Activation of hormone-sensitive lipase in extracts of adipose tissue

Rat adipose tissue was homogenized in 0.154 m KCl, and the supernatant fluid, obtained after centrifugation at 15,000 g, was extracted with benzene to remove triglycerides. Most of the lipase activity in the extracted fluid was precipitated with ammonium sulfate between 15 and 40% saturation. The specific activity of the lipase in this fraction was about three times that in the benzene-extracted supernatant fluid. The specific activity of the monoglyceride esterase was increased to a lesser extent. Lipase activity in the benzene-extracted fluid and in the ammonium sulfate fraction was increased 15-45% by incubation with 0.3 mm ATP, 10 mm MgCl(2), and 0.03 mm cyclic AMP for 10 min before assay. None of these compounds alone or in combinations of two was as effective as all three together. The specific activity of the 15-40% ammonium sulfate fraction prepared from fat cells exposed to epinephrine and glucagon was greater than that from portions of the same cell pool not exposed to hormones. In addition, the already elevated lipase activity in preparations from hormone-treated cells was not enhanced by incubation with ATP, MgCl(2), and cyclic AMP. Thus, it seems probable that the lipase activity in the ammonium sulfate fractions represents, at least in part, hormone-sensitive lipase.