (r = 0.77, P = 0.0007) and for men (r = 0.80, P = 0.0006); n = 28. B: relationship between diacylglycerol-acyltransferase (DGAT) activity [pmol triglyceride (TG)·mg lipid−1·min−1] and palmitate storage rates (μmol·min−1·mg lipid−1) for women (r = 0.70, P = 0.006) and for men (r = 0.82, P = 0.0003); n = 28. C: relationship between total GPAT activity (pmol 14C-labeled product·mg lipid−1·min−1) and palmitate storage rates (μmol·min−1·mg lipid−1) for women (r = 0.90, P = 0.0001) and for men (r = 0.91, P = 0.0001); n = 28. D: relationship between GPAT1 activity (pmol 14C-labeled product·mg lipid−1·min−1) and palmitate storage rates (μmol·min−1·mg lipid−1) for women (r = 0.67, P = 0.0001) and for men (r = 0.75, P = 0.0001); n = 28. E: relationship between CD36 relative content (mg lipid) and palmitate storage rates (μmol·min−1·mg lipid−1) for women (r = −0.31, P = 0.32) and for men (r = −0.43, P = 0.22); n = 22. F: relationship between ACS activity (pmol·min−1·mg protein−1) and palmitate storage rates (μmol·min−1·mg lipid−1) for women (r = −0.21, P = 0.51) and for men (r = 0.28, P = 0.33); n = 28. G: relationship between DGAT activity (pmol TG·mg protein−1·min−1) and palmitate storage rates (μmol·min−1·mg lipid−1) for women (r = 0.2, P = 0.94) and for men (r = 0.04, P = 0.9); n = 28. H: relationship between total GPAT activity (pmol 14C-labeled product·mg protein−1·min−1) and palmitate storage rates (μmol·min−1·mg lipid−1) for women (r = 0.37, P = 0.2) and for men (r = 0.39, P = 0.16); n = 28. I: relationship between GPAT1 activity (pmol 14C-labeled product·mg protein−1·min−1) and palmitate storage rates (μmol·min−1·mg lipid−1) for women (r = −0.26, P = 0.38) and for men (r = 0.13, P = 0.66); n = 28. J: relationship between CD36 relative content (mg protein) and palmitate storage rates (μmol·min−1·mg lipid−1) for women (r = −0.66, P = 0.39) and for men (r = −0.87, P = 0.22); n = 22.
Fig. 3.
Fig. 3.
Relationship between subcutaneous fatty acid storage factors and storage rates at high palmitate concentrations. Solid circles, females; open squares, males. Square root-transformed values were used to achieve normal distribution. A: relationship between ACS activity (pmol·min−1·mg lipid−1) and palmitate storage rates (μmol·min−1·mg lipid−1) for women (r = 0.55, P = 0.07) and for men (r = 0.87, P = 0.0002); n = 28. B: relationship between DGAT activity (pmol TG·mg lipid−1·min−1) and palmitate storage rates (μmol·min−1·mg lipid−1) for women (r = 0.58, P = 0.05) and for men (r = 0.87, P = 0.0002); n = 28. C: relationship between total GPAT activity (pmol 14C-labeled product·mg lipid−1·min−1) and palmitate storage rates (μmol·min−1·mg lipid−1) for women (r = 0.69, P = 0.009) and for men (r = 0.85, P = 0.0005); n = 28. D: relationship between GPAT1 activity (pmol 14C-labeled product·mg lipid−1·min−1) and palmitate storage rates (μmol·min−1·mg lipid−1) for women (r = 0.64, P = 0.02) and for men (r = 0.85, P = 0.0005); n = 28. E: relationship between CD36 relative content (mg lipid) and palmitate storage rates (μmol·min−1·mg lipid−1) for women (r = −0.41, P = 0.18) and for men (r = −0.77, P = 0.04); n = 22. F: relationship between ACS activity (pmol·mg protein−1·min−1) and palmitate storage rates (μmol·min−1·mg lipid−1) for women (r = −0.02, P = 0.96) and for men (r = 0.72, P = 0.008); n = 28. G: relationship between DGAT activity (pmol TG·mg protein−1·min−1) and palmitate storage rates (μmol·min−1·mg lipid−1) for women (r = 0.06, P = 0.85) and for men (r = 0.72, P = 0.009); n = 28. H: relationship between total GPAT activity (pmol 14C-labeled product·mg protein−1·min−1) and palmitate storage rates (μmol·min−1·mg lipid−1) for women (r = 0.5, P = 0.83) and for men (r = 0.55, P = 0.06); n = 28. I: relationship between GPAT1 activity (pmol 14C-labeled product·mg protein−1·min−1) and palmitate storage rates (μmol·min−1·mg lipid−1) for women (r = −0.11, P = 0.72) and for men (r = 0.46, P = 0.13); n = 28. J: relationship between CD36 relative content (mg protein) and palmitate storage rates (μmol·min−1·mg lipid−1) for women (r = −0.56, P = 0.057) and for men (r = 0.36, P = 0.43); n = 22.
