Sex steroid hormones and adipose tissue metabolism in ovariectomized and adrenalectomized rats

The effects of oestrogen and progesterone, alone or in combination, on regional adipose tissue metabolism and oestrogen binding were examined in rats which were not only ovariectomized but also adrenalectomized to allow a study under conditions such that no endogenous sex steroid production occurred. Under these conditions no effects on food intake of the sex steroid hormones were found. 17-beta-oestradiol plus progesterone tended to increase lipoprotein lipase in the parametrial but not retroperitoneal fat depot, but no effects were found of oestrogen or progesterone alone. Oestradiol alone or in combination with progesterone clearly increased basal and norepinephrine-stimulated lipolysis, most pronounced in the retroperitoneal depot. Progesterone alone had no effect. Cytoplasmic 17-beta-oestradiol binding was highest in the parametrial fat depot in non-substituted rats and decreased dramatically after oestrogen administration. It was concluded that in ovariectomized-adrenalectomized rats, oestrogen alone or in the presence of progesterone facilitates lipolysis, a clear effect which is thus possible to elicit without adrenal hormones. Both sex steroid hormones alone or in combination, have no or weak effects on food intake and lipoprotein lipase activity, respectively. These metabolic events as well as cytoplasmic oestrogen binding show regional variations.