Effect of diet and triiodothyronine on the activity of sn-glycerol-3-phosphate dehydrogenase and on the metabolism of glucose and pyruvate by adipose tissue of obese patients.

Lipogenesis and the metabolism of sn-glycerol-3-phosphate were studied in 23 fat biopsies from eight grossly obese patients. The first biopsy was obtained after a minimum of 12 days on a 3500 cal diet, the second biopsy after 2 wk on a 900 cal diet, and the third biopsy after an additional 2 wk on 900 cal supplemented with thiiodothyronine, 250 mug/day.Oxygen consumption and respiratory quotient declined during caloric restriction. Oxygen consumption was restored to the initial level during treatment with triiodothyronine, and the respiratory quotient rose somewhat.Lipogenesis from glucose and pyruvate was demonstrated in fat obtained from the first biopsy but could not be detected in the other biopsies. The incorporation of radioactivity from pyruvate into fatty acids was stimulated by the addition of glucose. Insulin stimulated lipogenesis in pieces of fat from the first biopsy, but isolated fat cells were unaffected by insulin. After caloric restriction no effects of insulin could be detected. The activity of both the cytoplasmic and mitochondrial sn-glycerol-3-phosphate dehydrogenase in homogenates of adipose tissue declined with caloric restriction. Treatment with triiodothyronine enhanced the activity of the mitochondrial sn-glycerol-3-phosphate dehydrogenase but did not affect the cytoplasmic enzyme.