Fig. 4.
Fig. 4.
Relationship between omental fatty acid storage factors and storage rates at low palmitate concentrations. Solid circles, females; open squares, males. Square root-transformed values were used to achieve normal distribution. A: relationship between ACS activity (pmol·min−1·mg lipid−1) and palmitate storage rates (μmol·min−1·mg lipid−1) for women (r = 0.36, P = 0.18) and for men (r = 0.65, P = 0.01); n = 28. B: relationship between DGAT activity (pmol TG·mg lipid−1·min−1) and palmitate storage rates (μmol·min−1·mg lipid−1) for women (r = 0.44, P = 0.1) and for men (r = 0.70, P = 0.006); n = 28. C: relationship between total GPAT activity (pmol 14C-labeled product·mg lipid−1·min−1) and palmitate storage rates (μmol·min−1·mg lipid−1) for women (r = 0.58, P = 0.02) and for men (r = 0.86, P = 0.0001); n = 28. D: relationship between GPAT1 activity (pmol 14C-labeled product·mg lipid−1·min−1) and palmitate storage rates (μmol·min−1·mg lipid−1) for women (r = 0.42, P = 0.12) and for men (r = 0.68, P = 0.008); n = 28. E: relationship between CD36 relative content (mg lipid) and palmitate storage rates (μmol·min−1·mg lipid−1) for women (r = 0.13, P = 0.93) and for men (r = −0.35, P = 0.88); n = 22. F: relationship between ACS activity (pmol·mg protein−1·min−1) and palmitate storage rates (μmol·min−1·mg lipid−1) for women (r = −0.28, P = 0.33) and for men (r = 0.26, P = 0.37); n = 28. G: relationship between DGAT activity (pmol TG·mg protein−1·min−1) and palmitate storage rates (μmol·min−1·mg lipid−1) for women (r = 0.22, P = 0.46) and for men (r = 0.09, P = 0.75); n = 28. H: relationship between total GPAT activity (pmol 14C-labeled product·mg protein−1·min−1) and palmitate storage rates (μmol·min−1·mg lipid−1) for women (r = 0.16, P = 0.58) and for men (r = 0.49, P = 0.07); n = 28. I: relationship between GPAT1 activity (pmol 14C-labeled product·mg protein−1·min−1) and palmitate storage rates (μmol·min−1·mg lipid−1) for women (r = −0.26, P = 0.38) and for men (r = −0.11, P = 0.7); n = 28. J: relationship between CD36 relative content (mg protein) and palmitate storage rates (μmol·min−1·mg lipid−1) for women (r = −0.35, P = 0.29) and for men (r = −0.77, P = 0.01); n = 22.
Fig. 5.
Fig. 5.
