The PPARgamma ligand rosiglitazone influences triacylglycerol metabolism in non-obese males, without increasing the transcriptional activity of PPARgamma in the subcutaneous adipose tissue.

PPARgamma is obligatory for fat mass generation and is thought to determine the amount of TAG stored per fat cell. We investigated whether ligand availability for PPARgamma is rate limiting in fat mass generation and substrate metabolism. Twenty healthy men (20-29 years) were randomly assigned to receive the PPARgamma ligand rosiglitazone (RSG) (8 mg/d) (n 10) or a placebo (n 10) during a stay of 7 d in a respiration chamber.

Intra- and interindividual variation in gene expression in human adipose tissue.

Adipose tissue is a highly plastic tissue with an important endocrine and metabolic function. To understand its role in human health and disease, it is necessary to understand the extent of variation and the specific differences within and between different depots and subjects. We employed cDNA microarray analysis to investigate this in human subjects ranging from lean to mildly obese.

24(S)-hydroxycholesterol participates in a liver X receptor-controlled pathway in astrocytes that regulates apolipoprotein E-mediated cholesterol efflux.

Both apolipoprotein E (apoE) and 24(S)-hydroxycholesterol are involved in the pathogenesis of Alzheimer disease (AD). It has been hypothesized that apoE affects AD development via isoform-specific effects on lipid trafficking between astrocytes and neurons. However, the regulation of the cholesterol supply of neurons via apoE-containing high density lipoproteins remains to be clarified.

The effect of the PPARgamma ligand rosiglitazone on energy balance regulation.

Background And Aim: Fat mass generation requires an energy surplus and the activity of the peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor gamma (PPARgamma). We investigated if the PPARgamma ligand rosiglitazone influences substrate usage, energy expenditure (EE) and energy intake (EI) and, thereby, how PPARgamma activity contributes to susceptibility to obesity.

Methods: Twenty healthy males (20-29 years) were randomly assigned to receive a placebo (n = 10) or rosiglitazone (8 mg/d) (n = 10) for seven consecutive days, while staying in a respiration chamber.

Metabolic efficiency and energy expenditure during short-term overfeeding.

Objective: To investigate whether efficiency of weight gain during a short period of overfeeding is related to adaptive differences in basal metabolic rate (BMR) and physical activity.

Subjects: Fourteen healthy females (age 25+/-4 years, BMI 22.1+/-2.

Preadipocyte number in omental and subcutaneous adipose tissue of obese individuals.

Objective: To determine the variation in preadipocyte isolation procedure and to assess the number and function of preadipocytes from subcutaneous and omental adipose tissue of obese individuals.

Research Methods And Procedures: The preadipocyte number per gram of adipose tissue in the abdominal-subcutaneous and abdominal-omental adipose stores of 27 obese subjects with a BMI of 44 +/- 10 kg/m(2) and an age of 40 +/- 9 years was determined.

Results: The assessment of the preadipocyte number was found to be labor intensive and error prone.