Depot-specific effects of early growth retardation on adipocyte insulin action

Male offspring of rats protein restricted during pregnancy and lactation ar e growth restricted and have changes in insulin action on epididymal adipoc ytes. Adipocytes from different anatomical depots are thought to have disti nct metabolic functions. The aim of the present study was to determine whet her the alterations in metabolism of adipocytes from early growth restricte d rats is depot-specific or more generalised. Epididymal, intra-abdominal a nd subcutaneous adipocytes were studied from three-month-old male offspring of control and protein restricted dams. Basal glucose uptakes were higher in low protein adipocytes (p < 0.01) compared to controls. However, insulin stimulation was less in the low protein group in all depots compared to co ntrols (p < 0.05). Isoproterenol-stimulated lipolysis was greater in low pr otein adipocytes (p < 0.0001), but the magnitude was greater in epididymal (p < 0.0001) and intra-abdominal (p < 0.0001) adipocytes than in subcutaneo us adipocytes. Epididymal and intra-abdominal adipocytes from low protein o ffspring were also resistant to the anti-lipolytic action of insulin. These results suggest that certain changes associated with early growth retardat ion are depot-specific, being entranced in the more metabolically active in tra-abdominal and epididymal tissues.