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Updated: Jun 28, 2026
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Measuring the Rate of Lipolysis in Ex Vivo Murine Adipose Tissue and Primary Preadipocytes Differentiated In Vitro
Published on: March 17, 2023
Progesterone metabolism in adipose cells
Yonghua Zhang1, Mélanie Nadeau, Frédérick Faucher
1Molecular Endocrinology and Oncology Research Center, Laval University Medical Center, Quebec City, Canada.
Molecular and Cellular Endocrinology
|November 6, 2008
Summary
Human fat cells, including preadipocytes and mature adipocytes, efficiently metabolize progesterone into various compounds. This progesterone metabolism in adipose tissue may explain its limited impact on abdominal fat cell differentiation.
Area of Science:
- Endocrinology
- Metabolism
- Cell Biology
Background:
- Progesterone plays a role in various physiological processes.
- Understanding progesterone metabolism in adipose tissue is crucial for metabolic research.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate progesterone metabolism pathways in human omental (OM) and subcutaneous (SC) adipose cells.
- To identify progesterone metabolites in isolated mature adipocytes and cultured preadipocytes.
- To assess the impact of adipocyte differentiation on progesterone metabolism.
Main Methods:
- Human OM and SC adipose tissue samples were obtained.
- Progesterone metabolism was studied in isolated mature adipocytes and cultured preadipocytes.
- Metabolites were identified using bidimensional thin layer chromatography, with and without a 5alpha-reductase inhibitor.
Main Results:
- Progesterone was mainly converted to 20alpha-hydroxyprogesterone in mature adipocytes, likely via aldo-keto reductases (AKR1C1, AKR1C2, AKR1C3).
- Preadipocytes produced multiple progesterone metabolites, including 20alpha-hydroxyprogesterone and various pregnane derivatives.
- Adipocyte differentiation increased AKR1C1 expression and shifted metabolism towards 20alpha-hydroxyprogesterone production.
Conclusions:
- Human preadipocytes and mature adipocytes efficiently generate progesterone metabolites.
- The observed metabolic profile is consistent with modest effects of progesterone on abdominal fat cell differentiation.
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