Relationship between subcutaneous fatty acid storage factors and storage rates at low palmitate concentrations. Solid circles, females; open squares, males. Square root-transformed values were used to achieve normal distribution. A: relationship between ACS activity (pmol·min−1·mg lipid−1) and palmitate storage rates (μmol·min−1·mg lipid−1) for women (r = 0.51, P = 0.09) and for men (r = 0.82, P = 0.001); n = 28. B: relationship between DGAT activity (pmol TG·mg lipid−1·min−1) and palmitate storage rates (μmol·min−1·mg lipid−1) for women (r = 0.67, P = 0.02) and for men (r = 0.81, P = 0.0001); n = 28. C: relationship between total GPAT activity (pmol 14C-labeled product·mg lipid−1·min−1) and palmitate storage rates (μmol·min−1·mg lipid−1) for women (r = 0.66, P = 0.015) and for men (r = 0.81, P = 0.001); n = 28. D: relationship between GPAT1 activity (pmol 14C-labeled product·mg lipid−1·min−1) and palmitate storage rates (μmol·min−1·mg lipid−1) for women (r = 0.66, P = 0.014) and for men (r = 0.82, P = 0.001); n = 28. E: relationship between CD36 relative content (mg lipid) and palmitate storage rates (μmol·min−1·mg lipid−1) for women (r = −0.27, P = 0.39) and for men (r = 0.81, P = 0.03); n = 22. F: relationship between ACS activity (pmol·mg protein−1·min−1) and palmitate storage rates (μmol·min−1·mg lipid−1) for women (r = −0.13, P = 0.68) and for men (r = 0.66, P = 0.02); n = 28. G: relationship between DGAT activity (pmol TG·mg protein−1·min−1) and palmitate storage rates (μmol·min−1·mg lipid−1) for women (r = 0.09, P = 0.77) and for men (r = 0.64, P = 0.02); n = 28. H: relationship between total GPAT activity (pmol 14C-labeled product·mg protein−1·min−1) and palmitate storage rates (μmol·min−1·mg lipid−1) for women (r = 0.74, P = 0.004) and for men (r = 0.51, P = 0.09); n = 28. I: relationship between GPAT1 activity (pmol 14C-labeled product·mg protein−1·min−1) and palmitate storage rates (μmol·min−1·mg lipid−1) for women (r = 0.2, P = 0.51) and for men (r = 0.42, P = 0. 71); n = 28. J: relationship between CD36 relative content (mg protein) and palmitate storage rates (μmol·min−1·mg lipid−1) for women (r = −0.66, P = 0.02) and for men (r = 0.38, P = 0.4); n = 22.
Fig. 6.
Fig. 6.
Correlation between total GPAT activity and fatty acid storage factors in omental tissue. Solid circles, females; open squares, males. Square root-transformed values were used to achieve normal distribution. A: relationship between ACS activity (pmol·mg lipid−1·min−1) and total GPAT activity (pmol 14C-labeled product·mg lipid−1·min−1) for women (r = 0.69, P = 0.004) and for men (r = 0.80, P = 0.0006); n = 25. B: relationship between ACS activity (pmol·mg protein−1·min−1) and total GPAT activity (pmol 14C-labeled product·mg protein−1·min−1) for women (r = 0.15, P = 0.61) and for men (r = 0.37, P = 0.19); n = 25. C: relationship between DGAT activity (pmol TG·mg lipid−1·min−1) and total GPAT activity (pmol 14C-labeled product·mg lipid−1·min−1) for women (r = 0.58, P = 0.03) and for men (r = 0.79, P = 0.0007); n = 25. D: relationship between DGAT activity (pmol TG·mg protein−1·min−1) and total GPAT activity (pmol 14C-labeled product·mg protein−1·min−1) for women (r = 0.33, P = 0.52) and for men (r = 0.18, P = 0.53); n = 25. E: relationship between relative CD36 content (mg lipid) and total GPAT activity (pmol 14C-labeled product·mg lipid−1·min−1) for women (r = −0.38, P = 0.32) and for men (r = −0.52, P = 0.17); n = 21. F: relationship between relative CD36 content (mg protein) and total GPAT activity (pmol 14C-labeled product·mg protein−1·min−1) for women (r = −0.50, P = 0.09) and for men (r = −0.33, P = 0.36); n = 21.
Fig. 7.
Fig. 7.
