Salt resistant lipase activity in human adrenal gland is increased in Cushing's disease

Salt resistant lipase (also designated hepatic lipase) is present in normal human adrenal cortex at activity levels of about 1 mU g-1 tissue wet weight. In hyperplastic adrenocortical tissue from four patients with Cushing's disease the salt resistant lipase activity was found to be about 5-fold higher than this value. The activity of salt resistant lipase in postheparin plasma was elevated in two of the patients, indicating that the high enzyme activity in adrenal cortex may originate from the liver. Lipoprotein lipase activity in postheparin plasma was clearly depressed in all patients with Cushing's disease and was associated with moderate hypertriglyceridaemia and slightly lowered HDL cholesterol levels. Thus high ACTH and/or corticosteroid levels appear to affect lipoprotein metabolism by a number of mechanisms.