Activation of adipose tissue glycerokinase contributes to increased white adipose tissue mass in mice fed a high-fat diet

Purpose Investigate the pathways of glycerol-3-P (G3P) generation for triacylglycerol (TAG) synthesis in retroperitoneal (RWAT) and epididymal (EWAT) white adipose tissues from high-fat diet (HFD)-fed mice. Methods Mice were fed for 8 weeks a HFD and glycolysis, glyceroneogenesis and direct phosphorylation of glycerol were evaluated, respectively, by 2-deoxyglucose uptake, phosphoenolpyruvate carboxykinase (PEPCK-C) activity and pyruvate incorporation into TAG-glycerol, and glycerokinase activity and glycerol incorporation into TAG-glycerol in both tissues. Results HFD increased body and adipose tissue mass and serum levels of glucose and insulin, which were accompanied by glucose intolerance. RWAT and EWAT from HFD-fed mice had increased rates of de novo fatty acid (FA) synthesis (52% and 255%, respectively). HFD increased lipoprotein lipase (LPL) activity and content in EWAT (107%), but decreased in RWAT (79%). HFD decreased the lipolytic response to norepinephrine (57%, RWAT and 25%, EWAT), β3-adrenoceptor content (50%), which was accompanied by a decrease in phosphorylated-hormone-sensitive lipase (~80%) and phosphorylated-adipocyte triacylglycerol lipase (~60%) in both tissues. HFD decreased the in vitro rates of glucose uptake (3.5- and 6-fold), as well as in glyceride-glycerol synthesis from pyruvate (~3.5-fold) without changes in PEPCK-C activity and content in RWAT and EWAT, but increased glycerokinase activity(~3-fold) and content (90 and 40%) in both tissues. Conclusion The data suggest that direct phosphorylation of glycerol by glycerokinase may be responsible for maintaining the supply of G3P for the existing rates of FA esterification and TAG synthesis in RWAT and EWAT from HFD-fed mice, contributing, along with a lower lipolytic response to norepinephrine, to higher adiposity.