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Horm Metab Res 2001; 33(7): 407-411
DOI: 10.1055/s-2001-16228
Original Clinical
© Georg Thieme Verlag Stuttgart · New York

Modulation of Corticosterone Availability to White Adipose Tissue of Lean and Obese Zucker Rats by Corticosteroid-Binding Globulin

M. M. Grasa, C. Cabot, J. A. Fernández-López, X. Remesar, M. Alemany
  • Centre de Recerca en Nutrició i Ciència dels Aliments, Facultat de Biologia, Universitat de Barcelona, Barcelona, Spain
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Publication History

Publication Date:
31 December 2001 (online)

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Corticosterone-binding (CB) capacity was determined in periovarian and subcutaneous white adipose tissue (WAT), as well as in plasma of lean and obese Zucker rats. In lean rats, plasma CB was twice the level of obese rats. In lean rat WAT, dexamethasone binding accounted for only 0.05 - 0.09 % of corticosterone binding, and aldosterone bound even less; in the obese rats, dexamethasone accounted for 0.2 - 0.3 % of corticosterone binding. Scatchard plots showed that KD for corticosterone was 3.1 nM (WAT) or 3.4 nM (plasma) in lean rats and 1.8 nM (WAT) or 1.5 nM (plasma) in obese rats. The total CB capacity in WAT was lower in the obese than in lean rats (47 - 50 %). Plasma non-esterified fatty acid levels were higher in obese rats. The results suggest that CBG may limit the access of glucocorticoids to adipocytes more weakly in obese rats because of the lower CBG. Fatty acids may increase the affinity of CBG for corticosterone, which would make WAT cells less accessible to circulating glucocorticoids. The modulation of CBG by fatty acids may protect fat reserves by decreasing the sensitivity of WAT to glucocorticoids.

Key words:

Corticosterone-Binding Globulin - CBG - White Adipose Tissue - Obesity

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Prof. Dr. Marià Alemany

Grup Nitrogen-Obesitat
Centre de Recerca en Nutrició i Ciència dels Aliments
Departament de Bioquímica i Biologia Molecular
Facultat de Biologia, Universitat de Barcelona

Av. Diagonal, 645
08028 Barcelona
Spain


Phone: + 34 (93) 403 4606

Fax: + 34 (93) 402 1559

Email: alemany@bio.ub.es