Correlation between GPAT1 activity and fatty acid storage factors in omental tissue. Solid circles, females; open squares, males. Square root-transformed values were used to achieve normal distribution. A: relationship between ACS activity (pmol·min−1·mg lipid−1) and GPAT1 activity (pmol 14C-labeled product·mg lipid−1·min−1) for women (r = 0.60, P = 0.02) and for men (r = 0.74, P = 0.003); n = 25. B: relationship between ACS activity (pmol·mg protein−1·min−1) and GPAT1 activity (pmol 14C-labeled product·mg protein−1·min−1) for women (r = 0.28, P = 0.33) and for men (r = 0.16, P = 0.58); n = 25. C: relationship between DGAT activity (pmol TG·mg lipid−1·min−1) and GPAT1 activity (pmol 14C-labeled product·mg lipid−1·min−1) for women (r = 0.52, P = 0.06) and for men (r = 0.72, P = 0.003); n = 25. D: relationship between DGAT activity (pmol TG·mg protein−1·min−1) and GPAT1 activity (pmol 14C-labeled product·mg protein−1·min−1) for women (r = 0.33, P = 0.26) and for men (r = 0.05, P = 0.86); n = 25. E: relationship between relative CD36 content (mg lipid) and total GPAT1 activity (pmol 14C-labeled product·mg lipid−1·min−1) for women (r = −0.20, P = 0.52) and for men (r = −0.45, P = 0.19); n = 21. F: relationship between relative CD36 content (mg protein) and total GPAT1 activity (pmol 14C-labeled product·mg protein−1·min−1) for women (r = −0.002, P = 0.99) and for men (r = 0.2, P = 0.58); n = 21.
Fig. 8.
Fig. 8.
Correlation between total GPAT activity and fatty acid storage factors in subcutaneous tissue. Solid circles, females; open squares, males. Square root-transformed values were used to achieve normal distribution. A: relationship between ACS activity (pmol·min−1·mg lipid−1) and total GPAT activity (pmol 14C-labeled product·mg lipid−1·min−1) for women (r = 0.88, P = 0.0002) and for men (r = 0.91, P = 0.0001); n = 25. B: relationship between ACS activity (pmol·mg protein−1·min−1) and total GPAT activity (pmol 14C-labeled product·mg protein−1·min−1) for women (r = −0.09, P = 0.78) and for men (r = 0.75, P = 0.005); n = 25. C: relationship between DGAT activity (pmol TG·mg lipid−1·min−1) and total GPAT activity (pmol 14C-labeled product·mg lipid−1·min−1) for women (r = 0.85, P = 0.0005) and for men (r = 0.89, P = 0.0001); n = 25. D: relationship between DGAT activity (pmol TG·mg protein−1·min−1) and total GPAT activity (pmol 14C-labeled product·mg protein−1·min−1) for women (r = −0.06, P = 0.84) and for men (r = 0.72, P = 0.009); n = 25. E: relationship between relative CD36 content (mg lipid) and total GPAT activity (pmol 14C-labeled product·mg lipid−1·min−1) for women (r = −0.06, P = 0.86) and for men (r = 0.75, P = 0.05); n = 18. F: relationship between relative CD36 content (mg protein) and total GPAT activity (pmol 14C-labeled product·mg protein−1·min−1) for women (r = −0.7, P = 0.01) and for men (r = 0.69, P = 0.08); n = 18.
Fig. 9.
Fig. 9.
Correlation between total GPAT activity and fatty acid storage factors in subcutaneous tissue. Solid circles, females; open squares, males. Square root-transformed values were used to achieve normal distribution. A: relationship between ACS activity (pmol·min−1·mg lipid−1) and GPAT1 activity (pmol 14C-labeled product·mg lipid−1·min−1) for women (r = 0.54, P = 0.07) and for men (r = 0.87, P = 0.0002); n = 25. B: relationship between ACS activity (pmol·mg protein−1·min−1) and GPAT1 activity (pmol 14C-labeled product·mg protein−1·min−1) for women (r = −0.03, P = 0.92) and for men (r = 0.65, P = 0.02); n = 25. C: relationship between DGAT activity (pmol TG·mg lipid−1·min−1) and GPAT1 activity (pmol 14C-labeled product·mg lipid−1·min−1) for women (r = 0.40, P = 0.2) and for men (r = 0.89, P = 0.0001); n = 25. D: relationship between DGAT activity (pmol TG·mg protein−1·min−1) and GPAT1 activity (pmol 14C-labeled product·mg protein−1·min−1) for women (r = −0.12, P = 0.72) and for men (r = 0.63, P = 0.03); n = 25. E: relationship between relative CD36 content (mg lipid) and total GPAT1 activity (pmol 14C-labeled product·mg lipid−1·min−1) for women (r = −0.24, P = 0.46) and for men (r = 0.72, P = 0.07); n = 18. F: relationship between relative CD36 content (mg protein) and total GPAT1 activity (pmol 14C-labeled product·mg protein−1·min−1) for women (r = 0.005, P = 0.99) and for men (r = 0.53, P = 0.21); n = 18.

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