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Updated: Sep 27, 2026

Measuring the Rate of Lipolysis in Ex Vivo Murine Adipose Tissue and Primary Preadipocytes Differentiated In Vitro
Published on: March 17, 2023
Angiopoietin-like protein 3, a hepatic secretory factor, activates lipolysis in adipocytes
Mitsuru Shimamura1, Morihiro Matsuda, Sachiko Kobayashi
1Department of Medicine and Pathology, Graduate School of Frontier Bioscience, Graduate School of Medicine, Osaka University, 2-2, Yamadaoka, Suita, Osaka 565-0871, Japan.
Abstract:
Our previous work identified a genetic mutation in the gene encoding angiopoietin-like protein 3 (Angptl3) in KK/Snk mice (previously KK/San), a mutant strain of KK obese mice. KK/Snk had significantly lower plasma triglyceride and free fatty acid (FFA) than KK mice. Human ANGPTL3 treatment increased both plasma triglyceride and FFA. ANGPTL3 inhibited the activity of lipoprotein lipase, which accounted for the increase of plasma triglyceride. The mechanism how ANGPTL3 affects plasma FFA has not been known. The current study reveals that ANGPTL3 targets on adipose cells and induces lipolysis. Both plasma FFA and glycerol decreased in KK/Snk and increased by the treatment of human ANGPTL3. Specific bindings of ANGPTL3 to adipose cells were shown using fluorescence-labeled protein visually and 125I-labeled protein by the binding analysis. Furthermore, ANGPTL3 activated the lipolysis to stimulate the release of FFA and glycerol from adipocytes. We conclude that ANGPTL3 is a liver-derived lipolytic factor targeting on adipocyte.
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