Hyperglycemia and advanced glycosylation end products suppress adipocyte apoE expression: implications for adipocyte triglyceride metabolism.

Endogenous adipocyte apolipoprotein E (apoE) plays an important role in adipocyte lipoprotein metabolism and lipid flux. A potential role for hyperglycemia in regulating adipocyte apoE expression and triglyceride metabolism was examined. Exposure of adipocytes to high glucose or advanced glycosylation end product-BSA significantly suppressed apoE mRNA and protein levels. This suppression was significantly attenuated by antioxidants or inhibitors of the NF-κB transcription pathway. Hyperglycemia in vivo led to adipose tissue oxidant stress and significant reduction in adipose tissue and adipocyte apoE mRNA level. Incubation with antioxidant in organ culture completely reversed this suppression. Hyperglycemia also reduced adipocyte triglyceride synthesis, and this could be completely reversed by adenoviral-mediated increases in apoE. To more specifically evaluate an in vivo role for adipocyte apoE expression on organismal triglyceride distribution in vivo, WT or apoE knockout (EKO) adipose tissue was transplanted in EKO recipient mice. After 12 wk, WT adipocytes transplanted in EKO mice accumulated more triglyceride compared with transplanted EKO adipocytes. In addition, EKO recipients of WT adipose tissue had reduced hepatic triglyceride content compared with EKO recipients transplanted with EKO adipose tissue. Our results demonstrate that hyperglycemia and advanced glycosylation end products suppress the expression of adipocyte apoE in vitro and in vivo and thereby reduce adipocyte triglyceride synthesis. In vivo results using adipose tissue transplantation suggest that reduction of adipocyte apoE, and subsequent reduction of adipocyte triglyceride accumulation, could influence lipid accumulation in nonadipose tissue.