Meal-induced changes in lipoprotein lipase activity in brown fat and other tissues of rats

Brown fat thermogenesis is increased after a single test meal. This study was conducted to determine whether lipoprotein lipase activity is higher in brown adipose and other tissues after a single large meal. Rats were trained to eat two large meals per day. Two hours after consuming a test meal, lipoprotein lipase activity was measured in interscapular brown adipose tissue, retroperitoneal and epididymal white adipose tissue, gastrocnemius and soleus skeletal muscles and heart. After a high carbohydrate test meal, lipoprotein lipase activity in white adipose tissue pads was higher (P less than 0.05) and that in brown adipose tissue was lower (P less than 0.05) than in these tissues from the meal-deprived group. Muscle lipoprotein lipase did not change significantly. A high fat test meal did not significantly alter lipoprotein lipase activity in brown adipose tissue, white adipose tissue, gastrocnemius or soleus when compared to the meal-deprived control, but heart lipoprotein lipase activity was significantly elevated. These findings indicate that after a single test meal lipoprotein lipase activity in brown adipose tissue is not higher than that from the meal-deprived group and therefore, lipoprotein lipase may not play a rate-limiting role in moving free fatty acids into this tissue in the postprandial state.