Peptide hormones and lipolysis in rabbit adipocytes.

Fifty peptides and hormones from the hypophysis, hypothalamus, gastrointestinal tract and from other origins were tested for lipolytic activity in the isolated rabbit fat cell. Eight peptides derived from the precursor hormone proopiocortin stimulated glycerol release while all the other peptides and hormones showed no lipolytic activity. The most potent lipolytic peptide was alpha-MSH which also had the lowest minimal effective dose, followed by beta-lipotropin, ACTH and beta-MSH. The lipolytic activity was not influenced by the use of different collagenases or the cells from different breeds of rabbits.