Frontiers in Endocrinology (Jun 2021)

Acetate Does Not Affect Palmitate Oxidation and AMPK Phosphorylation in Human Primary Skeletal Muscle Cells

  • Manuel A. González Hernández,
  • Ellen E. Blaak,
  • Nicole T. H. Hoebers,
  • Yvonne P. G. Essers,
  • Emanuel E. Canfora,
  • Johan W. E. Jocken

DOI
https://doi.org/10.3389/fendo.2021.659928
Journal volume & issue
Vol. 12

Abstract

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Our recent in vivo human studies showed that colonic administration of sodium acetate (SA) resulted in increased circulating acetate levels, which was accompanied by increments in whole-body fat oxidation in overweight-obese men. Since skeletal muscle has a major role in whole-body fat oxidation, we aimed to investigate effects of SA on fat oxidation and underlying mechanisms in human primary skeletal muscle cells (HSkMC). We investigated the dose (0–5 mmol/L) and time (1, 4, 20, and 24 h) effect of SA on complete and incomplete endogenous and exogenous oxidation of 14C-labeled palmitate in HSkMC derived from a lean insulin sensitive male donor. Both physiological (0.1 and 0.25 mmol/L) and supraphysiological (0.5, 1 and 5 mmol/L) concentrations of SA neither increased endogenous nor exogenous fat oxidation over time in HSkMC. In addition, no effect of SA was observed on Thr172-AMPKα phosphorylation. In conclusion, our previously observed in vivo effects of SA on whole-body fat oxidation in men may not be explained via direct effects on HSkMC fat oxidation. Nevertheless, SA-mediated effects on whole-body fat oxidation may be triggered by other mechanisms including gut-derived hormones or may occur in other metabolically active tissues.

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