Lipids in Health and Disease (Apr 2010)

Differential alterations of the concentrations of endocannabinoids and related lipids in the subcutaneous adipose tissue of obese diabetic patients

  • Verde Roberta,
  • Riccardi Gabriele,
  • Bozzetto Lutgarda,
  • Costabile Giuseppina,
  • Giacco Rosalba,
  • Patti Lidia,
  • Di Marino Lucrezia,
  • Piscitelli Fabiana,
  • Annuzzi Giovanni,
  • Petrosino Stefania,
  • Rivellese Angela A,
  • Di Marzo Vincenzo

DOI
https://doi.org/10.1186/1476-511X-9-43
Journal volume & issue
Vol. 9, no. 1
p. 43

Abstract

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Abstract Background The endocannabinoids, anandamide and 2-AG, are produced by adipocytes, where they stimulate lipogenesis via cannabinoid CB1 receptors and are under the negative control of leptin and insulin. Endocannabinoid levels are elevated in the blood of obese individuals and nonobese type 2 diabetes patients. To date, no study has evaluated endocannabinoid levels in subcutaneous adipose tissue (SAT) of subjects with both obesity and type 2 diabetes (OBT2D), characterised by similar adiposity and whole body insulin resistance and lower plasma leptin levels as compared to non-diabetic obese subjects (OB). Design and Methods The levels of anandamide and 2-AG, and of the anandamide-related PPARα ligands, oleoylethanolamide (OEA) and palmitoylethanolamide (PEA), in the SAT obtained by abdominal needle biopsy in 10 OBT2D, 11 OB, and 8 non-diabetic normal-weight (NW) subjects, were measured by liquid chromatography-mass spectrometry. All subjects underwent a hyperinsulinaemic euglycaemic clamp. Results As compared to NW, anandamide, OEA and PEA levels in the SAT were 2-4.4-fold elevated (p Conclusions The observed alterations emphasize, for the first time in humans, the potential different role and regulation of adipose tissue anandamide (and its congeners) and 2-AG in obesity and type 2 diabetes.