Lipolysis and cAMP accumulation in adipocytes in response to physical training

Adenylate cyclase activity is lower in membrane preparations of fat cell homogenates from exercise-trained compared with sedentary rats (J. Appl. Physiol.: Respirat. Environ, Exercise Physiol. 42: 884-888, 1977). In the present investigations lipolysis and cyclic adenosine 3':5'-monophosphate (cAMP) accumulation were measured in isolated parametrial fat cells prepared from sedentary and trained rats. The purpose of these investigations was to determine whether the normal catecholamine-induced increases in cAMP accumulation is affected in isolated adipocytes from endurance-trained rats. The increases in cAMP accumulation in response to isoproterenol (0.01-10 microM) was reduced in fat cells isolated from trained rats. However, glycerol release in response to the same hormonal challenge was greater in these adipocytes. cAMP phosphodiesterase activity measured at 0.125 and 1.025 microM cAMP was greater in the particulate fraction of fat cell homogenates obtained from trained rats as compared with their sedentary counterparts. Hormone-sensitive lipase activity was reduced in crude fat pad homogenate preparations from trained rats if the animals were killed at rest. However, if the animals were run to exhaustion immediately prior to being killed, there were no differences in the hormone-sensitive lipase activity between preparations from trained and nontrained rats. These data indicate that, although cAMP accumulation by isolated fat cells in response to isoproterenol is markedly lower in trained rats, lipolysis and hormone-sensitive lipase activation is not reduced.