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Updated: Dec 8, 2025

Measurement of Basal and Forskolin-stimulated Lipolysis in Inguinal Adipose Fat Pads
Published on: July 21, 2017
GLP-1 improves adipose tissue glyoxalase activity and capillarization improving insulin sensitivity in type 2
Tiago Rodrigues1, Patrícia Borges2, Laura Mar2
1Institute of Physiology and Institute of Clinical and Biomedical Research (iCBR), Faculty of Medicine, University of Coimbra (FMUC), Portugal; Center for Innovative Biomedicine and Biotechnology (CIBB), University of Coimbra, Portugal; Clinical Academic Center of Coimbra (CACC), Coimbra, Portugal.
Abstract:
Methylglyoxal was shown to impair adipose tissue capillarization and insulin sensitivity in obese models. We hypothesized that glyoxalase-1 (GLO-1) activity could be diminished in the adipose tissue of type 2 diabetic obese patients. Moreover, we assessed whether such activity could be increased by GLP-1-based therapies in order to improve adipose tissue capillarization and insulin sensitivity. GLO-1 activity was assessed in visceral adipose tissue of a cohort of obese patients. The role of GLP-1 in modulating GLO-1 was assessed in type 2 diabetic GK rats submitted to sleeve gastrectomy or Liraglutide treatment, in the adipose tissue angiogenesis assay and in the HUVEC cell line. Glyoxalase-1 activity was decreased in visceral adipose tissue of pre-diabetic and diabetic obese patients, together with other markers of adipose tissue dysfunction and correlated with increased HbA1c levels. Decreased adipose tissue GLO-1 levels in GK rats were increased by sleeve gastrectomy and Liraglutide, being associated with overexpression of angiogenic and vasoactive factors, as well as insulin receptor phosphorylation (Tyr1161). Moreover, GLP-1 increased adipose tissue capillarization and HUVEC proliferation in a glyoxalase-dependent manner. Lower adipose tissue GLO-1 activity was observed in dysmetabolic patients, being a target for GLP-1 in improving adipose tissue capillarization and insulin sensitivity.
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