Beta-adrenergic stimulation of lipoprotein lipase in rat brown adipose tissue during acclimation to cold

Lipoprotein lipase activity in adult rats was investigated in animals subjected to cold and to different hormonal treatments. In contrast to changes in tissue wet weight and total protein content, which showed a lag time of about 1 day, lipoprotein lipase activity was markedly (fourfold) increased after only 4 h in the cold. Total lipoprotein lipase activity reached a plateau already after 1-3 days, whereas wet weight and protein content did not plateau until 3 wk. Neither insulin nor glucose injections could mimic the cold-induced increase in lipoprotein lipase activity seen after 4 h. However, the effect of norepinephrine injections was identical to the effect of cold. The beta-agonist isoprenaline was as effective as norepinephrine, whereas the alpha-agonist phenylephrine had no effect. The beta-antagonist propranolol inhibited the cold-induced increase in lipoprotein lipase activity. It is concluded that, in contrast to white adipose tissue, brown adipose tissue lipoprotein lipase is stimulated in vivo by a beta-adrenergic mechanism and that it is this beta-adrenergic mechanism that is responsible for the rapid recruitment of lipoprotein lipase during cold exposure.